Date of Award
5-2026
Culminating Project Type
Dissertation
Styleguide
apa
Degree Name
Higher Education Administration: Ed.D.
Department
Educational Administration and Higher Education
College
School of Education
First Advisor
Emeka Ikegwuonu
Second Advisor
Joy McKenzie
Third Advisor
Rebecca Nelson Crowell
Fourth Advisor
Jennifer Jones, Steven McCullar
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Keywords and Subject Headings
clinical education, clinical educator development, onboarding, supervision, Speech-language Pathology, ICED model, training needs, workload, higher education, CAA, CFCC, ASHA.
Abstract
This study examines how clinical directors in U.S. Speech-language Pathology (SLP) graduate programs prepare and support clinical educators, their perceptions of training needs, and how director workload relates to onboarding practices. Using a cross-sectional survey guided by the Integrated Clinical Educator Development (ICED) model proposed by the investigator, responses from 100 accredited programs revealed that onboarding is common but highly variable, typically led by clinical directors, and often informal. Content included in onboarding most frequently includes program operations, documentation, grading, CFCC supervision requirements, and feedback skills, with fewer programs addressing cultural or generational considerations. Clinical directors overwhelmingly viewed the current national requirement- a one-time 2-hour supervision CE- as insufficient and expressed strong support for ongoing, standardized, and program-specific training with support from regulatory bodies and their institutions. Workload constraints significantly affect clinical directors’ ability to deliver consistent onboarding. Findings highlight the need for structured, longitudinal preparation, protected time, and stronger institutional support to ensure consistent, high-quality clinical educator development. Limitations include reliance on solely clinical director perspectives and a cross-sectional quantitative survey design.
Recommended Citation
Bengeri, Prachi, "Clinical Educator Development Practices in Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Programs in the United States: Clinical Director Perspectives" (2026). Culminating Projects in Higher Education Administration. 107.
https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/hied_etds/107
