Learning Strategies

Blended Delivery System

• For Core courses: Face-to-Face Learning @ Irvine, CA campus 1 Saturday per 8-week term
• For Real-time Online Learning: Small groups meet with instructor on a weekday evening. Meeting times adaptive to student schedules.
  Core Courses: 3-times per course
  Seminar Courses: 2-times per course
• For Dissertation Proposal & Research: Online and on-campus, as needed.

Cohort Registration Model

Students in the doctoral program will move through a sequence of courses collectively. The cohort model allows the university to provide academic and logistical support to help students succeed and complete program requirements in a timely manner. The common goal of starting and completing the program together encourages students to work collectively, which promotes the development of personal relationships and the building of a professional network.

Cohort Size: Small groups for real-time online learning, no more than 18 students for face-to-face learning @ Irvine, CA campus.

Pedagogical Framework

Since Arthur Chickering and Zelda Gamson published “Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education”, their principles have been adopted by educators at many colleges and universities throughout the United States. Their pedagogical framework forms the foundation for instruction and learning in the doctoral program for both on-campus and online modalities. The seven principles are listed below:

• Encourage contact between students and faculty
• Develop reciprocity and cooperation among students
• Encourage active learning
• Give prompt feedback
• Emphasize time on task
• Communicate high expectations
• Respect diverse talents and ways of learning

Active Learning

Participation in class is essential for student success in graduate courses. Attendance is required for all Irvine campus class sessions and online synchronous sessions. Active participation is expected during these sessions. Promptness to these sessions is vital to maximize time on task and to show courtesy toward others. For Synchronous Learning Sessions, students are expected to be prepared to engage in discussions or activities in a small group format, led by the instructor. For Asynchronous Learning, students are required to communicate with the professor and fellow classmates several times a week. A large portion of this is accomplished through weekly discussion board conversations.

Weekly Sequence in the Usage of a Learning Modality for a Core Course*

*Exceptions: EDD 706 Policy, Law and Practice in Dynamic Settings and EDD 707 Change Forces in Diverse Educational Settings to adjust contact hours for Washington, D.C. trip and People’s Republic of China trip, respectively.

**Students attend either a Tuesday or Thursday real-time, small group session.