Future Dr. Wayne
In September, 2009, I started an educational doctorate (Ed.D). at Nova Southeastern University It is just about all online. I am quite likely never to visit the campus unless I decide the walk down the aisle for my doctoral gown. My home department is Instructional Technology and Distance Education within the Abraham S Fischler School of Education.
The programme consists of several core courses for all Ed.D. students, a research elective, required courses in your home department, electives in your home department and then either a minor or further electives. Of course, the key is the dissertation. Basically a book, it represents a contribution to the literature - in other words, new information that was not known (or proven) before. At Nova, the dissertation is applied, so the dissertation needs to focus on a problem to be solved. It has been challenging finding a specific area on which to focus.
I am part of a cohort based in Asia. We have met for three long weekends, the only part of the programme not online. Our meetings have been in Kuala Lumpur, though none of the current cohort are from there. The cohort has been good in developing some measure of community, but this has been difficult to maintain as we headed off to different concentrations. The cohort system also mandates certain courses at the beginning which were not student-centred decisions.
I am looking forward to completing the programme. It has been interesting, challenging and beneficial. I should be all but dissertation (ABD) by May. Of course, the dissertation is a little bit more than just a "but".
The programme consists of several core courses for all Ed.D. students, a research elective, required courses in your home department, electives in your home department and then either a minor or further electives. Of course, the key is the dissertation. Basically a book, it represents a contribution to the literature - in other words, new information that was not known (or proven) before. At Nova, the dissertation is applied, so the dissertation needs to focus on a problem to be solved. It has been challenging finding a specific area on which to focus.
I am part of a cohort based in Asia. We have met for three long weekends, the only part of the programme not online. Our meetings have been in Kuala Lumpur, though none of the current cohort are from there. The cohort has been good in developing some measure of community, but this has been difficult to maintain as we headed off to different concentrations. The cohort system also mandates certain courses at the beginning which were not student-centred decisions.
I am looking forward to completing the programme. It has been interesting, challenging and beneficial. I should be all but dissertation (ABD) by May. Of course, the dissertation is a little bit more than just a "but".