Request Info Apply
2024-25 Academic Catalog

EDDL Course Descriptions

Table of Contents

EDDL 685 Special Topics

3 credit hours

These courses are developed to provide the educator with in-depth knowledge on educational issues of importance to the field.

Back to top

EDDL 695 Special Study

2-3 credit hour

These independent courses are developed to provide the student with in-depth knowledge in the content of subject matter taught under the direction of a faculty member. Prerequisite: approval from the doctor of education director and the EDDL department chair.

Back to top

EDDL 700 Ethics, Equity and Justice

3 credit hours

This course approaches the study of ethics by examining the teachings of Jesus and contemporary ethical theories and applies them to the dilemmas of leadership within both public and private education in the culturally diverse communities they serve. Additionally, this course will examine theories and practices of educational equity in relation to various forms of social inequality and marginalization in the American context. Close reading and analysis of contemporary educational research will offer students an opportunity to explore how social justice issues play out in contemporary educational contexts and their implications for practice. Meets or is met by ADMN 543.

Back to top

EDDL 701 How Faith Sustains the Life of the Mind

3 credit hours

This course examines how faith, and particularly the Christian faith, can sustain the life of the mind, serving as an energizing and guiding force in the work and life of a scholar-practitioner. We will examine both the positives and challenges of serving a public religion, the shaping influence of denominational beliefs, what might it mean to teach from a Christian perspective, the concerns regarding maintaining distinctiveness yet avoiding proclamation in educational settings, and the characteristics and commitments that make an educational institution truly Christian. Quaker testimonies (values) will also be examined as a case study for the formation of wisdom communities.

Back to top

EDDL 710 Political & Social Persp in Ed

3 credit hours

Educators operate in a complex web of political relationships - within schools and universities, between educational institutions and their communities, and across levels of government. This course is designed to enable educators to become more effective and responsible actors within this web of political and social relationships in order to improve, restructure, and transform educational institutions. The following questions are examined: What is power? How is political consciousness formed in children and adults? How do social problems become political issues? How is the political decision-making agenda set? How are policy issues decided? How do policy decisions affect and how are they affected by the organizational structure of institutions? How can educational leaders use political power to transform schools? The issues of change; desegregation; decentralization; equality of educational opportunity; structure of educational organization; teacher/student relationships; reform in education at elementary, secondary, post-secondary levels; and multiculturalism are also examined.

Back to top

EDDL 716 The Art and Craft of Leader: Strategies for Organizational Change, Development, and Vitality

3 credit hours

After a survey of contemporary leadership theories, this course will focus on strategies for effective organization change, thoughtful organizational development, and the impact of leadership on institutional vitality – both positive and negative. Leadership will be understood as both an art form, open to creativity, passion and care, and a craft requiring disciplined thought and action. Each student will also develop a personal philosophy of leadership. Meets or is met by ADMN 540.

Back to top

EDDL 720 Research in Effective Teaching

3 credit hours

Analysis and investigation of current research in effective teaching methods as related to specific subject areas, learning styles, and current school reform will be applied. Met by ADMN 544.

Back to top

EDDL 725 Colloquia

1 credit hour

This course is designed to extend and deepen thinking about education, "educational leadership" and inquiry through shared readings, interaction with faculty and local educational leaders, and critical reflective writing and conversation.

Back to top

EDDL 730 Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

3 credit hours

A course designed to lead professors to gain knowledge and skill in instructional planning, teaching, and assessment in face-to-face, blended, and online instructional environments. Students will review current research focused on young adult and adult learners.

Back to top

EDDL 731 Higher Education History and Current Practice

3 credit hours

A course designed to introduce students to the history of higher education from ancient times through the Middle Ages to the development of the current state of the American research university from a Colonial College Model. The course is designed to focus on how events and issues from the past have been addressed and how they tend to resurface today. The intent is to provide the student with insight, perspectives, and wisdom to address contemporary issues and improve current practice.

Back to top

EDDL 732 Higher Education Leadership and Management

3 credit hours

This course is designed to accomplish three things: (1) provide an synopsis of cogent leadership theories and their application to higher education; (2) offer an overview of the structures, challenges, and concerns facing senior higher education administrators, and (3) identify and examine the management functions at work in contemporary higher education.

Back to top

EDDL 733 Contemporary Issues in Higher Education

3 credit hours

This course examines contemporary trends and issues in American higher education designed to orient students to issues, ideas, and literature that constitute the study of higher education, with emphasis on underlying social and political issues that shape higher education and organizational change.

Back to top

EDDL 740 Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

3 credit hours

In this class, candidates will gain advanced knowledge of curriculum theory, policy, models and practice. They will learn to lead curriculum development and assessment projects, and explore research-based instruction and assessment to support curriculum development.

Back to top

EDDL 741 Leading Educational Organizations through Professional Development

3 credit hours

This course examines the adult learner and principles of effective professional development.

Back to top

EDDL 742 Leading People

3 credit hours

Bringing about change in organizations requires a unique set of leadership skills. Those charged with leadership responsibilities need knowledge and skill to lead people and teams in productive ways. This course explores emerging theories related to leading people.

Back to top

EDDL 743 Assessing Teaching and Learning Environments

3 credit hours

This course will lead students to reflect and act on the intersection of personal, interpersonal, and organizational influences on beliefs, values, policies, practices, and structures. They will examine the ways these influences prohibit or advantage educational equity and opportunity for all individuals. Students will explore leadership that promotes equitable policies, procedures, and systems to enhance learning within P-20 or community-based educational organizations.

Back to top

EDDL 776 Research Literacy for Educational Leadership

3 credit hours

The course will develop knowledge and skills needed for the critical review and consumption of (1) empirical research from the scholarly and professional literature in educational leadership and (2) data generated through and informative of the professional practice in education. The course addresses the question, "How do scholar practitioners discern and interact with scholarly research and organizational data in ways that contribute to improvement in education?"

Back to top

EDDL 777 Using Data for Continuous Organizational Improvement

3 credit hours

This course will develop skills and thinking related to continuous improvement in education at an organizational level. Approaches and techniques drawn from improvement science and other continuous improvement systems thinking heuristics will be studied and developed. The course addresses the question, "How do organizational leaders intentionally design and monitor continuous improvement aligned to mission?" Prerequisite: EDDL 776.

Back to top

EDDL 778 Data Analysis & Evidence-Based Improvement

3 credit hours

This course will examine data analysis techniques - both quantitative and qualitative - that are essential to context-based continuous improvement. Leading practice improvement as scholar practitioners in educational settings requires that data be collected, analyzed, and fashioned as evidence that is accepted in schools, the academy and the community. Analysis techniques will be studied for methodological soundness. The course addresses the question, "How do scholar practitioners analyze data effectively, and use it as evidence in service of context-based leadership and scholarship?" Prerequisite: EDDL 777

Back to top

EDDL 779 Proposal Development for Inquiry and Research

3 credit hours

This course will develop key student skills necessary for dissertation research and completion. Technical skills such as refining inquiry and research questions, writing a literature review, and developing a dissertation proposal will be learned. Soft skills and dispositions researchers need to develop and employ will also be studied and fostered. Students will write a problem, purpose and significance statement using a rationale supported by evidence and reasons, including an ethical justification for the chosen problem of practice. They will also provide a justification for how the scholarly literature supports each of the above elements. The course addresses the question, "How do scholar practitioners prepare and plan to communicate research and scholarship findings through dissertation?" NOTE:**Consult with the Research Director ahead of registering for EDDL 779 to determine the most appropriate track for either the 800-803 or 806-807 sequence; each track requires 8 credits for completion. Prerequisite: EDDL 778.

Back to top

EDDL 800 Dissertation

2 credit hours

Students are required to take a minimum of 8 semester credit hours for dissertation work (typically spread across fall/spring semesters of Year 3). If the student has not finished the dissertation in this time frame, the candidate must stay continuously enrolled in dissertation credits (1 credit hour per semester) until the dissertation is completed. Prerequisites: EDDL 776, 777, 778 and 779.

Back to top

EDDL 801 Dissertation Research

2 credit hours

Students are required to take a minimum of 8 semester credit hours for dissertation work (typically spread across fall/spring semesters of Year 3). If the student has not finished the dissertation in this time frame, the candidate must stay continuously enrolled in dissertation credits (1 credit hour per semester) until the dissertation is completed.

Back to top

EDDL 802 Dissertation Research

2 credit hours

Students are required to take a minimum of 8 semester credit hours for dissertation work (typically spread across fall/spring semesters of Year 3). If the student has not finished the dissertation in this time frame, the candidate must stay continuously enrolled in dissertation credits (1 credit hour per semester) until the dissertation is completed.

Back to top

EDDL 803 Dissertation Research

2 credit hours

Students are required to take a minimum of 8 semester credit hours for dissertation work (typically spread across fall/spring semesters of Year 3). If the student has not finished the dissertation in this time frame, the candidate must stay continuously enrolled in dissertation credits (1 credit hour per semester) until the dissertation is completed.

Back to top

EDDL 805 Dissertation Research

1 credit hour

Required of doctoral level students who did not complete their dissertation research in EDDL 800-803.

Back to top

EDDL 806 ISDiP Research

4 credit hours

In this course, improvement science dissertation in practice (ISDiP) candidates work with their key organizational stakeholders to determine the fit and feasibility of their improvement science project proposal from their 779 course. Consistent with the plan-do-study-act (PDSA) model, they will lead collaboration with a Networked Improvement Community (NIC), including collecting, analyzing, and acting on necessary data in order to improve outcomes in student learning, staff performance, school processes, or stakeholder perceptions. Expected course deliverables over the 60-90 day cycle include sharing and consistently updating a portfolio of NIC session logistics and outcomes, including relevant analysis of frameworks, systems, causes, measures, and participant knowledge with the 806 ISDiP Director. Prerequisites: EDDL 776, 777, 778 and 779.

Back to top

EDDL 807 ISDiP Accountability

4 credit hours

ISDiP candidates will write up a formal document that encapsulates the preceding ISDiP research. This document must adhere to the formatting requirements in the EDD Dissertations Handbook. Candidates will then submit the edited draft to the 807 Director. Once approved, the candidate will prepare and record a professional presentation using the Handbook's requirements, which the 807 Director will upload to an EDD YouTube site. This will be shared with the EDD Guild and community, consisting of alumni, faculty, and friends of the GFU community. After a period of 15 days from upload, the candidate will use the presentation feedback to craft a Reflection section that concludes the ISDiP; this is an opportunity to combine the wisdom of the crowd with the candidate's learning journey. Prerequisite: EDDL 806.

Back to top