Doctor of Education in Instructional Leadership
Program Outcomes
This overview not only highlights the core elements of this program, but provides evidence that Candidates are indeed becoming active leaders and researchers in their school communities even before they graduate. For example, in Cohort 1, 17 out of 22 (77%) of the Candidates have had a promotion, publication, award, or a new role between Winter 2004 and Fall 2007. In Cohort 2, 12/16 or 75% of the Candidates have completed these types of activities between Fall 2005 and Fall 2007. This list is continually growing. Additionally, a plan for ongoing evaluation asks Candidates, their employers, and University personnel to provide feedback for program improvement.
In order to prepare for an Accreditation Review in Spring 2008, an external consultant, Dr. Dennis Shirley from Boston College, was asked to review all aspects of the program. His full report is located in the report to the Department of Higher Education for Fall 2007. He reviewed all program documents and held individual and group interviews with faculty members, students, community members, and university administrators. Among other comments, Dr. Shirley made the following two points:
As a professor of education who is well aware that one of the persistent criticisms of schools of education for decades has been that they are excessively theoretical and irrelevant to the concerns of teachers, principals, and superintendents, I found myself admiring the commitment, talent, and vision of the faculty and staff at WCSU who created and are sustaining the Instructional Leadership doctoral program.
Second, the collaborative nature of the instructional leadership doctoral program was evident throughout this site visit. Within WCSU, the program is viewed by students, faculty, and administrators to be internally coherent and well sequenced. Discussants held that the doctoral program is embedded in a broader, university-wide commitment to the improvement of public education that they find praiseworthy and worthy of emulation by other universities. Significantly, local educational leaders on the Advisory Board agreed, confirming that the doctoral program is meeting their needs for highly qualified teachers and administrators.
Dr. Shirley’s very positive assessment of the program is reinforced by the following student comments:
The excitement of working with classmates who are experienced practicing educators and faculty members who are dynamic and engaging challenges my thoughts and ideas about education. Frank LaBanca, Oxford Public Schools
This doctoral program enables me to not only be a stronger, more knowledgeable leader, but it also inspires me to be a better educator.
Joan McGettigan, New Canaan Public SchoolsI have learned so much about myself as an educator and a leader through participation in this program. Nora Bennet, Ridgefield Public Schools
I have no regrets about choosing to participate in this challenging program.
Mike Obre, Danbury Public SchoolsI came to WestConn’s Ed.D. Program for the education, but I am staying because of the inspiration. Lori Kolbusz, Norwalk Public Schools
