Doctor of Education

• Analyse, mobilize, and construct knowledge from multiple perspectives to engage in scholarly dialogue and apply to complex problems of practice in such areas as education, leadership, ethics, and research.
• Engage in place-based learning, situated on the territory of the Syilx Okanagan Nation, acknowledging and decolonizing leadership and pedagogy as part of reconciliation for Canada’s histories of colonialism, systemic racism and inequities.
• Reflect on and defend sustained thinking and evaluation around theoretical frameworks, identified problems of educational practice and research activities.
• Demonstrate knowledge and comprehension of educational research practices and methodologies and how these may be thoughtfully used in students’ own contexts in particular, and education in general.
• Build and deepen communication and collaborative skills through engagement in learning communities that will develop over time through the program components.
• Engage in practical research and solutions to navigate complex problems of educational leadership practice that promote positive organizational change for diversity, equity, inclusivity and innovation.
• Lead with critical awareness of knowledges, values, policies and practices that influence and inform leadership through examining personal, professional and organizational ethics and moral purpose.

• Administrators (Elementary, Secondary, Post-secondary, Vocational)
• Principal (Elementary, Secondary)
• Professor
• Lecturers

Year 1

The in-person orientation and summer intensive will be the third-week of July

• EDLL 602 (3): Setting Conditions for Transformative Leadership, July – August
• EDUC 600 (3): Research Seminar I: Project Fundamentals, September – December
• EDLL 606 (3): Culturally Responsive Leadership in a Diverse Society, January – April

Year 2

• EDLL 605 (3): Special Topics or Elective Course, July – August
• EDUC 601 (3): Research Seminar II: Research and Project Design, September – December
• EDLL 608 (3): Ethics, Governance and Reform in Contemporary Contexts, January – April

Year 3

• EDUC 698 (6): Research Seminar III: Practice-Engaged Dissertation, Sept – April

The core courses are interdisciplinary and provide grounding for all students in the contemporary and historical educational discourses, perspectives, and traditions as they embark on their studies.

EDLL 602: Setting Conditions for Transformative Leadership

This course applies the theoretical elements of transformative leadership with a focus on establishing conceptual and practical frameworks for engaging in educational leadership for transformation at the levels of self, school, system, and society.

EDLL 606: Culturally Responsive Leadership in a Diverse Society

This course provides the theoretical underpinnings for education leaders to think more deeply and consider issues involved in implementing social justice education and to respond to societal pressures around issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion.

EDUC 600: Research Seminar I: Project Fundamentals

An introductory course examining inquiry frameworks as a mode of investigation. It examines various issues, methods and techniques used in educational research. Consideration is given to research strategies and techniques and the selection of research questions appropriate to a range of issues facing scholar-practitioners.

EDLL 605: Special Topics

This course aims to address an emerging, novel, or specialized issue/topic in educational leadership not addressed in the general graduate course offerings. 

EDLL 608: Ethics, Governance and Reform in Contemporary Contexts

Co-investigation of the ethical values, educational aims, and conditions of political legitimacy of educational institutions in the early 21^st century. Normative and descriptive accounts of these institutions are examined in relation to contemporary social problems (and possible solutions) with an orientation to their implications for public policy and leadership-in-practice.

EDUC 601: Research Seminar II: Research and Project Design

Designed to help students prepare the components of their research proposal. Research tools and techniques commonly used for researching leadership and organizational improvement practices, including research ethics will guide the course design.

EDLL 698: Research Seminar III: Practice-Engaged Dissertation

Building on course work completed during the doctoral program, this course supports students in the development and carrying out of their Practice-Based Dissertation and writing their dissertation in practice.  It provides scaffolding for research processes and writing components of developing and completing their dissertation of their in-situ Practice-Based Dissertation that will meet or exceed the EdD graduate program.

EDLL 699: Practice-Based Dissertation

Students must maintain continuous registration in the Practice-Based Dissertation (EDLL 699) until degree completion.

The Practice-Based Dissertation to be developed throughout Year 3 of the program provides opportunity for students to intensively study a problem or set of circumstances embedded in their own practice, analysed within relevant research literature and may include carrying out research in practice. This project is a rigorous, intensive application of a field-based analysis and/or implementation of a structural change, and the research conducted will contribute or lead to: (1) professional innovation and creative excellence, (2) exemplary professional practice, and/or (3) the significant development of professional practice.

There are many forms that the Practice-Based Dissertation can take within the student’s organizational context including but not limited to:

• A research project that draws on organizational data to answer a specific research question that leads to organizational improvement
• A deep evaluation of an organizational project, program, or intervention that results in recommendations for change processes and further development
• The development or design of a new educational program, intervention or strategy resulting from a systematic review of evidence

Your field mentor is someone who has expertise related to the field of your problem of practice. Field mentors offers guidance, advice, wisdom through their time and reflections as they support your research in the field. The role is collegial and offers critical friendship as they share time and their expertise (approximately one to two hours per month). It also provides your mentor an opportunity to grow their own understanding in the topics that you and your mentor share. The relationship is collegial and intended to be a reciprocal learning experience.

Students need to identify a field mentor at time of application. Field mentors will:

• support students in the field as needed and as appropriate, serving as an advisor and critical friend
• attend the Practice-Based Dissertation proposal presentations, provide input and feedback on student’s progress as a scholar-practitioner in the field
• attend the Practice-Based Dissertation presentations and provide valuable input and recommendations.

Choosing a Field Mentor

The Field Mentor should be someone who is familiar with your area of study as they will provide valuable input and recommendations. They have expertise related to the field of your problem of practice. They do not need to have a PhD or EdD or graduate degree. Your Field Mentor should be someone who you can relate to and who is willing to share their own challenges and experiences. The relationship between the Field Mentor and the student will not be personal, but rather built on professionalism and reciprocity.

Changing your Field Mentor

It is not advisable to change your Field Mentor once you begin the program. If it becomes necessary for a student to change committee members during the program the student should meet with the Program Manager.

Supports for Field Mentor

The field mentor works closely with other members of the Collaborative Supervisory Committee (including the supervisor and course instructor(s)), and will also be supported by the EdD Academic Lead and Program Manager.

Frequently Asked Questions

A list of frequently asked questions regarding the position of the Field Mentor and their roles and responsibilities has been compiled.

FAQ

Conflict of Interest

The relationship between the Field Mentor and the student is an academic one. Where other relationships exist or develop that might give the appearance of conflict of interest, they must be immediately reported to the EdD Faculty Lead and Program Manager who will consult with the Director of Graduate Programs or Associate Dean of the College of Graduate Studies, if the situation is unable to be resolved within OSE.