Challenges navigated by 11 doctoral students in ensemble style group collaboration for the Ed.D. Nontraditional Dissertation in Practice (DiP) at Lynn University

Abstract

The previous study demonstrated the ensemble work of 11 doctoral students (known as Cohort 5) as a 21^st century model for the Ed.D. nontraditional DiP. The researchers in this study tracked ongoing conversations about Cohort 5 members’ proposal defense for the nontraditional group DiP. The conversations occurred at various times between October to December of 2014. These discussions produced a proposal defense script containing informed opinions about some of the inherent challenges of group student engagement. The purpose of this research provided an opportunity to explore two objectives in pursuit of (1) exploring Cohort 5 members’ opinions and reactions to overcoming any initial decisive challenges to undertake a nontraditional group DiP; and (2) exploring the Cohort 5 members’ opinions and reactions to overcoming any initial decisive challenges to construct a doctoral student informational iBook as a nontraditional group DiP project. A purposive total population sampling in this case study was the primary research strategy to analyze the qualitative data. The researchers analyzed and interpreted the findings to demonstrate the ensemble style group collaboration can facilitate to overcome inherent challenges of group student engagement, and succeed as a 21^st century model for the Ed.D. nontraditional DiP at Lynn University.

Keywords: Research Education, doctoral students, 21st century students, teaching