Doctor of Education

Purpose

• It is intended to prepare students for research based Postgraduate study in a particular field in Education.
• It serves to consolidate and deepen a student's expertise in a specific area in Education.

Rationale

To produce a graduate who is able to deal with complex education issues both systematically and creatively through research.

To promote professional and academic development such that the graduate is able to contribute knowledge and skills within communities of practice.

To develop research capacity in the methodology and techniques of the area: graduates to have high level of theoretical engagement and intellectual independence.

The qualification will provide benefits to the learner, society and the economy.

The graduates will be able to

• Organise and manage themselves and their activities responsible and effectively; collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information.
• Communicate effectively using visual, symbolic and/or language skills in various modes.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem solving context do not exist in isolation.
• Reflect on and explore a variety of strategies to learn more effectively.
• Participate as responsible a citizen in the life of local, national, and global communities.
• Be culturally and aesthetically sensitive across a range of social context.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

RPL will be assessed in terms of the university Draft Policy subsection10.1.2 which provides that for admission into an advanced programme or qualification; candidates who apply for this type of RPL should be in possession of an accredited qualification which is at the same NQF Level and the same minimum weighting as the qualification required for admission.

Status may be granted with or without conditions.

Entry Requirements

The minimum admission requirement to a Doctor of Education Degree is a Master of Education Degree or another appropriate Master's Degree.

The first part of the Doctor of Education is to produce and submit a research proposal that is assessed by both the School Higher Degrees Committee and then by the University Higher Degrees Committee. The second part constitutes the production and submission of an original thesis that is assessed by the appointed internal and external examiners.

1. The ability to do independent research and competence in scholarly exposition.
2. The ability to present information clearly, cohesively and in scholarly style.
3. Show an understanding of current theories of the discipline.
4. The ability to contribute to the body of knowledge through research activities.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Demonstrates by the preparation of a topic related to the major subject.
• Explains convincingly why the research is relevant.
• Formulates the research problem, aim, questions, hypotheses (where applicable) clearly.
• Demonstrates how and why paradigms, research designs and methodology are relevant to the study.
• Structures content in logically sequenced chapters.
• Selects and consults authoritative sources and of acceptable recency.
• Defines and discusses theoretical constructs, relationship between literature and topic or research problem clearly.
• Interprets main trends in the data and provide substantial background for conclusions and recommendations.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Observes the rules of grammar and syntax.
• Produces a clear, appropriate and logical table of content.
• Produces a technically correct thesis: type size, format and spacing, correct acknowledgement, correct citations, correct illustrations, references and addenda.
• Summarises the study meaningfully.
• Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
• Demonstrate a high level of competence in a particular field in Education.
• Apply the techniques and findings of independent research so far as they bear upon the subject.
• Understand and contribute to the technical and professional literature in the field of Education.
• Criticise learned procedures in the light of historical trends and practices in this and other countries.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Coherently display broad and in-depth knowledge of the research field.
• Discover new facts, principles, and connections to improve educational practice.
• Suggest improvements in educational contexts and thus make a significant contribution to the knowledge of a research problem.
• Demonstrate the ability to address a professional or academic problem with originality and independent thought.
• The product has a potential for publication.

Integrated Assessment

Assessment is both formative and summative.

Formative: Proposal development workshops and seminars, drafts, submission to SHDC, submission to UHDC, ethical clearance, data collection procedures, data collection, and production of a thesis.

Summative: Assessment of the thesis by at least four examiners, two internal and two external, defence and acceptance of a thesis to which the full 360 Credits is allocated at Level 10.