Â鶹Éçmadou Education Doctoral Students Dive Into Research Marathon
Apr 8, 2022
The Florida Southern College School of Education and the Roux Library hosted the Spring 2022 Doctor of Education Research Marathon on March 12th and 13th. Approximately 50 students in the Doctor of Education and the Doctor of Education-Educational Leadership programs took part in the two-day event.
Under the leadership of Library Director Randall MacDonald, the research marathons were originally developed as a way to support faculty. The opportunity later expanded to doctoral students in the School of Education. This spring marked the 8th Ed.D. Research Marathon, which took place in the Roux Library and McKay Archives. It featured Dr. Aaron Kuntz, the Phillip and Patricia Frost Professor in Education and Department Chair of Counseling, Recreation and School Psychology at Florida International University, as the keynote speaker. Kuntz focused on his work in research methodology and ethics.
Salma Nawlo, who completed her undergraduate work at Â鶹Éçmadou in 2006, her MBA at Â鶹Éçmadou in 2012, and is a current doctoral candidate in the Doctor of Education program, found the keynote speaker to be a highlight. “I absolutely loved who they brought in,” she said. “The School of Education at Â鶹Éçmadou is the best and should be known for its caliber nationwide!”
In addition to the keynote speaker, Dean of the School of Education Dr. Victoria Giordano, Provost Dr. Brad Hollingshead, and Associate Provost Dr. Tracey Tedder spoke to students about the importance of the work they are pursuing through their doctoral education.
Drs. Melanie Fowler, Coordinator of Doctor of Education Program, and Lynda Wolverton, Coordinator of the Doctor of Education-Educational Leadership program at Florida Southern, co-directed the two-day event, featuring eight different workshops and presentations.
This year the Research Marathon included a Doctoral Student Poster Session showcasing the work of 12 students from the Doctor of Education and the Doctor of Education-Educational Leadership programs. The event provided opportunities that support doctoral-level study and created a space for dedicated, focused time to work. Many students attended the research marathon to hone their research skills and to explore research ideas by meeting one-on-one with the Roux Librarians and faculty from diverse academic disciplines including business, behavioral sciences, and education.
“I felt part of a larger community; there were colleagues who were in the other program that I did not realize were in doctoral work,” said Michelle Phillips, doctoral candidate in the Ed.D. Educational Leadership program. “The faculty members were supportive and available. The sessions uncovered areas in which I can be more efficient, and the librarians were able to help in practicing those skills.”
The Roux librarians, Julie Hornick, Steven Wade, Marina Morgan, and Nora Galbraith led workshops on a variety of topics, including Basic and Advanced Research Strategies; ILL Service, Copyright, Publishing Your Dissertation; Is This Article Any Good? How to Improve the Quality of Your Research & Why It Matters; and Zotero.
Program Coordinators Drs. Fowler and Wolverton presented on APA Style Formatting and The Doctoral Degree: Getting There from Here, respectively.
“The Research Marathons have become a tradition for our doctoral programs. This interdisciplinary event embodies our culture of research while fostering community,” said Dr. Fowler. “Our doctoral students are preparing to make a consequential impact on society and we are grateful for the support of the Roux librarians, our dean, associate provost, and the provost.”