Wist 113
1776 University Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-7913
Fax: (808) 956-9100
Email: edef@hawaii.edu
Web: coe.hawaii.edu/edef
Faculty
*Graduate Faculty
*A. J. Means, PhD (Chair)—educational policy, sociology of education, educational theory
*D. B. Edwards Jr., PhD (Graduate Chair)—global education policy, global governance of education, international organizations, international development and education, quasi-market reforms,
community empowerment, school-based management, education in Latin America and Southeast Asia
*B. Cheng, EdD—comparative and international education, education policy
*X. Di, EdD—philosophy of education, history of education, sociology of education
*W. Perry, JD—Indigenous studies, law and policy, Hawaiian rights, sovereignty
*H. Tavares, PhD—politics of education, educational policy studies, critical theories of education
Cooperating Graduate Faculty
M. Maaka, PhD—Indigenous education, language and cognition, research methodologies; politics in education
Affiliate Graduate Faculty
S. Bell, PhD—global and international higher education administration, internationalization, international educational exchange, study abroad, globalization in education
D. E. Neubauer, PhD (Emeritus)—globalization, comparative higher education, education administration
K. Ogawa, PhD—economics of education, education finance, education policy and planning, impact evaluation, comparative international education
Degrees Offered: MEd in educational foundations, PhD in education with tracks in educational foundations, global and international education, and educational policy studies
The Academic Program
The Department of Educational Foundations takes an interdisciplinary approach to the critical examination of educational issues by focusing on explaining and interpreting education–asking and responding to the “why” questions. The department is committed to the professional and personal intellectual growth of educators and laypersons who wish to broaden and deepen their understanding of educational problems, questions, issues and controversies. The department adopts a multidisciplinary approach to educational inquiry by drawing on the disciplines of the humanities and social sciences. We value and affirm multiple perspectives, multiple voices, and collaboration in a program that is committed to engaging and deepening the prospect of democratic education. We seek to move our students toward greater appreciation of complexity, clarity, and compassion through our curriculum.
Related to the traditional disciplines are the department’s four areas of emphasis: history of education, philosophy of education, socio-cultural foundations, and international/ comparative education. Related areas of study include educational policy studies, the politics of education, legal issues in education, and multicultural education.
Graduates with the MEd degree are expected to be able to analyze alternatives in educational thought, policy and practice related to the social and ethical problems faced by schools and other educational agencies at the state, national and international levels. Graduates with the PhD are expected to exert professional expertise in the field of education and deal with those aspects and problems in society that need to be taken into account in advancing educational thought, policy development and practice, especially where these concern the social role of the school and other educational agencies.
Graduate Study
Master of Education in Educational Foundations
The department offers programs of graduate study leading to a MEd in educational foundations, informed by history of education, philosophy of education, social/cultural foundations of education, and/or comparative/international education.
MEd Program Options
Option I: Plan A Thesis (30 credits)
- Department course (12 credits)
- One research course (3 credits)
- Three electives (including a seminar) in area of emphasis and/or cognate (9 credits)
- Thesis 700 (6 credits)
- Committee: chair (full graduate faculty), member (graduate faculty), outside member (full graduate faculty)
- Culminating experience: oral defense of thesis
Option II: Plan B Non-thesis (30 credits)
- For field based educators and others who choose to do a project based study
- Department course (12 credits)
- One research course (3 credits)
- Three electives, including a seminar (9 credits)
- Directed reading for developing and carrying out a project and writing related paper (6 credits)
- Committee: chair, plus one reader (who must have at least a master’s degree) who guide the student through the conceptualization and implementation of the project and the writing of the Plan B paper
- Culminating experience: A final paper that describes and evaluates the final project, and an oral presentation
Option III: Summers Only Master in Education (30 credits)
- Focus on educational leadership (EdLeads)*
- Fixed sequence of courses (30 credits)
- Committee: chair (member of graduate faculty) and reader (who must have at least a master’s degree) who guide the student through the conceptualization and implementation of the project and the writing of the Plan B paper
- Culminating experience: A final paper that describes and evaluates the final project, and an oral presentation
Option IV: Online Year-Round Master of Education (30 credits)
Focus on global issues in educational policy and practice (Global Perspectives)
- Fixed sequence of courses (30 credits)
- Committee chair (member of graduate faculty) and reader (who must have at least a relevant master’s degree) who guide the student through the conceptualization and implementation of the project and the writing of the Plan B.
- Culminating experience: a final paper that describes and evaluates the final project, and an oral presentation (may be video-taped).
For further information, contact the graduate chair, Department of Educational Foundations.
Doctoral Degree
The Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD) is a college-wide degree awarded for distinguished academic preparation for scholarly professional practice in the field of education.
The Department of Educational Foundations offers or contributes to three PhD tracks under the PhD program of the College of Education: (1) the traditional educational foundations track, (2) the global and international education track, and (3) the educational policy studies track (see the tracks cited under the PhD in Education program in this Catalog and the College of Education website for more information. In all three tracks, the department prepares educational professionals with an understanding of the historical, philosophical, cultural, social, and political contexts of education so that they can make informed and wise decisions about educational problems and policy issues. Graduates with the PhD are expected to exert leadership in the field of education and deal with those aspects and problems in society that need to be taken into account in advancing educational thought, policy development, and practice, especially where these concern the social role of the school and other educational agencies. The program of study varies in the number of credits, depending upon the candidate’s qualifications and will include the following: college courses required of all students enrolled in the PhD program of the College of Education; department courses required of all students with a specialization in educational foundations; area of emphasis course work focused in history, philosophy, comparative, or social/cultural foundations of education; cognate-field course work usually taken outside of the College of Education; a field project or an internship; qualifying and comprehensive examinations; and the dissertation.
For further information concerning the College of Education PhD program, see “Doctoral Degrees,” or write to the graduate chair, Department of Educational Foundations, 1776 University Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96822.