Although higher education institutions may be described as forward-thinking in areas such as research, their teaching practices are often perceived as lacking in innovation. This disjunction has led educators, researchers, and policymakers to question the role and implementation of change in higher education contexts and the factors that affect it. This study explored these questions in the particular institutional context of a small technical college in the southern United States. Much of the research on higher education institutions in general and teaching practices specifically has taken place in four-year college or university settings. Yet, many students in the United States attend community or technical colleges, so an understanding of the teaching practices used in these contexts and the factors that influence faculty decisions to innovate is needed. This explanatory sequential mixed methods study addressed three research questions through a quantitative survey, followed by qualitative interviews and classroom observations. The collection and interpretation of these two data types allowed the researcher to investigate similarities and contradictions in the findings to discover how faculty members describe and explain their implementation of change in a particular institutional context. Analysis of the results led to implications for theory, practice, and further research in the study and implementation of innovative teaching strategies. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]