The UWA-HCI Doctor of Education Programme

The degree is delivered totally on site at Hwa Chong Institution by Graduate School of Education staff.

The Doctor of Education (EdD) provides an advanced course of study at the doctoral level which, like the traditional PhD degree is research based, but which is also concerned with the application of advanced knowledge to questions of professional practice. The Doctor of Education is designed to services the needs of professionals who wish to undertake doctoral level study so as to expand their theoretical bases for practise, to consider current ideas and issues, and to address problems of practical implementation in education.

Participants are encouraged to take up research questions that are germane to their current or projected career interests. Research studies conducted for the programme can make a contribution to policy, management and professional practise in education.

The four units in the EdD offer a comprehensive overview of major research paradigms and methodologies and methods and lead to preparation of a draft research proposal. Two units focus on theory and practice of research; two units address ways in which the research approaches can be applied to contemporary issues in educational disciplines and generic fields. The assignments for the units are intended to develop the competencies required for the preparation, conduct and write-up of an EdD thesis. Presenting lectures in condensed form early in each semester allows a larger proportion of time for reading, individual follow-up, and development of written work.

The balance in the early units is weighted more towards technical issues in research, while the later units address more challenging theoretical issues. Issues relating to proposal writing are regularly revisited throughout all of the units so that students are constantly oriented towards the research perspective.

The programme has two components; one year of coursework and three years of thesis writing. The course work consist of four units. These units offer a comprehensive overview of major research paradigms and methodologies and methods and lead to preparation of a draft research proposal for the thesis. On completion of these units participants will receive extensive and thorough supervision of their thesis work.

The two parts of the programme are as follows:

Part 1,

• EDUC 9970 Doctoral Research Project Plan
• EDUC 9971 Doctoral Research Scoping Project
• EDUC 9972 Doctoral Research Project Design
• EDUC 9973 Research Paradigms: Doctoral Project Report

Part 2,

• EDUC 9986 Doctoral Thesis

Students cannot proceed to Part II until all components of Part I have been completed satisfactorily. Part I is normally completed in 1 year and Part II in 3 years.

PART I

Doctoral Research Project Plan EDUC 9970 (12 points)

This unit reviews the main methods of research in education and enables students to develop the research expertise necessary for the execution of their thesis. It has the following sections:

• (i) review of research and its methods in education
• (ii) quantitative research methods
• (iii) qualitative research methods
• (iv) developing research proposals

Doctoral Research Scoping Project EDUC 9971 (12 points)

This unit provides the opportunity for Doctor of Education candidates to develop a conceptual and contextual framework relevant to their research project. Particular emphasis is placed on highlighting the main research issues in the field of study, identifying the discourses that shape the field of inquiry, and the ways in which questions have previously been addressed in the field. Students will be required to locate their study in international, national and local contexts of history and policy formation and implementation. Finally, students will use the first two frames to identify and review critically empirical literature relevant to their field of study. The approach in this unit is generic, and the content can be applied to various levels of the education system, to different sectors and to various educational contexts.

Doctoral Research Project Design EDUC 9972 (12 points)

This unit provides the opportunity for Doctor of Education candidates to explore in more depth the methodological approaches appropriate to their area of study. In particular, it focuses on qualitative and quantitative methods. Attention will also be given to philosophical, historical and comparative approaches to research, and to bringing perspectives from these approaches to bear even when the main approach is qualitative or quantitative.

Research Paradigms: Doctoral Project Report EDUC 9973 (12 points)

This unit provides the opportunity for students to consider the major research paradigms underpinning educational research. Consideration is given to positivism, interpretivism, critical theory, post-positivism, post-modernism, and problem-based research. Emphasis is placed on highlighting implications for the statement of research questions, methodological approaches which can be adopted, approaches to testing and/or developing theory, contributions to practice. Particular consideration is then given to implications for the development of research proposals.

PART II

EdD Doctoral Thesis EDUC 9986

The thesis for the Doctor of Education shall provide a comprehensive study of the topic under consideration and make a substantial and original contribution to knowledge. It should also be oriented to improving professional practice by extending theoretical bases to their practical implementation in education.

Teaching and Learning Methods

The coursework component for each unit is provided through four consecutive days of full-time class contact (approximately 25 hours). Students will have ongoing guidance in proposal writing and research methodology throughout the doctoral programmw.

Research Proposal

All students are required to prepare a research proposal for their thesis. Normally the proposal shall be presented and defended within THREE months of completion of the course work. Ideally the proposal should be based on work done during the course work phase; however, it is possible to plan a different topic if there has been a change of direction in your thinking or interests. The written documentation should comply with the general guidelines for preparation of proposals, including completion of the appropriate ethics forms.

Research Defence

All doctoral candidates are expected to defend their proposal at a meeting of the GSE Research Committee. It is the responsibility of the candidate to provide, through their supervisor, a clean and complete copy of the proposal, together with a one-page abstract at least ten days before the presentation date.

The general format for defence of a proposal consists of 15 minutes during which the candidate will speak to the proposal to the research committee. The candidate should assume that everyone has read the proposal before the meeting. The members of the committee may then question the candidate about the research for approximately 20 minutes, after which the candidate will be asked to leave. The candidate will be advised of the outcome informally by the supervisor, but will also be advised in writing through the Chairperson of the committee.

Research Thesis

The thesis shall make a substantial and original contribution to scholarship and professional practices in education. It is to be submitted only in the form of a typescript, and shall not exceed 70,000 words, excluding tables and appendices. Exceeding this limit may result in substantial delays in assessment. The form and content of the thesis must meet university requirements, especially in relation to ethical and human rights considerations.

The thesis must normally be submitted for examination within four years from the date of first enrolment for the degree. The thesis will normally be examined by three external examiners, of whom two must be academics, while the third may be an appropriately qualified professional in the field.