Abstract

This article draws from a keynote address presented at the 2019 Doctoral Education Forum sponsored by the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU). A review of the literature reveals growth in doctoral education in the United States and the proliferation of types of doctoral degrees. The article describes an increase in the variety of doctoral capstone products (DCPs) beyond the dissertation, including portfolios, digital DCPs, artistic performances, interdisciplinary collaborations, and professional endeavors; the article also identifies a concomitant need for achieving and maintaining quality outcomes in all forms of DCPs, including the dissertation. Systems thinking is applied to this end by first identifying three factors—the student, faculty, and program context—as influencing the DCP process, based on a review of the literature and then analyzing the interactions among those factors which influence the quality of the DCP processes and outcomes. To holistically improve the DCP process and outcome, five principles are offered: (a) develop a program context that adheres to its standards of excellence; (b) recruit qualified students and position them for success; (c) engage qualified and committed faculty in the growth journey with students; (d) prioritize resource allocation in support of high-quality DCP production; and (e) implement a fair and appropriate DCP evaluation system. The conclusion describes possible implications for future research related to this topic within the context of Christian Higher Education.

摘要

本文摘自基督教大学学院理事会（CCCU）在2019年博士教育论坛上发表的主题演讲。文献综述显示，美国博士教育的增长以及博士学位类型的激增。这篇文章描述了博士论文产品以外的各种增加，包括产品组合，数字DCP，艺术表演，跨学科合作和专业努力；本文还指出了在包括论文在内的所有形式的DCP中实现和保持高质量结果的伴随需求。为此，首先要确定影响DCP流程的三个因素，即学生，教职员工和课程背景，从而应用系统思维。基于对文献的回顾，然后分析影响DCP流程和结果质量的那些因素之间的相互作用。为了全面改善DCP流程和结果，提供了五项原则：（a）制定符合其卓越标准的计划环境；（b）招募合格的学生并为他们取得成功定位；（c）让合格和忠诚的教师与学生一起成长；（d）优先分配资源以支持高质量DCP生产；（e）实施公平适当的DCP评估系统。结论描述了在基督教高等教育的背景下，与该主题相关的未来研究的可能含义。为了全面改善DCP流程和结果，提供了五项原则：（a）制定符合其卓越标准的计划环境；（b）招募合格的学生并为他们定位以取得成功；（c）让合格和忠诚的教师与学生一起成长；（d）优先分配资源以支持高质量DCP生产；（e）实施公平适当的DCP评估系统。结论描述了在基督教高等教育的背景下，与该主题相关的未来研究的可能含义。为了全面改善DCP流程和结果，提供了五项原则：（a）制定符合其卓越标准的计划环境；（b）招募合格的学生并为他们定位以取得成功；（c）让合格和忠诚的教师与学生一起成长；（d）优先分配资源以支持高质量DCP生产；（e）实施公平适当的DCP评估系统。结论描述了在基督教高等教育的背景下，与该主题相关的未来研究的可能含义。（c）让合格和忠诚的教师与学生一起成长；（d）优先分配资源以支持高质量DCP生产；（e）实施公平适当的DCP评估系统。结论描述了在基督教高等教育的背景下，与该主题相关的未来研究的可能含义。（c）让合格和忠诚的教师与学生一起成长；（d）优先分配资源以支持高质量DCP生产；（e）实施公平适当的DCP评估系统。结论描述了在基督教高等教育的背景下，与该主题相关的未来研究的可能含义。