Making Our Pitch: Engaging Practitioner Supervisors in the Development of the Dissertation in Practice

This article describes the incorporation of a pitch presentation early in a Doctor of Education (EdD) program to help pre-candidacy students develop a dissertation in practice topic that has the support of their workplace supervisor in the K-12 or higher education setting. Twenty participating EdD students conducted presentations to “pitch” their study idea to their workplace supervisors, who provided feedback and suggested adjustments to the research plan. Students reflected on the experience of preparing for, conducting, and receiving feedback on their pitch. Qualitative data analysis indicated students gained increased clarity and organization around their topic, as well as higher motivation.