UWF’s Instructional and Performance Technology Doctoral Residency unites students, alumni and partners for a transformative weekend of applied learning – University of West Florida

Report on the University of West Florida Instructional and Performance Technology Doctoral Residency

Executive Summary

The University of West Florida (UWF) School of Education conducted its annual Instructional and Performance Technology (IPT) Doctoral Residency, a key component of its Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program. The event convened doctoral students, faculty, and alumni to advance professional development and applied research. This report analyzes the residency’s structure and outcomes, with a significant emphasis on its contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure).

Programmatic Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Launched in 2020, the IPT Ed.D. program is designed to develop scholar-practitioners capable of leading performance improvement and organizational change. The program’s curriculum and the residency’s focus directly support several key SDGs.

SDG 4: Quality Education

The residency serves as a cornerstone for ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities.

• Advanced Professional Training: The doctoral program provides high-level tertiary education for professionals, equipping them with skills to enhance learning and performance systems in diverse sectors.
• Practitioner-Focused Learning: By bridging coursework with professional practice, the residency allows students to apply theoretical knowledge to solve real-world challenges, thereby improving the quality and relevance of education and training within their respective organizations.
• Support for Research: The event provides structured support for students’ Dissertation in Practice projects, fostering research that generates evidence-based solutions for educational and organizational improvement.

SDG 8 & 9: Decent Work, Economic Growth, and Innovation

The program’s focus on performance technology and systems thinking contributes to building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and fostering innovation.

• Enhancing Organizational Performance: Graduates are prepared to improve efficiency and effectiveness in business, government, and military organizations, which supports sustained economic productivity.
• Fostering Innovation: The curriculum emphasizes instructional design, technology, and systems thinking, equipping leaders to drive innovation and manage organizational change effectively.
• Developing a Skilled Workforce: By training professionals in performance improvement, the program helps create a more skilled and adaptable workforce, which is essential for economic growth and decent work.

Residency Structure and Key Activities

The residency featured a multi-faceted agenda designed to foster collaboration and apply learning. The immersive weekend centered on leadership development and systems thinking, bringing together new and returning student cohorts.

Core Components

1. Interactive Workshops: Sessions focused on practical skills and theoretical frameworks relevant to performance improvement and organizational change.
2. Project Presentation Sessions: Students presented progress on their Dissertation in Practice projects, receiving feedback from peers and faculty.
3. Alumni and Expert Discussions: Featured speakers, including Dr. Robin Brandenburg of Applied Materials, provided industry insights on organizational change and performance improvement, demonstrating a commitment to SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by linking academia with industry.

Outcomes and Impact

Participant feedback and faculty observations indicate the residency achieved its primary objectives of professional empowerment and practical skill development, reinforcing the program’s contribution to global development goals.

Participant Perspectives

• Students reported feeling empowered and supported, highlighting the value of building a professional network of colleagues dedicated to organizational improvement.
• The structured format was noted for making the complex process of doctoral research feel manageable, thereby increasing student retention and success, a key metric for SDG 4.

Institutional Impact

Dr. Holley Handley, interim chair of the Department of Instructional Design and Technology, noted that the residency’s collaborative and applied nature is a defining feature of the program. It provides a platform for students to address organizational challenges and develop practical, evidence-based strategies. This model directly supports the development of leaders capable of strengthening institutions (SDG 16) and driving meaningful change.

Conclusion

The UWF Instructional and Performance Technology Doctoral Residency is a signature event that effectively connects theory to practice. It plays a crucial role in developing leaders who can implement sustainable, evidence-based improvements across educational, corporate, and governmental environments. Through its focus on quality education, innovation, and institutional effectiveness, the program and its residency make a tangible contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education: The entire article focuses on a doctoral program at the University of West Florida. It describes the program’s structure, goals, and impact, all of which are central to providing quality tertiary education. The text highlights a “practitioner-focused Instructional and Performance Technology Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program” designed for “applied learning, and professional development.”
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The program aims to prepare “scholar-practitioners to lead performance improvement and organizational change across various sectors, including education, business, government, and military organizations.” By equipping students with advanced skills for leadership and organizational improvement, the program directly contributes to creating a more productive and skilled workforce, which is a driver of economic growth.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: The program’s emphasis on “systems thinking,” “performance improvement,” and “evidence-based change” aligns with the principles of innovation. Graduates are trained to be agents of change who can improve processes and implement innovative strategies within their organizations, thereby enhancing the capabilities of various industrial and governmental sectors.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The residency event itself is a model of partnership. It brings together “students, alumni, faculty, and staff” and features external speakers from the industry, such as a “global instructional design manager at Applied Materials.” This collaboration between academia, alumni, and industry professionals exemplifies the multi-stakeholder partnerships needed to achieve sustainable development.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 4.3: Ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university.
   • The article describes a high-level form of tertiary education—a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program at the University of West Florida. The description of the residency as a “cornerstone experience” and the positive student testimonials about feeling “empowered and supported” point to the quality of the educational offering.
2. Target 4.4: Substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship.
   • The program is explicitly designed to provide relevant skills for professional practice. The article states it prepares graduates to “lead performance improvement and organizational change” and that students leave with “practical strategies,” directly addressing the need for a skilled adult workforce.
3. Target 8.5: Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men… and equal pay for work of equal value.
   • By providing doctoral-level education and leadership training, the program enhances the qualifications of its students, enabling them to pursue high-value, productive employment and leadership roles in sectors like “business, government, and military organizations.”
4. Target 9.5: Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors… encouraging innovation.
   • The program requires students to complete a “Dissertation in Practice,” which is a form of applied scientific research. The curriculum’s focus on “systems thinking” and “evidence-based change” directly contributes to upgrading the capabilities of the organizations where graduates work.
5. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.
   • The residency event is a clear example of a partnership. It fosters collaboration “across cohorts and disciplines” and includes “alumni-led discussions” and speakers from private industry (“Applied Materials”), demonstrating a partnership between the university (a public institution), its alumni network, and the private sector.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Implied Indicator for Target 4.3: The number of student cohorts. The article mentions that UWF “welcomed its sixth incoming cohort of doctoral students,” which serves as a quantitative indicator of the program’s continuation and the provision of quality tertiary education over time.
• Implied Indicator for Target 4.4: Student testimonials on skill acquisition. The quotes from students like Iesha Adams Powell, who felt “empowered and supported,” and Jenn Butler, who found the program made complex tasks “manageable,” are qualitative indicators that students are acquiring relevant skills and confidence for their professional practice.
• Implied Indicator for Target 9.5: The number of research projects completed. The mention of students advancing their “Dissertation in Practice projects” implies that a key output of the program is applied research, which can be counted to measure progress in this area.
• Implied Indicator for Target 17.17: The number and diversity of participants in collaborative events. The article notes the residency brings together “students, alumni, faculty, and staff” and includes speakers from industry. The composition of attendees and contributors at the annual event can be used as an indicator of the strength and breadth of the partnership.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: uwfvoyager.com