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Open AccessArticle
Conceptualizing the Education Doctorate (EdD) as a Lever for Improving Education Leaders’ Use of Research Evidence
by
Jill Alexa Perry
Jill Alexa Perry
,
Elizabeth Farley-Ripple
Elizabeth Farley-Ripple
Andrew Leland
Andrew Leland
Samantha Shewchuk
Samantha Shewchuk
William Firestone
William Firestone
1
School of Education, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
2
School of Education, University of Delaware, Newark, NJ 19716, USA
3
City Year Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19123, USA
4
Graduate School of Education, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(6), 747; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15060747 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 31 January 2025
/
Revised: 27 May 2025
/
Accepted: 29 May 2025
/
Published: 13 June 2025
Abstract
This paper explores how redesigned Education Doctorate (EdD) programs in educational leadership can serve as a lever for strengthening the use of research evidence (URE) in schools and districts. Drawing on the COM-B framework, we conceptualize a theory of action that links EdD program design to leaders’ capabilities, motivations, and behaviors in applying research to educational improvement. We identify key dimensions of leadership preparation that align with well-documented URE practices. Finally, we discuss how these insights can inform doctoral programs as well as in-service professional learning and suggest the need for additional empirical work on these relationships and a deeper understanding of how local contexts shape the effectiveness of leadership preparation in supporting research-informed decision-making.
Share and Cite
MDPI and ACS Style
Perry, J.A.; Farley-Ripple, E.; Leland, A.; Shewchuk, S.; Firestone, W.
Conceptualizing the Education Doctorate (EdD) as a Lever for Improving Education Leaders’ Use of Research Evidence. Educ. Sci. 2025, 15, 747.
https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15060747
AMA Style
Perry JA, Farley-Ripple E, Leland A, Shewchuk S, Firestone W.
Conceptualizing the Education Doctorate (EdD) as a Lever for Improving Education Leaders’ Use of Research Evidence. Education Sciences. 2025; 15(6):747.
https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15060747
Chicago/Turabian Style
Perry, Jill Alexa, Elizabeth Farley-Ripple, Andrew Leland, Samantha Shewchuk, and William Firestone.
2025. "Conceptualizing the Education Doctorate (EdD) as a Lever for Improving Education Leaders’ Use of Research Evidence" Education Sciences 15, no. 6: 747.
https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15060747
APA Style
Perry, J. A., Farley-Ripple, E., Leland, A., Shewchuk, S., & Firestone, W.
(2025). Conceptualizing the Education Doctorate (EdD) as a Lever for Improving Education Leaders’ Use of Research Evidence. Education Sciences, 15(6), 747.
https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15060747
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