University of Maryland
CPED-Influenced Program

Teaching and Learning Policy

School/Department where the Program is Housed

Curriculum and Instruction

Program Description

39 months but no summer. Participants are mid-career professionals from professional and advocacy groups as well as public schools. No residency requirements. Most course taught face-to-face. See discussion of program below.

Philosophy and Mission

Overview

The new EdD program at College Park is designed as a prototype for other professional doctoral program in the College of Education. The focus of the initial offering is to increase the capacity of mid-career professionals to provide leadership in their organization’s efforts to influence the quality of pre-collegiate education. It engages faculty from five departments. New approaches to facilitating student learning are embedded in the program. These learning experiences, along with several existing courses that are being modified both substantively and pedagogically, address the weakness of traditional EdD programs. These weaknesses include a lack of coherence, pedagogy that lacks power and authenticity, extended time for completion that results in non-completion and undermines learning, and curricula and a dissertation requirement that contribute too little to the development of professional expertise.

Program Goals

1. Students in the program will have the opportunity to use what they learn to improve educational policy and practice both because of their qualifications and the opportunities to learn that make up the program.
2. The content of the program will be rigorous and relevant to the learning needs of individuals who have the potential to influence pre-college educational policy and practice. The content is defined largely by “job analyses” that identify what those who provide leadership to professional associations, advocacy organizations, and government agencies need to know and be able to do.
3. The program will be coherent substantively and pedagogically.
4. Students will be able to complete the program in a timely manner (i.e., in three post-masters degree years, part time).
5. The learning processes will be engaging and will facilitate the transfer of what is learned to the improvement of educational policy and practice). Much of the program is rooted in authentic problem solving making extensive use of a version of the Legacy Learning Cycle.
6. Good use will be made of unique opportunities to promote learning in the context of on-going efforts to improve policy and practice and to work with adjunct faculty of exceptional talent.
7. Faculty workload will be manageable, especially with respect to advising and dissertation work.

Program Content

The program’s interdisciplinary curriculum will enable students to:

• Make ethical decisions
• Use deep understanding of theory and research on learning and teaching
• Collect and analyze evidence about different strategies for improving learning outcomes and opportunities
• Develop imaginative and productive strategies for improving the education of all students, especially students placed at risk
• Evaluate alternative policies and practices o Develop and sustain consensus within and across organizations
• Facilitate collaborative learning and action
• Motivate others
• Develop the human, financial, and organizational resources to formulate and implement effective educational policies and practices

Admissions Requirements

No written exams. Letters of reference, examples of analytical writing, and past performance in professional roles make up the evaluation process. Students must have and undergraduate GPS of 3.0 or higher.

Description of each year of the Program — number of courses, credits, time frame; core, specializations, dissertation/capstone

Fall 2007

EDCI 780 Theory and Research on Teaching (3)
EDCI 888A Seminar in Education Policy: Closing the Achievement Gap (2)

Spring 2008

EDCI 790 Epistemological Bases of Educational Research (3 )
EDCI 788X Quantitative Applications for Teaching and Learning Policy (3)
EDCI 782 Power, Privilege, Diversity and Teaching (3)
EDCI 888B Seminar in Education Policy: Closing the Achievement Gap (2)

Fall 2008

EDCI 788a Organizational Theory in Practice (3 )
EDCI 898 Pre-candidacy Research—Research Laboratories (4 )
EDCI 888C Seminar in Educational Policy: Accountability (2 )

Spring 2009

EDCI 788Y School Improvement and Organizational Change (3 )
EDCI 888D Seminar in Education Policy: Accountability (2)
EDCI 898 Pre-candidacy Research: Laboratories of Practice (2)
EDPL 673 Economic Evaluation of Education (3 )

Fall 2009

EDCI 784 Teaching, Professional Development, and School Change (3 credits) AIR Team
EDCI 898 Pre-candidacy Research: laboratory of Practice (2)
EDCI 787 Disciplinary Knowledge, School Subjects and Educational Reform (3)s) Van Sledright
EDCI 880 Doctoral Proposal Seminar (3 credits)

Spring 2010

EDCI 788S The Politics of Policy Development and Adoption (2)
EDCI 788Y Policy Development & Evaluation: Focus on Special Education (3)
EDCI 898 Pre-candidacy Research: Dissertation Readiness (3)

Fall 2010

EDCI 899 Doctoral Dissertation (6 )

Milestones Employed in the Program — comprehensive/qualifying exams, papers, or products necessary for graduation

Passing all courses, which includes written papers (case analyses, research reviews, policy analyses, etc.) in all courses.

Comprehensive qualifying examination.

Capstone experience (quasi-dissertation; see description below).

Program's Support Structure

Forthcoming

Signature Pedagogy

Program pedagogy engages students in active learning throughout and immerses them in collaborative problem solving that is relevant to their professional responsibilities. Efforts are made to ensure that the curriculum and the pedagogy foster the transfer of what is learned to the improvement of educational policy and practice. Courses are taught in various formats, including ten week courses, yearlong seminars, intensive week-end sessions, and some online sessions.

Embedded in most courses are authentic cases that engage students in addressing current challenges they are likely to face in their professional lives, both now and in the future.

Laboratories of Practice

Research laboratories focus on developing each student’s repertoire of analytical skills. Students in the program work in teams using primary and secondary sources of data and information in their work. They prepare for the labs by taking formal courses on epistemology and multivariate statistics. At their best, these experiences are integrated with other course work. For example, last year students took a five credit course on human resource development in education from researchers at the American Institutes for Research (AIR). In this course, students studied how one mounts a large randomized trial and dealt with the analysis of data while learning about core issues of recruitment, compensation, working conditions and continuing professional development. University faculty joined the AIR team in facilitating this course and linking it to others students had taken. Students earn a total of eight credits in four research laboratories.

Inquiry Courses

See discussion laboratories of practice.

Capstone

The capstone experience will:

• Require the use of “meta-proficiencies” developed across the curriculum; e.g., systems thinking, design of systematic inquiry, and applications of learning theory.
• Focus on authentic and meaningful policies and practices that motivate, facilitate transfer, and contribute to the solution of a substantial problem.
• Serve the interests of an organizational client.
• Involve collaborative problem-solving while allowing assessment of individuals.
• Be completed within a 12-month period (with prior preparation). Student teams (usually four members) are advised by a faculty committee and have a primary advisor (who receives course load credit). Students meet with faculty and clients regularly.

Syllabi

• Accountability
• Epistemological Bases of Education Research
• Selected Topics in Teacher Education: School Improvement and Organizational Change

Key Contact Person

Willis Hawley (wdh@umd.edu)
David Imig (dimig@umd.edu)

Cost Structure

60 credits at an average of $440 per credit). Out of state students pay in-state tuition.