MTSU’s College of Education has opened registration to a free information session Thursday, Feb. 9, about a special doctoral program that prepares successful candidates to make a lasting impact inside their classrooms and educational institutions.

Kevin Krahenbuhl, who directs the Doctor of Education in Assessment, Learning and Student Success Program, calls it unique in the world of graduate education. 

“It helps those education professionals with multiple degrees not simply get more of the same, but rather challenges them to see things a bit differently,” Krahenbuhl said. “It trains scholar-practitioners who are change agents for improving learning for all.” 

Krahenbuhl is hosting an information session about the program for pre-K-12 educational leaders who have a master’s degree and can affect immediate school improvement and gains in student learning.

This includes teacher-leaders, administrators, district office personnel, policy makers, policy advisors and staff members of philanthropic and nonprofit agencies focused on school improvement.

The Feb. 9 event will take place from 5 to 6 p.m. in Room 202 of the College of Education Building at 1756 MTSU Blvd.; it also will be available via Zoom. Those interested in attending can register by contacting the program secretary at 615-898-2995 or EdD@mtsu.edu. For off-campus attendees, an MTSU parking map is available at https://bit.ly/MTSUParking.

At the session, Krahenbuhl will answer attendees’ questions about the program. 

“We want to connect with those curious about the program and let them know it is built to prepare our students not only for the future or ‘someday’ but to have them integrate their learning directly into improving their current, real-world education environment,” Krahenbuhl said. 

The program extended its ability to help make real-world change last year via a partnership with the Murfreesboro City Schools, which serves K-6 students. 

The partnership allows the MTSU program’s students to conduct research in the district, such as analyzing the effectiveness of educational practices like one-on-one tutoring, in exchange for providing their findings to the district to help MCS better identify the practices working best for student success. 

“This collaborative partnership exemplifies and amplifies the applied learning philosophy of the ALSS program,” Krahenbuhl said. “It involves systemic, sustained cycles of inquiry in a real-world educational environment.” 

MCS Director of Schools Trey Duke, a proud graduate of the program, =said it pushed him as an educator and helped clarify his teaching and learning philosophy. 

“All of my work with MTSU has played an important role in my thinking and development as an educational professional,” Duke said. “Dr. Krahenbuhl and his team have created a program that I would hold up against any educational leadership program in the country.”

To learn more about opportunities at the university’s College of Education, visit its website at https://mtsu.edu/education or its Facebook page at https://facebook.com/MTSUEducation. 

— Stephanie Wagner (Stephanie.Wagner@mtsu.edu)