Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instructions (CCD) - Educational Technology

The School of Teaching & Learning’s doctoral program in Curriculum & Instruction cultivates proficient scholars, teachers, and other educational professionals through an academically rigorous curriculum that balances theoretical and applied knowledge. The Ed.D. is viewed as a professional practice doctorate wherein graduate students acquire and produce expert knowledge of how theoretical and empirical academic research can be applied in ways that foster school improvement in various contexts. The Ed.D. degree prepares students to advance within their professions and is not designed to prepare for faculty careers in higher education. The Ed.D. (Doctorate in Education) in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on Educational Technology at the University of Florida is designed for those aiming to be researching professionals: Professionals who conduct research related to educational technology in educational environments. The Ed.D. is offered online with three required campus-based summer experiences. Students complete two years of required online coursework as a cohort, followed by qualifying exams at the end of the second year. They then work on dissertations under the guidance of our full-time faculty. A cohort-based, online community of practice combined with individual and small group mentoring helps students persist and succeed in attaining their doctoral degree. All activities, assignments and research are scaffolded to synthesize theory, research and practice and emphasize relevance to professional practice. Information literacy and other support services are provided throughout the program. Our students are full-time professionals who work with educational technology in diverse educational environments (e.g. K-12, post-secondary, virtual or online education, non-profit) and are located in various states in the US and abroad. Our graduates have had backgrounds in multiple disciplines (e.g. science, math, nursing, library sciences, public health, art, English, literacy) and professional roles such as teaching, administration, instructional design, faculty development, and student services amongst others. The impact of our Ed.D. program on students’ professional growth and educational contexts is well-documented. The iterative design of our program is our strength – program offerings for each successive cohort have been improved based on research and student feedback, as reflected in our publications about the program.