Cultivating Change Agents through Effective Program Evaluation

Inaugural Year Insights from an Equity-Oriented EdD Program

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/ie.2025.451

Keywords:

cohort model, curriculum and instruction, dissertation in practice, Doctor of Education, EdD, educational leadership, social justice education, scholar practitioners

Abstract

This article presents insights from X University’s inaugural EdD program, evaluating its curriculum, pedagogy, and innovations through an annual program evaluation. Designed for full-time professionals, this part-time, online program emphasizes interdisciplinary improvements to educational Problems of Practice (PoPs), aligned with the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED). The evaluation revealed students’ high satisfaction with faculty quality and program leadership. The cohort model's role in community building and the flipped defense model were highlighted as progressive educational approaches. Students appreciated the program's relevance to their career goals, with many aiming for academia or administration, while feedback suggested expanded course variety and increasingly flexible scheduling. A key finding is that traditional forms of program evaluation may not support the goals of innovative programs. This article, therefore, concludes with strategic recommendations for using the evaluation process as a core element for program enhancement, guided by its commitment to social justice and educational equity.

Author Biography

Tiffany Karalis Noel, University at Buffalo–SUNY

Director of Doctoral Studies, including the new EdD in Learning and Teaching in Social Contexts

Clinical Assistant Professor

Department of Learning and Instruction

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Published

2025-04-24

How to Cite

Karalis Noel, T., & Gorlewski, J. (2025). Cultivating Change Agents through Effective Program Evaluation: Inaugural Year Insights from an Equity-Oriented EdD Program. Impacting Education: Journal on Transforming Professional Practice, 10(2), 10–18. https://doi.org/10.5195/ie.2025.451

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 2 (2025): Regular Issue

Section

Research Manuscripts

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Copyright (c) 2025 Tiffany Karalis Noel, Julie Gorlewski

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