Ed.D. Doctor of Education Doctor of Education Case Study 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A case study of a failing turnaround school shows the improvement plan focuses exclusively on test prep. Which systems-thinking concept does this approach violate?
- Feedback loop amplification
- Root cause analysis and leverage points (Correct answer)
- Nonlinear causality
- Emergence theory
Correct answer: Root cause analysis and leverage points
Systems thinking requires identifying root causes and high-leverage intervention points; test prep addresses surface symptoms while leaving underlying instructional and cultural causes unchanged.
Question 2: A case study shows that a district's equity audit found resource disparities between high- and low-income schools. Which budget allocation model would best address this finding?
- Flat per-pupil allocation model
- Weighted student funding formula (Correct answer)
- Block grant distribution model
- Enrollment-based staffing ratio model
Correct answer: Weighted student funding formula
Weighted student funding provides additional resources for students with greater needs (poverty, ELL status, disabilities), directly addressing resource inequities identified in the audit.
Question 3: In a case study, a higher education administrator finds that first-generation college students have lower persistence rates. According to Tinto's model, which institutional factor most explains departure?
- Inadequate financial aid packaging
- Lack of academic and social integration (Correct answer)
- Poor academic preparation
- Excessive course load requirements
Correct answer: Lack of academic and social integration
Tinto's retention model holds that insufficient academic and social integration into campus community is the primary driver of student departure, especially among first-generation students.
Question 4: A case study analyzes a principal who fosters high trust and shared decision-making, resulting in increased teacher efficacy. Which theoretical framework best explains this outcome?
- Path-goal theory
- Social capital theory applied to schools (Correct answer)
- Contingency leadership theory
- Scientific management principles
Correct answer: Social capital theory applied to schools
Social capital theory explains that high-trust relational networks in schools generate collective resources—including shared efficacy—that improve professional practice and student outcomes.
Question 5: An Ed.D. case study of a district literacy initiative finds effect sizes ranging from 0.10 to 0.15. How should the researcher interpret these findings for practitioners?
- The program is highly effective and should be scaled immediately
- The effect sizes are below Hattie's hinge point and indicate minimal practical impact (Correct answer)
- Effect sizes below 0.20 indicate measurement error and should be disregarded
- The initiative should be abandoned due to negative outcomes
Correct answer: The effect sizes are below Hattie's hinge point and indicate minimal practical impact
Hattie's hinge point of d=0.40 represents the average expected effect; effect sizes of 0.10–0.15 fall well below this threshold, indicating limited practical educational significance.
Question 6: A case study organization implements a logic model for a new after-school STEM program. Which component comes immediately before 'outcomes' in a standard logic model?
- Inputs
- Activities
- Outputs (Correct answer)
- Impact
Correct answer: Outputs
The logic model sequence is Inputs → Activities → Outputs → Outcomes → Impact; outputs (e.g., sessions delivered, students served) directly precede outcomes (changes in knowledge or behavior).
Question 7: A case study superintendent must respond to a school board member who argues that raising teacher pay alone will solve the district's recruitment crisis. Which evidence-based counter-argument is most compelling?
- Salary increases always drive inflation in local housing markets
- Research shows working conditions, autonomy, and leadership quality are equally or more predictive of teacher recruitment and retention than salary alone (Correct answer)
- Higher salaries attract unqualified candidates who are only motivated by pay
- Salary data is proprietary and cannot be used in policy arguments
Correct answer: Research shows working conditions, autonomy, and leadership quality are equally or more predictive of teacher recruitment and retention than salary alone
Research consistently shows that school climate, principal leadership, autonomy, and collegial support are as influential as salary in teacher recruitment and retention decisions.
Ed.D. Doctor of Education Doctor of Education Case Study 5
A case study of a failing turnaround school shows the improvement plan focuses exclusively on test prep.
Which systems-thinking concept does this approach violate?