EDD Prospectus Form

Students | Complete your EDD project study or EdD dissertation prospectus using this form. Write using a scholarly tone and include in-text citations and APA 7 reference entries, where appropriate. Note that the areas shaded in green provide directions to help you complete the form .Your responses should be inserted in the white areas. The stem sentence prompts should not be altered or removed as this helps you to write a grammatically correct problem and purpose statements. Words noted with an asterisk *can be clicked on to view additional resources. You will find the appropriate rubric standards mentioned several times as you must meet all rubric standards to pass the prospectus milestone.

For additional resources, refer to the Doctoral Research Coach* and the Walden EDD Doctoral Study*webpage. Submit this completed form into Task stream/ MyDR*for formal evaluation and feedback when your committee chair indicates that you are ready to do so.

Student’s Name Angel Winslow Student ID | A01033383

Study Type | Dissertation Study Approach| Qualitative

Will the data be collected within a local setting? | No If yes, review the IRB Website*, including the “red flag” section.

Program and Specialization*|Early Childhood Education Submission Date|6/4/2023

*Remember that your study focus must be within the realm of your program and specialization area .If there are any questions or concerns about the appropriateness of the study topic, please reach out to your chair to discuss. Your chair can reach out to the program coordinator for clarification if needed.

Rubric Standard #1 \| Complete >Does the research plan contain all the required elements?
Title* (Click on this title to be linked to more information) Provide a concise (aim for 15 words or fewer) working title for this study. Include the main topic, variables/concepts under investigation, and the relationship between them. A title should be fully explanatory when standing alone and needs to include the most critical key words. Do not use colons and do not write a question. Have one specific name for your concept or variables throughout your document to ensure alignment.
“The Impact of Virtual Learning in Pre-K Setting”
Supporting Literature* (Click on this title to be linked to more information) The first step in developing your study is to search the literaturerelated to the general area you want to investigate. Provide approximately 15 brief summaries of recent (**within the past 5 years*), scholarly (peer-reviewed) articles that support/justify/informs your current and relevant problem from your discipline or professional field and/or local setting. Dissertations and other capstones are not peer-reviewed sources. Include the complete APA 7 reference* entry followed by(a) an in-text citation; (b) what was studied; (c) what was found; and (d) why this research is important in relation to your study. This evidence provides the justification for your research problem.

(a)Rahayu, R. P., &Wirza, Y. (2020). Teachers’ perception of online learning during pandemic covid-19. Jornnal Penelitian Pendidikan, 20(3), 392-406. Doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2014.04.018 (b) The study investigates the attitudes of early childhood educators toward online education during the COVID-19 epidemic(Rahayu &Wirza, 2020). (c) The results demonstrate that educators had numerous challenges while implementing online instruction, including issues with technology, low student engagement, and inadequate assessment. (d) This research connects with my study by highlighting the need for expanded professional development opportunities for educators interested in implementing online learning strategies with preschoolers. (a) Dhawan, S. (2020). Online learning: A panacea in the time of COVID-19 crisis. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 49(1), 5-22. Doi.org/10.1177/0047239520934018 (b)During the recent COVID-19 pandemic, online schooling has been met with both praise and criticism (Dhawan, 2020).(c) Online education, the author argues, has the ability to provide a more adaptable and personalized education, but it also has significant limitations, such as insufficient infrastructure and unreliable connections. (d) This article connects to my study by providing context for the benefits and drawbacks of e-learning for young children with implementing technology-based instruction for young children. (a) Simamora, R. M. (2020). The challenges of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: An essay analysis of performing arts education students. Studies in Learning and Teaching, 1(2), 86–103. https://doi.org/10.46627/silet.v1i2.38 (b) The challenges of online education, such as low student engagement and ineffective group projects, are discussed (Simamora, 2020). (c) In light of the findings, it is clear that online education has promise, but caution must be exercised in its design to ensure its success. (d)This research connects to my study because it highlights the critical importance of meticulously planning and implementing all aspects of an organization’s online infrastructure. (a) Yu, Z. (2021). A meta-analysis of the effect of virtual reality technology use in education. Interactive Learning Environments, 1-21. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10494820.2021.1989466 (b) This systematic review investigated the Impact of virtual reality on learning and trainee satisfaction during technical skill development (Yu, 2021). (c) Virtual reality has been shown to improve student learning and satisfaction with technical skill instruction. Further study is needed to determine how virtual reality could be used in other sectors, but this one illustrates how it could be used to educate technical skills. (d) This article connects to my study by highlighting the significance of investigating the potential applications of virtual reality in early childhood education. (a) Rulyansah, A., Ghufron, S., & Mariati, P. (2023). Competencies of teachers in game-based pedagogy. Pegem Journal of Education and Instruction, 13(2), 354-370. DOI: https://doi.org/10.47750/pegegog.13.02.39 (b) The research analyzed how future educators accessed and utilized a virtual professional learning community for educators (Rulyansah et al., 2023). (c) The findings point to the online teacher community as a potential resource for training new educators to effectively integrate technology into the classroom. (d) The research connects to my study by investigating the significance of training future educators to use technology in the classroom, as well as the role that online communities play in assisting current educators in their professional development. This study is significant because it demonstrates the value of online communities for fostering professional development in early childhood education and highlights the significance of providing teachers with opportunities to learn about the classroom application of technology, (a) Wineburg, S., Breakstone, J., McGrew, S., Smith, M. D., & Ortega, T. (2022). Lateral reading on the open Internet: A district-wide field study in high school government classes. Journal of Educational Psychology, 114(5), 893-909. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000740 (b) In their discussion of urban legends in education, Wineburg et al. (2022) cast doubt on the common belief that students know best. Many widely held views regarding schooling are shown to be unfounded by the findings. (c) The article emphasizes the significance of teaching using evidence and challenging accepted dogma in the classroom. (d) The article connects to my study because it debunks some of the most pervasive misunderstandings about online education and demonstrates the significance of employing research-based practices in the formative years of education. (a) Lachner, A., Backfisch, I., &Stürmer, K. (2019). A test-based approach of modeling and measuring technological pedagogical knowledge. Computers & Education, 142, 103645. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.103645 (b) The study analyzed the factors including instructor expertise, confidence, beliefs, and culture that influence the adoption of new technologies in the classroom (Lachner et al., 2019). (c) Teachers were more willing to use technological tools into their lessons if they shared students’ enthusiasm for and belief in their usefulness. (d) This research connects to my study because it examines the elements that influence educators’ choices to implement virtual learning strategies in preschool settings. (a) Mohebi, L., &Meda, L. (2021). Trainee teachers’ perceptions of online teaching during field experience with young children. Early Childhood Education Journal, 49(6), 1189-1198. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-021-01235-9 (b) The study focused on the perception of trainee teachers when towards online teaching with handling learners in early childhood setting (Mohebi&Meda, 2021). (c) According to this study it also considers the perceptions of faculty supervisors who work with the trainee teachers. The study considered the experiences of the teachers, families, and supervisors towards the effectiveness of virtual learning in early childhood education. (d) The article connects to my study because it covers the concepts of virtual learning, challenges, perceptions, and experiences which form the basis for this research. (a) Vallée, A., Blacher, J., Cariou, A., & Sorbets, E. (2020). Blended learning compared to traditional learning in medical education: Systematic Review and meta-analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(8). https://doi.org/10.2196/16504 (b) Blended learning was investigated in this study (Vallée et al., 2020) in primary schools. (c) The effectiveness of students’ education could be enhanced by implementing blended learning strategies, although doing so is challenging for pedagogical, technological, and social reasons. (d) This research connects to my study because it demonstrates the potential advantages of blended learning, which mixes online and in-person training, and highlights the challenges that must be addressed before this type of technology can be successfully implemented in preschool and kindergarten settings. (a) Gjelaj, M., Buza, K., Shatri, K., &; Zabeli, N. (2020). Digital Technologies in early childhood: Attitudes and practices of parents and teachers in Kosovo. International Journal of Instruction, 13(1), 165–184. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2020.13111a. (b) Preschool educators’ attitudes on technology integration were studied by Gjelaj et al. (2002o). (c) The study discovered that teachers’ perspectives changed depending on factors like their own familiarity with educational technology, the availability of resources, and the encouragement they received from their peers. (d) This research connects to my study because it demonstrates the value of providing resources to teachers of young children so that they, too, can expand their knowledge of technology. (a) Alshaikhi, H. I. (2020). Self-directed teacher professional development in Saudi Arabia: EFL teachers’ perceptions. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 10(11), 1359. https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1011.03 (b) This article (Alshaikhi, 2020) uses a sociocultural lens to investigate the perceptions of Saudi EFL teachers toward continuing online education. Sociocultural elements, such as cultural values and social conventions, were found to influence teachers’ engagement in professional development programs. (c) This research demonstrates the Impact of cultural norms and practices on students’ ability to learn with and benefit from technological tools. (d) The article connects to my study because it highlights the need for sociocultural considerations to be integrated into training plans for professionals. (a) Ikhsan, K. (2020). Technology acceptance model, social influence and perceived risk in using mobile applications: Empirical evidence in online transportation in Indonesia. JurnalDinamikaManajemen, 11(2), 127–138. https://doi.org/10.15294/jdm.v11i2.23309 (b) This research contributes to the TAM by investigating the role of peer pressure and risk aversion in consumers’ decisions to use mobile payment systems (Ikhsan, 2020). (c) TAM was discovered that social influence and perceived risk have a significant role in determining a user’s propensity to engage in mobile payment, in addition to the TAM criteria. (d) This research connects to my study because it demonstrates that the TAM may be extended to incorporate additional elements that drive technology use, such as social pressure and perceived risk. (a) Plotka, R., & Guirguis, R. (2022). Distance learning in early childhood during the COVID-19 crisis: Family and educators’ experiences. Early Childhood Education Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-022-01384-5 (b) Plotka and Guirguis (2022) conducted a study that delved on the challenges of educating early childhood learners online during the COVID-19 pandemic. (c) The study considered the challenges that were experienced by early childhood educators and the parents of early childhood learners. Parents have the view that online or virtual learning was less effective as compared to the traditional approach of a classroom setting. (d) This research connects with my study because it highlights some of the challenges associated with teachers that had the view that virtual learning could become effective. (a) Fenderson, D. G. (2022). From in-person to online teaching. Research Anthology on Remote Teaching and Learning and the Future of Online Education, 2074–2102. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-7540-9.ch104 (c) Many teachers in the US were obliged to use online teaching techniques to instruct their kids remotely as a result of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions (Fenderson, 2022). © The examination of the literature looks at the conventional distinctions between teaching online and in-person courses, the difficulties involved, and how instructors see online learning. Teachers of ninth through twelfth grade in a North Texas school district were surveyed about their experiences using online instruction before and during the pandemic in order to gather data for the study. (d) The article connects with my study by factors like a teacher school campus, prior experience, and access to support structures correlated more to teachers having a high level of preparedness for online teaching. (a) Ceballos, M., Vitale, T., & Gordon, W. R. (2021). Remote continuity of learning and the COVID-19 pandemic: Educators  self-perceptions of preparedness. Journal of Pedagogical Sociology and Psychology, 3(2), 75–89. https://doi.org/10.33902/jpsp.2021271304 (b) The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted education systems in February 2020 as schools ceased in-person instruction and switched to virtual learning to slow the disease’s spread within local communities (Ceballos et al., 2021). (c) We aimed to investigate differences in teacher and educational leader self-perceptions of preparedness for remote continuity of learning and communicating with stakeholders, factors contributing to preparedness, and suggested needs in upcoming educational leadership preparation as school systems implemented remote learning. (d) This article connects to my study because contributes to an understanding of teacher and educational leader preparedness for remote learning at the start of the COVID-19 crisis. .

Rubric Standard | Justified>Is evidence presented that this problem is significant to the discipline and/or professional field, and local site if applicable? The prospectus should provide relevant statistics and evidence and other scholarly facts that point to the significance and urgency of the problem.

Research Problem*(Click on this title to be linked to more information)

Now that you have read and summarized some of the recent literature to understand your problem, in one sentence what is your research problem? * Please remember that for a project studyyour problem must relate to a meaningful gap*in practice.Dissertation must relate to a meaningful gap in the research about a practice.

The problem for this study is that teachers struggle to effectively engage in virtual learning.

Rubric Standard #2 | Meaningful >Has a meaningful problem related to practice been identified in the research literature, and local site if applicable? Addressing the stated problem should be the logical next step, building on what is already known, and staying within the student’s area of professional practice.

Rubric Standard #5 | Original >Does this planned capstone have the potential to make an original contribution? Addressing the problem should result in an original contribution to the field and/or local site.

Rubric Standard #9| Objective >Is the topic approached in an objective manner? The framing of the problem should not reveal bias or present foregone conclusions.

Please provide three pieces of evidence below to show that the problem is meaningful to the discipline and research literature. If the study is a project study or a dissertation that uses a local setting as the data collection site, evidence must also be included to justify the use of the local setting. For a dissertation not using a local site, at least three pieces of evidence from the research literature must be presented.

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic, teachers had to transition to teaching virtually. However they adapted to the unprecedented situation and made significant efforts to provide virtual learning activities (Steed & Leech, 2021). Virtual learning, especially at a young age, can be detrimental to a child’s social and emotional development since it limits face-to-face contact (Ferri, 2020) This demonstrates the necessity to design online learning environments that provide young kids with the same level of social and emotional support they would receive in a traditional classroom setting.There is increased demand on elementary school instructors to include virtual learning because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many children were sent home to study, necessitating a rapid adaptation of teaching strategies. The challenges that educators already confront shed light on the difficulty of implementing online education for preschoolers (Peimani&Kamalipour, 2021). This demonstrates the significance of addressing these concerns if we wish to maintain the use of virtual learning in preschool settings.

Peimani, N., &Kamalipour, H. (2021). Online education and the COVID-19 outbreak: A case study of online teaching during lockdown. Education Sciences, 11(2), 72.

Ferri, F., Grifoni, P., & Guzzo, T. (2020). Online learning and emergency remote teaching: Opportunities and challenges in emergency situations. Societies, 10(4), 86.

Steed, E. A., & Leech, N. (2021). Shifting to remote learning during covid-19: Differences for early childhood and early childhood special education teachers. Early Childhood Education Journal, 49, 789–798. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-021-01218-w

Rubric Standard #3 | Justified >Is evidence presented that this problem is significant to the discipline and/or professional field, and local site if applicable? The prospectus should provide relevant statistics and evidence and other scholarly facts that point to the significance and urgency of the problem.

Purpose*(Click on this title to be linked to more information)

To address your stated research problem, what is the purpose of your study? Will you describe, compare, determine, explore, examine, etc.? Complete the purpose sentence below and be sure to clarify your variables/concepts of interest.Your purpose statement should reflect and align* to your problem statement.

Rubric Standard #8 | Aligned >Do the various aspects of the research plan align? To ensure a solid foundation is built at the prospectus stage, alignment is needed among all study elements including the problem and purpose statements, evidence, framework, research questions, and methodology.

Framework (Conceptual or Theoretical)*(Click on this title to be linked to more information)

What theory(ies) and/or concept(s) support (frame) your study and who are the original author(s)? Provide an in-text citation with your response, and the complete APA reference entry with a summary in the Supporting Literature section. Please note that a conceptual framework aligns with a qualitative study, a theoretical framework aligns with a quantitative study, and for a mixed method study it may be either depending on the design so please confer with the methodologist on your committee.

The study will use a conceptual framework. A conceptual framework as described by Luft et al. (2022) in their article that investigated the difference between theoretical and conceptual frameworks, is a amalgamation of concepts that contribute to the understanding of the research topic, question and research problem. The key concepts of this study are virtual learning, teachers’ perception, early childhood education, and academic success. Teachers experience challenges in their efforts to use virtual learning in early childhood settings. These challenges impede the realization of academic success in early childhood settings. Their perceptions of these challenges form the basis of understanding how the problems can be solved.

A study by Rahayu and Wirza, (2020) looked at the perceptions of teachers on online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study looked at the attitudes of early childhood educators during the COVID-19 pandemic. The perceptions of the teachers were analyzed into three facets that included perceived ease of use of technology, usefulness, and their attitude towards online learning of English language. Furthermore, online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic proved to be very useful especially to the online tutors. Due to the lockdown across several nations many people in different industries and careers lost their jobs and could not manage to put food on the table. As for the online tutors, they still maintained a source of income through teaching students online. It was also convenient for them since they were in touch with their students during the lockdown and they were able to track and proceed with the annual academic progress. The results of the study showed that teachers reflected a positive perception towards ease of online learning and usefulness of technology. It also enabled them to be occupied during this period when most of the individuals were idle at home and ended up experiencing a mental breakdown. The study by Rahayu and Wirza, (2020) not only provides the literature related to the topic, but also covers the concepts that fall within the conceptual framework of the study.

Whereas Rahayu and Wirza (2020) focused on perceptions and attitudes of teachers on online learning, Kearney et al. (2018) looked that barriers that impede adoption of technology in education. The study identifies factors such as accessibility, lack of professional support, and ease of use are some of the barriers. Other than looking at the barriers, the study by Kearney et al. (2018) established that primary or elementary school teachers were using technology in diverse ways while secondary teachers were mainly using technology during presentation. The study covers the concept of challenges associated with the use of technology in education. It aligns with the current study which looks at the challenges teachers encounter when using virtual learning in early childhood settings.

Another study that covers the concepts which form the conceptual framework of the current study is Simamora (2020) who looked at the challenges linked to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study analyzed the essays presented by students on the challenges of online learning. 15 students participated in the research exercise. The participants were learners who were actively engaged in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Challenges that learners faced during online learning were considered. Problems such as anxiety and accessibility among learners dominated the list of challenges.

References

Luft, J. A., Jeong, S., Idsardi, R., & Gardner, G. (2022). Literature reviews, theoretical frameworks, and conceptual frameworks: An introduction for new biology education researchers. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 21(3), rm33.

Plotka, R., & Guirguis, R. (2022). Distance learning in early childhood during the COVID-19 Crisis: Family and educators’ experiences. Early Childhood Education Journal, 1-12.Doi.org/10.1007/s10643-022-01384-5

Rahayu, R. P., &Wirza, Y. (2020). Teachers’ perception of online learning during pandemic covid-19. JurnalPenelitianPendidikan, 20(3), 392- 406

Simamora, R. M. (2020). The Challenges of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: An essay analysis of performing arts education students. Studies in Learning and Teaching, 1(2), 86-103

How do these theory(ies) and/or concept(s)inform your research problem, purpose, and methodological decisions?

The conceptual framework of the study informs the research problem, research purpose, and methodological approach. The framework shows the connection that exists between the concepts. Teachers’ perception of virtual learning in early childhood education is the key concept. The perception is influenced by challenges. The intention and ability to overcome the challenges determine academic success in early childhood learning. The challenges also influence the struggles that teachers go through to engage early childhood learners in virtual learning. The purpose of the study is to look the teacher’s perception of virtual learning in early childhood setting in the presence of the challenges. This study will utilize a qualitative method because it seeks to determine perception, challenges, and success of virtual learning in early childhood education.

Rubric Standard #4 | Grounded >Is the problem framed to enable the researcher to either build upon or counter the previously published findings on the topic? For most fields, grounding involves articulating the problem within the context of a theoretical or conceptual framework.

Research Question(s) and Hypotheses (if applicable)*(Click on this title to be linked to more information)

List the question(s) that you plan to use to address your applied education problem. Your question(s) must be able to address the problem, align with your purposestatement, and be appropriate for the study approach. For a quantitative study, also note the corresponding hypotheses (null and alternative). To ensure alignment, the research question(s) should be worded like the purpose statement.

What are teacher perceptions about the challenges of implementing virtual learning with pre-k students ?

What are teachers’ perceptions of virtual learning on academic success in a pre-k setting?

What challenges do teachers experience when using virtual learning with pre-k students?

Research Methodology and Design*(Click on this title to be linked to more information)

The literature presented in the current study is that which explores the concepts on the topic of the study. The literature does not convey a particular stance on a particular theory or theoretical framework, rather it covers the concepts that interact to form the research problem, questions, and purpose. This, therefore, calls for the use of qualitative design in the research method. A qualitative design as espoused by Yegidis et al. (2018) is applied when a study seeks to help the target readers or users understand experiences, thoughts, or concepts. The current study seeks to look at the perception of teachers of teachers on virtual learning and academic success in early childhood education. The current study seeks to look at the challenges at teachers experience when using virtual learning in early childhood setting, and the struggles teacher undergo through during virtual learning. Another reason that justifies the use of qualitative method is that the study does not have a hypothesis which guides the research process to the final results. Yegidis et al. (2018) states the hypothesis and theory in qualitative study is formulated at the end of the research process and not at the beginning of the research process as seen in the case of quantitative study (Yegidis et al., 2018).

References

Yegidis, B. L., Weinbach, R. W., & Myers, L. L. (2018). Research methods for social workers (8^th ed.). Pearson.

For your planned research design, discuss the type of data you intend to collect and how you plan to collect the data (i.e. secondary databases such IPEDs, self-designed interview protocol, online survey initially published by Pearson, interviews of teachers, etc.…). Briefly summarize the setting of your data collection, such as “planning semistructured interviews with approximately 10 to 12 fourth grade teachers from three school districts that have a total of 103 fourth grade teachers”.

The study will be limited by the sample size, and this is because the respondents will be collected from 8 centers. While there is need to expand the sample size from 120 early childhood educators to a much bigger number, this may not be feasible because of the logistic challenges that are anticipated when moving around the district from one early childhood center to another. The other issue is that some respondents might decline to have their verbal reports recorded.

What limitations, challenges, and/or barriersmight you need to address while conducting this study (e.g., access to participants, access to data, requirements for storing data, your role at the research site or other ethical / IRB considerations, permission to use the instrument, instrumentation fees, etc.)?Please click here* to review the most common IRB issues and how to schedule an appointment with an IRB member to discuss any concerns.If one of the barriers is to collect the data, then reconsider this study idea. Without data, you have no study. You cannot complete your program without a study.

The significance of this study is that it will highlight the challenges that early childhood educators encounter when using virtual learning in early childhood education. It will also reveal the perceptions of early childhood educators on virtual learning and how the perceptions affect the success of virtual learning in early childhood setting.

Rubric Standard #7 | Feasible >Can a systematic method of inquiry be used to address the problem? The tentative methodology demonstrates that the researcher has considered the options for inquiry, selected an approach that has the potential to address the problem, and considered risks and burdens placed on research participants.

Significance*(Click on this title to be linked to more information)

How does your study have the potential to make an original contribution toward addressing a gap in practiceand to positive social change?

Rubric Standard #6 | Impact>Does this study have the potential to affect positive social change? As documented in the Significance section, the anticipated findings and project, if applicable, should have the potential to support the mission of Walden University to promote positive social change.

Rubric Standard #9| Objective >Is the topic approached in an objective manner? The framing of the problem should not reveal bias or present foregone conclusions.

Partner Site Masking Self-Check*

Walden capstones typically mask the identity of the partner organization. The methodological and ethical reasons for this practice as well as criteria for exceptions are outlined here(link to posted guidance).

☐Check here to confirm that you will mask the identity of the organization in the final capstone that you publish in ProQuest.

☐ Check here if you perceive that your partner organization’s identity would be impossible to mask or if there is a strong rationale for naming the organization in your capstone, please check this box so that your Program Director can review your request for an exception.

End of Form

Use the rubric below to check your work and the appendix to assist if questions arise.

Rubric

Student Self-Check:Revisions are part of the doctoral process butchecking to ensure all requirements have been met can reduce the need for multiple revisions. Please review the rubric requirements in its entiretyand check to ensure all have been fully met in your prospectus. If anything needs to be strengthened,make those revisions prior to submitting to Taskstream/MYDR for formal review.

Rubric Standard #1 | Complete >Does the research plan contain all the required elements?

Rubric Standard #2| Meaningful >Has a meaningful problem related to practice been identified in the research literature, and local site if applicable? Addressing the stated problem should be the logical next step, building on what is already known, and staying within the student’s area of professional practice.

Rubric Standard #3 | Justified>Is evidence presented that this problem is significant to the discipline and/or professional field, and local site if applicable? The prospectus should provide relevant statistics and evidenceand other scholarly facts that point to the significance and urgency of the problem.

Rubric Standard #5 | Original >Does this capstone have the potential to make an original contribution? Addressing the problem should result in an original contribution to the field and/or local site.

Rubric Standard #6 | Impact >Does this study have the potential to affect positive social change? As documented in the Significance section, the anticipated findings and project, if applicable, should have the potential to support the mission of Walden University to promote positive social change.

Rubric Standard #8 | Aligned >Do the various aspects of the research plan align? To ensure a solid foundation is built at the prospectus stage, alignment is needed among all study elements including the problem and purpose statements, evidence, framework, research questions, and methodology.

Rubric Standard #9| Objective >Is the topic approached in an objective manner? The framing of the problem should not reveal bias or present foregone conclusions.

Appendix

The EDD Doctoral Prospectus Form

The EDD Doctoral Prospectus Formis a brief document that provides preliminary information about your capstone research and is used as the plan for developing the proposal and is evaluated to ensure doctoral-level work (see rubric items above).

Prospectus Form approval from the committee chair, second committee member, and a ResearchDirectordesignee is required for you to move forward and work on your proposal. Please note the process is iterative so it is not uncommon for committee members to request revisions.

Please note that this form and the appendix materialsare to be used for students who are pursuing an EDD and will be conducting an EdD project study or an EdD dissertation*. The EDD is an applied degree so any study (project study or dissertation) should focus on a gap in practice. A PhD study can focus on a gap in the literature (i.e. something is not known),but for an EDD study the gap must be about practice specifically. The focus should be on a gap between what is currently happening and what stakeholderswould want to happen. Therefore, do not write a problem statement stating “it is not known” or “there is a gap in the literature”.

For an EDD project study, the gap in practice is found within the local setting / research site. For this study type, evidence needs to be presented that the local setting currently has a relevant educational problem related to its practice and it needs to be solved. The researcher also needs to show this is a meaningful topic within their field/program specialization literature.

For an EDD dissertation, the gap in practice is found within the field/program specialization literature and these studies usually take two common forms. The first type is when the gap in practice is found within the literature and a local setting is used to examine this larger problem, usually as an example of the problem or an exemplar for best practices, i.e. the local setting exhibits best practices that can help to solve the larger problem. If a local setting is used to collect data for an EDD dissertation, the researcher will need to demonstrate the justification for choosing the local setting. The second type of EDD dissertation does not use a local setting to collect data. There is a gap in the literature about practice. In this case, the data may come from a state or national secondary database or teachers who may work across states but share some common experiences such that they can aid in solving the larger problem. In these cases, the researcher does not need to provide evidence or justification of a local problem as there is no local setting that willusedfor thestudy. Evidence will come from the literature in the field/program specialization.

Title

Agood title*will be concise (aim for 15 words or fewer), signal the direction of the paper, and include the main variables or concepts of the study. The title is not a question and no colons. Below are a few examples. Consider reviewing studies from Walden students who have successfully completed their research*. Note that words with four or more letters are capitalized.

Quantitative (QN) Example

Examiningthe Relationship Between Online Doctoral Students’ Use of Institutional Resources and Time to Degree Completion

Note:

The word “relationship” indicates a quantitative study.
The dependent variable is “time to degree completion” and needs to stay exactly the same throughout the document.

Qualitative (QL) Example

Online Doctoral Students’ PerceptionsofResearch Mentoring Resources to Assist with Degree Completion

Note:

The word “perceptions” indicates a qualitative study.
The main concept is “research mentoring resources” and needs to stay exactly the same throughout the document.

Supporting Literature

Probably themost important step in the research process issearchingrecent, peer-reviewed literature*and reading articlesrelated to the general area you want to investigate.Identified research problems must be informed by the current research. This requires that you to read, synthesize, and evaluate many articles. As you read and learn, you will narrow your focus. This is how you will identify a discipline-specific research problem.You will want to focus on reading literature that is scholarly, empirical*and from peer-review sources* that are research related. Click here for additional tips*.

As you read and evaluate literature, you also need to organize your research. A literature review matrixis one way to help you visualize what has and hasn’t been done in your field. It will help you understand the scholarly works related to your area of interest. The importance of organizing and recording your review of literature cannot be overstated. You will refer to your notes as you write, so start on the right track from the beginning!

[Suggestion: If you keep your search log in an Excel workbook, use the second tab in the same workbook for your literature review matrix.]

For this prospectus form,includethecompleteAPAreference entry and (a) an in-text citation; (b) what they studied; (c) what they found; and (d) why this is important in relation to your study. This evidence provides the justification for your research problemandshows this problem is meaningful to the field / program specialization. These references should primarily be from the past 5years. Reference entries related to the framework should be included here, too. During proposal development, you will conduct an exhaustive* review and synthesize* your sources, rather than summarize.

Example

Ismail, H. M., Majid, F. A., & Ismail, I. S. (2013). “It’s complicated” relationship: Research students’ perspective on doctoral supervision. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 90, 165–170. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.07.078

(a)Ismail et. al (2013);(b)focused on the student experience with supervision while learning to conduct research; (c) found three issues of lack of positive communication, lack of expertise, and power conflicts; and (d) this is important in relation to my study because it may help explain critical elements needed for doctoral degree completion and reflect best practices for institutional supports.

As you work on your literature review and move to the proposal stage you will expand your search. Consider how you will determine your search terms or keywordsand the databases you should search.Clickhere for a number of resources to work you through this process*. As you conduct your search of the literature, stay organized by keeping a search log*.

Search Log Example
Database	Search Terms	Results	Notes
Education Source	online doctoral program completion; limited to peer reviewed, 2016-present	1175	Search too broad; Narrow by using multiple terms
ERIC	online doctoral program completion AND ABD; limited to peer reviewed, 2016-present	13	Much better; Several relevant articles found
Next Education Source	Etc.

As you read and evaluate literature*, you also need to organize your research. A literature review matrix*is one way to help you visualize what has and has not been done in your field.It will help you understand the scholarly works related to your area of interest.The importance of organizing and recording your review of literature cannot be overstated. You will refer to your notes as you write, so start on the right track from the beginning with your prospectus!

[Suggestion: If you keep your search log in an Excel workbook, use the second tab in the same workbook for your literature review matrix.]

Rubric Standard #3 | Justified>Is evidence presented that this problem is significant to the discipline and/or professional field, and local site if applicable? The prospectus should provide relevant statistics and evidence and other scholarly facts that point to the significance and urgency of the problem.

Research Problem

For both the EDD dissertation and the EDD project study, the problem must be about a gap in practice as the EDD is an applied degree. A gap in practice is the difference between what is currently happening and what stakeholders would want to happen to achieve best practices. For an EDD Dissertation the gap in practice will be found within the research literature. If the EDD Dissertation collects data in a specific localized setting, evidence is needed to justify the use of the local setting. For a Project Study, the gap in practice is found within a local settingbutitis also required to show that the problem is relevant and meaningful to the research literature found within the field/program specialization.

The EdD dissertation explores a gap in the literature about practice. There is something not known about practice, something we donot know how to practice, or it is not known if the practice is effective etc.The need to address an identified gap in practicemust be clear, current, and relevant to the discipline and area of practice.

A research problem* is a focused topic of concern, a condition to be improved upon, or troubling question that is supported in scholarly literature or theory that you study to understand in more detail, and that can lead to recommendations for resolutions. It is the research problem* that drives the rest of the study: the purpose, the research questions, and the methodology. Click here* for additional resources. Keep the problem statement to one sentence.

Example (EDD Dissertation)

The problem to be addressed through this study is thatnationallyonline doctoral students’time to degree completion has increased over the last decade despite a federal initiative to fund colleges and universities’ efforts to provide additional resources.

Example (EDD Project Study)

The problem to be addressed through this study is that 60% of online doctoral students do not use the new research mentoring resources to assist with degree completion at Innovative College (IC, a pseudonym).

Rubric Standard #3 | Justified>Is evidence presented that this problem is significant to the discipline and/or professional field, and local site if applicable? The prospectus should provide relevant statistics and evidence and other scholarly facts that point to the significance and urgency of the problem.

Rubric Standard #9| Objective >Is the topic approached in an objective manner? The framing of the problem should not reveal bias or present foregone conclusions.

Purpose

To address your stated research problem, what is the purpose of your study? Will you describe, compare, explore, examine, etc.? Be sure to clarify your variables/concepts of interest.

In quantitative studies, state what needs be studied by describing two or more factors (variables) and the conjectured association (i.e. comparative or relational) that will be used to address the study problem.
In qualitative studies, describe the need for increased understanding about the issue to be studied, based on the identified gap orproblem.

Your purpose statement should reflect and align* to your problem statement. Again, keep the purpose statement to one sentence to ensure it is focused and concise.

QNExample (EDD Dissertation)

The purpose of this quantitative study isto investigate the difference intime to degree completion between students who attended colleges that received federal funding for additional resources and students who attended colleges that did not receive the funding.

QL Example (EDD Project Study)

The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore IC graduate students’ perceptions of theirsuccesses, challenges, and suggested improvements for the new research mentoring resources.

Framework

The framework includes the theory(ies) and/or concept(s)*relevant to your topic. Align the framework with the problem, purpose, research questions, and background literature of your study. A conceptual framework grounds a qualitative study and a theoretical framework grounds a quantitative study. The theoretical or conceptual framework is the basis for understanding, designing, and analyzing ways to investigate your research problem. Provide the original scholarly literature (citing original authors) on the theory and/or concepts, even if it is more than 5 years old. Do not cite secondary sources.

Example Theoretical Framework

The theory(ies) and/or concept(s) that ground this study include Perry’s (1970) theory of epistemological development.

Example Conceptual Framework

The theory(ies) and/or concept(s) that ground this study include Perry’s (1970) theory of epistemological development, focusing specifically on the concepts of online learning and the pedagogical challenges associated with online learning and dissertation writing.

Next, explain how these theories and/or concepts relate to your research problem, purpose, and methodological decisions. Your topic/approach should align with the identified framework so that you will either build upon or counter the previously published findings on the topic.

ExampleConnection for the Theoretical Framework

The logical connections between the framework presented and my study approach include Perry’s theoretical work, which has been used extensively in all aspects of higher education, albeit more frequently with undergraduates than with doctoral students. Perry (1970) identified funding as a key construct underlying the theory.

Example Connection for the Conceptual Framework

The logical connections between the framework presented and my study approach include Perry’s theoretical work, which has been used extensively in all aspects of higher education, albeit more frequently with undergraduates than with doctoral students. Further, subsequent research and application of Perry’s theory offer guidanceon ways to facilitate academic development, thus allowing for insight into the pedagogical challenge of degree completion.

Here is the Grounding Check – make sure you can answer “yes” to all these questions:

Does your framework operationalize your topic?
Does your framework guide the organization of the lit review?
Does your framework align with your design?
Do your RQs build from your framework?
Does your framework guide your data collection and analysis?

Research Question(s) and Hypotheses (if applicable)

List the research question(s)*that are informed by the study purpose and will be used to address the research problem. A research question*provides a foundation for the approach and design.

QN Example (EDD Dissertation)

RQ:What is the difference intime to degree completion between students who attended colleges that received federal funding for additional resources and students who attended colleges that did not receive the funding?

H₀: There is no statistically significant difference intime to degree completion between students who attended colleges that received federal funding for additional resources and students who attended colleges that did not receive the funding.

H_A: There is a statistically significant difference in difference intime to degree completion between students who attended colleges that received federal funding for additional resources and students who attended colleges that did not receive the funding.

QL Example (EDD Project Study)

RQ1: What are IC graduate students’ perceptions of their successes using the new research mentoring resources?

RQ2: What are IC graduate students’ perceptions of their challenges using the new research mentoring resources?

RQ3: What areICgraduate students’ suggestions on improving the new research mentoring resources?

Research Methodology and Design

Explain the systematic approach and research design you will use to address your research question(s). Examples of commondesigns are as follows:

Quantitative—correlational;causal-comparative;survey research designs using validated existing survey instruments;or other quantitativedesigns
Qualitative—basic (generic) qualitativedesigns;casestudies;or other qualitative designs

QN Example (EDD Dissertation)

To address the research question, I will use acausal comparativedesignto compare time to degree completion between students who attended colleges that received federal funding for additional resources and students who attended colleges that did not receive the funding. I will retrieve secondary data and conduct a t test.

QL Example (EDD Project Study)

To address the research questions in this qualitative study, I will use a basic qualitative design(Patton, 2015) using semistructuredinterviews with approximately 10 to 12 online doctoral studentsfromIC.

Note that the above examples already include the possibledata collection sources. At this point, you should have an idea of the type of data and the number of data sets needed to address your research question(s). Explain whether you will be collecting primary data (collected by you, the researcher) or accessing secondary data (preexisting or public data collected by others). Please be aware that doctoral students often experience 10% response rates, meaning that you need to design your study in a way that you can ask 100 online doctoral students in the hope that 10 volunteer. In quantitative studies, you need even more data to conduct inferential statistics. https://academicanswers.waldenu.edu/faq/316155

If you are collecting data, you should present the source of the instrument(s) and source and number of potential participants. If using secondary data, identify the data source and how the data will be accessed. Possiblesecondary data sources*, by program, are available on the Center for Research Quality website. [Note. This is your tentative plan, so keep in mind that things might need to be modified during the proposal stage—particularly after you have completed your exhaustive review of the literature.]

QN Example (EDD Dissertation)

For my planned research design, I will access a list of colleges and universities that received federal funding using the NCES databases. I will use the same NCES database to develop a comparison group of colleges and universities that did not receive funding. As the funding started in 2013, I will access the time to degree completion of these institutions using the IPEDS database from the year 2014 to the most recent year available.

Independent Variable: Students attend institutions with federal funding – yes/no

Dependent Variable: Time to Degree Completion

Analysis: t test

Data Needed: 64 per group

QL Example (EDD Project Study)

For my planned research design, I will need to recruit online doctoral students for individual interviews at IC. A self-designed interview protocol will be developed to address the problem and purpose of the study.I will attend the Office Hours – Research Ethics – Academic Guides at Walden University to learn about the procedures to contact IC and possible incentives I can offer for participants, such as a $25 gift card. My initial goal will be to recruit10 participants but increase this number if data saturation is not yet achieved (Fusch & Ness, 2015).

Finally, provide information on limitations, challenges, and/or barriers that may need to be addressed when conducting this study. These may include access to participants, access to data, separation of roles (researcher versus employee), instrumentation fees, etc.If you are thinking about collecting data at your place of work,are in a supervisory position, or on a sensitive topic, or from a vulnerable population,an early consultation with the Institutional Review Board (IRB; [email protected]) during your prospectus process is recommended to gain ethics guidance that you can incorporate into your subsequent proposal drafts and research planning. [Note. Find more information on research ethics and potential “red flag” issues in the IRB Guides and FAQs. *]

QN Example

A potential barrier when using secondary data provided by various colleges and universities is that institutions may vary in how they report their data, causing issues when comparing data across institutions. It will be important to examine the IPEDS codebook to ensure any anomalies are identified and addressed.

QL Example

A potential barrier when collecting primary data that includes interviews is that it may be difficult to recruit enough online doctoral students at IC to meet saturation. This may be particularly difficult given these are online doctoral students so may be very busy and hard to reach electronically. It would be useful to attend one of the CRQ webinars* on how to increase research participation.

Significance

Explain how your study addresses the meaningful, discipline-specific problem related to a gap in practice (project study)/gap in research about practice (dissertation) that you identified and will,therefore,make an original contribution to your field, and to positive social change.

Example

This study is significant becauseit will fill a gap in practice in that educational leaders will have a better understanding of how well the newresources work in meeting the initial goals. Educational leaders will better understand the value of these resources with respect to their initial goals and gain new insight to better meet the needs of online doctoral students. Because a broad range of doctoral students attend online, supporting their successful attainment of a terminal degree allows for increased diversity among individuals in key academic and scholarly leadership positions.

Rubric Standard #9| Objective >Is the topic approached in an objective manner? The framing of the problem should not reveal bias or present foregone conclusions.

Please note that right hand margin comment boxes with an arrow in the bottom right-hand corner need to be expanded to see the entire feedback.

Greetings! Your committee will be reviewing your document and will be adding comments in balloons like this. The capstone process is iterative, and all comments are meant to help you improve your study and ensure you meet minimum standards as you move forward.

This paragraph is not necessary for this form. You can save this paragraph for the proposal.

Get rid of the opposing view. You may have ONLY ONE framework theory.

This sentence makes no sense. Try to make your statements concise. This type of writing should not be wordy or flowery.

This sentence does not speak about your design approach,

You do not indicate how you will conduct your particular study. Will you conduct interviews? If so, 120 people is too many. I suggest you contact the writing center and look at some examples from other students.

You are going to record interviews with 120 people? That will take years.

Please complete