Ed.D. in Transformational Leadership and Administration in Deaf Education

The proseminar introduces first-year doctoral students to scholarly discourse by providing a foundation for critical inquiry about educational theories, issues and research through analytical reading, synthetical writing, and collegial discussion. Students will gain an understanding of divergent perspectives by applying the tenets of critical pedagogy by: 1) critically reflecting upon individual culture and lived experiences, and challenging inherent assumptions; 2) critically sharing, examining and challenging perspectives about the world and society; and 3) considering acts to diminish social injustice and transform society toward equable education for all deaf individuals. The course is the first of two consecutive proseminars.

The second of two consecutive proseminars enhances the development of scholarly discourse in first-year doctoral students by providing a foundation for critical inquiry about educational theories, issues and research through analytical reading, synthetical writing, and collegial discussion. Students will build upon and enhance their understanding of divergent perspectives gained during the first proseminar by extending the tenets of critical pedagogy through: 1) critically reflections upon individual culture and lived experiences, and challenging inherent assumptions; 2) critical sharing, examining and challenging of perspectives about the world and society; and 3) consideration of acts to diminish social injustice and transform society toward equable education for all deaf individuals.

This course focuses on curriculum as an area of inquiry, including historical, philosophical, cultural, and related foundations. Students examine and analyze strengths, limitations, and implications of varying theoretical perspectives on curriculum development, analysis and evaluation in preschool through higher education in general and deaf education.

This introductory course sequence develops the primary statistical concepts and techniques needed to conduct research. This course presumes no previous statistical background other than college-level algebra or its equivalent. The course goal is to develop many of the basic conceptual theories underlying statistical applications, while also developing a critical perspective toward statistics. Students will develop skills in descriptive statistical analysis, simple correlation procedures, and hypothesis testing. Computer-assisted analysis will complement course work.

This course introduces students to qualitative research methods using interactive and applied techniques to teach relevant knowledge and skills. Through the course, students will be expected to conduct their own qualitative pilot study in an ethical manner. Students will develop skills in how to formulate appropriate qualitative research questions, design a qualitative study, determine appropriate methods for establishing trustworthiness, and collect and analyze data using qualitative methods. Students will be exposed to different styles of presenting qualitative research results, and will consider different ways in which qualitative data is used in practice.

This course will provide candidates with the knowledge and the skills to apply the principles of action research in order to develop an evidence-based action plan that will incorporate the use of action research practices when making transformational operational, curricular and instructional decisions at the school-wide and at the classroom level. Candidates will study how to locate data, analyze results, identify gaps and demonstrate timely decision-making, in order to ensure staff and student success in schools and programs for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students. In this course, candidates will plan, develop, and conduct an action research project to address a school or classroom problem in the schools or programs they currently serve in.

This seminar introduces first-year doctoral students to scholarly discourse. Students will explore what it means to engage in academic writing and how academic writing is different from other types of writing. Specifically, this course covers how to develop a research question or thesis statement, how to search for sources strategically, how to evaluate sources, and how to craft an argument using sources. APA formatting guidelines for academic papers and ASL guidelines for academic presentations are also covered in detail.

This seminar addresses professional writing and presentation skills needed by many doctoral level professionals in education. Students analyze and evaluate grant proposals, published articles, and presentations for structure, word choice, voice, and content. They construct short manuscripts that adhere to the American Psychological Association style format. In addition, students prepare media-enhanced presentations for professional audiences, including parent groups, teachers, school administrators, and professional conferences.

This course is offered to doctoral students to prepare their comprehensive examinations for review. The purpose of this exam is to evaluate the student's success in attaining expertise in a related set of scholarly areas sufficient for using critical theory and conducting original, advanced research in a specialization area.  The student will register for the course with their advisor. For this course, students will develop their portfolios, including dissertation concept papers, with guidance from their advisor.

This course is a one-semester course in which students work on their dissertation under the guidance of a faculty member. The credits selected for the course should be reflective of the amount of research, analysis, and writing required. This course is designed for students to make progress on their dissertation study - proposal development and defense, data collection and analysis, or final manuscript preparation and defense.

This course is designed to familiarize students with legislation in special education (past and present) and the IEP process.

This course is the second of two seminars investigating critical issues in deaf education.  Candidates will revisit the critical issues explored in Seminar I and apply principles and concepts learned in the program to propose transformational approaches and/or solutions to these issues. Current leaders or administrators of deaf schools and programs will be available to guide discussions and share successes and failures in implementing change at their schools. Characteristics of transformational leaders will be reassessed and as a culminating experience, candidates will create a professional portfolio on self-assessment, reflection, personal and professional goal-setting, and discoveries made.

This doctoral-level field experience course provides students with opportunities to experience practices related to clinical supervision of in-service or pre-service teachers, including observation and conferencing techniques, record-keeping, and providing instructional leadership. This course consists of seminars and field experiences. Seminars are used for sharing experiences with peers and exploring various approaches in teacher evaluation, with an emphasis on inclusive and equitable practices and minimizing bias. A minimum of 50 hours of field experience is required for this course.

This course provides students with a broad overview of the history of curriculum in deaf education, which provides the foundation for understanding modern practices in deaf education. Students will be introduced to a variety of curricula used in deaf education, and they will be provided with tools to help evaluate the fit of a curriculum in their context. Finally, strategies for working with teachers to ensure fidelity of curriculum implementation will be discussed.

Students explore organizational change and leadership in educational organizations, including K-12 schools, schools for the deaf, school districts, and teacher education. This course examines basic organizational theories and models of leadership and management including management styles, strategic planning, organizational improvement, stakeholder engagement, and personal leadership. There will be specific emphasis on shared leadership, communication skills, and promotion of equitable and inclusive environments.

This internship provides an intensive school-based experience for students to develop their skills as school-based leaders and administrators. A minimum of 60 clock hours per credit hour must be completed in the internship setting.

This course considers educational institutions as political entities that are influenced by policy and political ideologies. Federal policies impacting schools from kindergarten to post-secondary levels are examined, and their consequences are analyzed. Roles of educational institutions in implementing change to promote social justice and equity are considered.

The course deals in-depth with the history and role of schooling in American society. It addresses the nature and roots of curriculum as well as relationships between child development and curriculum, teacher education, and evaluation. Various model programs across the nation will be explored. Students become familiar with theories of curriculum, and important trends in early childhood, elementary, and secondary levels, including special education. The course specifically addresses the challenges facing the educational leader, including teacher educators, as reflected in the professional literature.

This course will prepare candidates with the tools that educational leaders will need to budget, administer, and manage the funds and resources needed to create and maintain an equitable and successful learning environment for all teachers and students. Candidates will gain a working knowledge of fundamentals of education finance for residential/day schools for the deaf as well as deaf programs, by exploring sources of revenue at the local, state, and federal levels. Approaches and procedures for forecasting budgets, managing school operations and facilities, reporting and auditing of funds, insurance and risk management as well as human resource management will be explored.