2.1 The doctoral dissertation of educational administration: a  (Page 6/11)

Another example was:

“I believe that my textbooks helped me to realize the significance of possibly extending my dissertation beyond graduation. I mean that everytime I reread certain chapter, I just gained a new perspective of how to use my vehicle to focus my study on the needs of my school and community.”

A sample EdD graduate response was:

“During group discussions, my cohort members and I helped each other a great deal to identify some of the ethical implications of our dissertation topics.”

Another EdD graduate stated:

“We often talked to each other about our dissertation topics. These discussions really helped me to realize that my dissertation could be used to think the thought processes of other people.”

4. How did your educational administration program’s professors encourage you to apply your dissertations towards promoting a just and democratic society?

Majority of the PhD and EdD graduates stated that their professors didn’t encourage them to use their dissertations to promote a just and democratic society. A small sample of both groups was only verbally encouraged to use their dissertations to create a just and democratic society. Of this population, only the PhD graduates indicated that they were encouraged to write articles about their dissertations. Representative responses from the majority of the PhD graduates were:

“Didn’t.”

“They Never Did.”

“Not sure we talked about it in that particular aspect.”

“They haven’t.”

A representative response from majority of the EdD graduates was:

“After I defended my dissertation, my professors basically told me that no body is going to read that long thing. So up until seeing this survey, I haven’t really worried about looking at my dissertation”.

A representative response from both of the small percentage of PhD graduates was:

“The professors were supportive in this endeavor and informed me of multiple avenues to develop my dissertation topic. My chair was especially helpful”.

A representative response from the smaller percentage of EdD graduates was:

“My professors gave me plenty of encouragement to taking a look at using my dissertation to further my research if I so desire. They all indicated that that I should write a few article about my dissertation”

5. Give an example of how you used your dissertation to promote justice and democracy in your field or other fields of expertise.

The PhD graduates and EdD graduates indicated that prior to completing this survey they did not realize that their dissertations could inspire a just and democratic society.

For example, one PhD graduate stated:

“I am currently writing an article about the dialogic process and the outcomes from utilizing Paideia Seminars to initiate a professional learning community. After answering this survey, I have been inspired to look at the data through a different lens and possibly write an article about how my study and the seminar topics reflected a commitment to social justice.”

Another PhD graduate stated:

“This survey helped me to realize that year-round schooling really does have “So What” ramifications for the communities that surround my school district. That’s why I am planning to conduct community workshops on my dissertation.”