The doctoral program has three distinct, yet overlapping, foci that we believe are essential characteristics for the next generation of leaders in education:
Engagement with the Community
Transformational Leadership
Scholarly Practice
Each of three focus areas are briefly described below:
Engagement with the Community
Leaders who are engaged with the community are firmly rooted in everyday educational contexts. They recognize that they are a part of, not apart from, the community that provides many types of educative experiences (informal as well as formal). Engaged educational leaders build community partnerships that are responsive to the educational needs of the local clientele.
Transformational Leadership
Transformational leaders in education put into action equitable and just practices in order to achieve organizational change that will facilitate learning of all students. These individuals possess the motivation and skills to be leaders who are eager to meet the challenges faced by our region’s schools. Transformational leaders are able to make the connection between theory and practical problem solving to assist planned change in PK-12 and community college settings
Scholarly Practice
Scholarly practitioners blend theory and practice. This viewpoint is based upon the idea that theory and practice are linked and that research knowledge should be rooted within the context of real life problems faced by practicing educators. Integrating theory and practice will allow graduates to understand and implement the best evidence-based approaches needed to address the current issues in education.
