The results of the paired t tests on the differences between the means of faculty’s ratings of importance and their ratings of emphasis for the seven dimensions of competencies are presented in Table 5. All of the paired differences were statistically significant and all of the effect sizes were large (d > .50) using Cohen’s (1988) guidelines. Of the effect sizes, the largest was .89 for the “school culture and instructional program” and the smallest was .62 for the “research.” On average, Faculty’s ratings of importance on the seven dimensions were significantly higher than their ratings of emphasis in the coursework. Table 6 shows that on average EdD program graduates also ranked significantly higher on their importance ratings for the seven dimensions of competencies than their emphasis ratings. Six of the seven effect sizes were large, and only one for the “research” was medium (d = .42).
When looking at the 96 concrete competency items, we found that 92 (96%) of them were rated “important” or “very important” by principals. Of these 92 items, 42 (46%) were “covered at length” or “emphasized” in the coursework of EdD programs in graduates’ judgment; whereas only six (7%) of them were rated by faculty as “covered at length” or “emphasized” in the coursework. In summary, the results of the analyses revealed a lack of 
congruence between what was important to the three groups (school principals, EdD graduate and doctoral faculty) and what was emphasized in the coursework of EdD programs.
Discussion
This study investigated the extent to which the practical knowledge, skills and values necessary for effective school leadership were included and emphasized in the EdD programs in educational administration and leadership. We extended the current literature by comparing the perceptions of schools principals, EdD program graduates and doctoral faculty; by examining the impact of the principals’ education level on their perceptions; and by investigating the congruence between what is important to main stakeholders (i.e., leading practitioners, EdD graduates, and doctoral faculty) and what is emphasized in the coursework of the EdD programs.
Four conclusions are drawn from our analyses. First, school principals ranked significantly higher than doctoral faculty on three of the seven dimensions of the practical knowledge and skills (i.e., “facilitating the vision,” “school culture and instructional program,” and “managing the organization”), while doctoral faculty ranked significantly higher than school principals on two dimensions (i.e., “understanding publics” and “research methodology”). Second, there were significant differences between the EdD graduates and doctoral faculty on their perceived importance of all seven dimensions, with the EdD program graduates’ ratings being significantly higher than doctoral faculty’s ones. Third, education level (Master’/professional degree, EdD or PhD) of school principals did not have any significant effect on their ratings on the importance of the knowledge, skills and values for effective school leadership. Last, judged by both doctoral faculty and EdD program graduates, all of the seven dimensions were not adequately covered or emphasized in the coursework of EdD programs in comparison with their importance ratings. A noteworthy finding is that doctoral faculty and EdD graduates had higher ratings on research than school principals, but they did not feel that the research competency was covered enough in the coursework relative to its importance. One of the possible explanations would be that the EdD students need to learn research methods and skills to finish their dissertations, which are a capstone requirement for both the PhD and the EdD but without clear distinction (Golde & Walker, 2006).