Ed.D. Doctor of Education Doctor of Education Case Study 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A case study documents a school that adopted a zero-tolerance discipline policy resulting in a 40% suspension rate. Which theoretical framework best critiques this approach?
- Behaviorism
- Restorative justice framework (Correct answer)
- Social cognitive theory
- Moral development theory
Correct answer: Restorative justice framework
Restorative justice reframes discipline as relationship repair rather than punishment, offering a direct critique of exclusionary zero-tolerance policies.
Question 2: In a case study of curriculum alignment, a curriculum director discovers 60% of classroom instruction does not match the written curriculum. Which term describes this gap?
- Null curriculum
- Hidden curriculum
- Taught-tested alignment gap
- Enacted versus intended curriculum gap (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Enacted versus intended curriculum gap
The gap between the intended (written) curriculum and the enacted (taught) curriculum is the core curriculum alignment problem the director must address.
Question 3: A case study hospital-based educational program struggles with interprofessional conflict. Which leadership style is most effective for bridging hierarchical professional cultures?
- Autocratic leadership
- Transformational leadership with collaborative structures (Correct answer)
- Laissez-faire leadership
- Transactional leadership with strict incentives
Correct answer: Transformational leadership with collaborative structures
Transformational leadership paired with collaborative structures fosters shared vision and mutual respect across professional hierarchies in interprofessional settings.
Question 4: An Ed.D. case study finds that a district's formative assessment data is collected but never used to adjust instruction. This represents a failure at which stage of the data use cycle?
- Data collection
- Data verification
- Data interpretation and instructional response (Correct answer)
- Data reporting to state agencies
Correct answer: Data interpretation and instructional response
The failure occurs at the interpretation and response stage—data exists but is not translated into instructional adjustments, breaking the formative feedback loop.
Question 5: A case study of a charter school network reveals that its governing board micromanages daily operations. According to nonprofit governance principles, what boundary is being violated?
- Fiduciary responsibility boundary
- Policy governance boundary between board and executive roles (Correct answer)
- Legal compliance boundary
- Community accountability boundary
Correct answer: Policy governance boundary between board and executive roles
Policy governance models clearly separate the board's strategic role from the executive's operational role; micromanagement blurs this essential boundary.
Question 6: A researcher analyzing a case study school's improvement efforts applies Kotter's 8-Step Change Model. The initiative stalled at step 3. What does this indicate?
- The vision for change was never clearly articulated
- Early wins were not celebrated
- The guiding coalition lacks sufficient power or commitment (Correct answer)
- Resistance was not anticipated
Correct answer: The guiding coalition lacks sufficient power or commitment
Kotter's Step 3 involves forming a powerful guiding coalition; stalling here signals the team lacks the authority, credibility, or unity to drive change forward.
Question 7: In a case study, an urban district reduces class sizes district-wide expecting student achievement gains. A critic points to research showing mixed results. Which moderating variable most explains inconsistent findings?
- Student socioeconomic status
- Teacher quality and instructional practice (Correct answer)
- State testing format
- School building age
Correct answer: Teacher quality and instructional practice
Research shows class size reduction benefits depend heavily on whether teachers change their instructional approach to leverage smaller classes, making teacher quality the key moderator.
Ed.D. Doctor of Education Doctor of Education Case Study 3
A case study documents a school that adopted a zero-tolerance discipline policy resulting in a 40% suspension rate.
Which theoretical framework best critiques this approach?