Objective/Research Question: This paper reports on data collected in a multi-year National Science Foundation grant project involving a professional development (PD) model built to support community college faculty as change agents (CAs). The research question was: How do disciplinary communities of practice (CoP) emerge among community college…

The purpose of this dissertation in practice study was to describe the engagement levels and challenges of faculty teaching at-risk students to better understand support strategies that may enhance the classroom experience for students and instructors. The aim of this study was to create a set of guidelines for community colleges to foster…

An estimated 17% to 30% of new teachers in the U.S. leave the profession within their first 5 years of teaching. Some challenges that prompt new teachers to leave the field include stress, lack of appropriate support, and feeling unprepared to handle behavioral and academic issues among their students. Research supports the finding that teachers…

Although the majority of college freshmen enroll at community colleges, very few research studies focus on this context. In addition, what research does exist often overlooks important practitioner concerns, such as instruction. In this article we argue that supporting generalizable education research conducted by community college practitioners…

At the college-level, instructors are experts in their own subject matter, but often have less knowledge of the theory and practice of successful teaching models and techniques for enhancing student learning and engagement (Burns, 2017). The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) has developed as a practice that supports inquiry and…

Institutions in many jurisdictions are in the process of implementing Open Educational Resources (OER). This short paper is based on a report commissioned by Contact North/Contact Nord as part of their Pockets of Innovation series to better understand the impact of OER implementations at diverse institutions. The investigation looks into 13…

The current relationship between early college high school and community college faculty reflects a lack of communication and collaboration in common content areas. In this disquisition, the practitioner-researchers examined the partnership of public high school and community college faculty, and how increasing opportunities for collegial feedback…

National efforts to improve equitable teaching practices in biology education have led to an increase in research on the barriers to student participation and performance, as well as solutions for overcoming these barriers. Fewer studies have examined the extent to which the resulting data trends and effective strategies are generalizable across…

According to Cohen and Brawer (2008), there are four curricular functions of community colleges. Students who enroll at community colleges may seek academic transfer, vocational or technical education, developmental education, or continuing education, which includes community service. Community college faculty and administrators face a wide range…

Inclusion means that students with disabilities have access to high-quality and effective instruction, as well as specialized services as needed, within least restrictive environments. We believe there are no limits on who can or should participate in and benefit from inclusion and we were interested in perceptions resulting from professional…

This report describes a project undertaken by CCRC, Education Northwest, and three community colleges in Oregon to adapt lesson study for use among faculty teaching a precollege (developmental) quantitative literacy course. Lesson study is a collaborative professional development approach that has been implemented among K-12 mathematics teachers…

These are the appendices for the report, "The Implementation and Outcomes of Lesson Study in Community College Mathematics." The report describes a project undertaken by Community College Research Center (CCRC), Education Northwest, and three community colleges in Oregon to adapt lesson study for use among faculty teaching a precollege…

While community colleges in many states have embarked on whole-institution reform to impact multiple dimensions of the student experience, relatively little attention has focused on the working conditions of adjunct faculty, who account for about two thirds of all instructional faculty at public two-year colleges. "Engaging Adjunct Faculty in…

What is the extent to which college and university geoscience faculty report using education practices that contribute to more inclusive learning environments and engage a diverse population of students? In the 2016 National Geoscience Faculty Survey, faculty answered questions about their practices in a specific introductory or major course they…

This research addresses how part-time and full-time faculty roles have changed over recent years and the role that faculty development programs have played in assisting faculty with adjusting to these changes. This phenomenological study explored self-efficacy formation and intrinsic motivation of instructors taking part in a professional…