In recent years online education doctorates have become more prevalent to accommodate the growing need for distance academic preparation. Due to the newness of these degree programs, there is a dearth of information in the literature on learner perspectives of effective online teaching and learning strategies. The authors of this paper are recent graduates of the online Doctor of Education program in Educational Technology at the University of Florida. They convey their own experiences using supporting research and the three components of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) model (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, )-social, cognitive, and teaching presence-to examine this online doctoral program. The insights in the paper are intended to promote dialogue on the student perspective and make recommendations to further the initiation and development of online education doctorates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]