More than nine million students enroll in community colleges annually (Fink et al., 2023) making them accessible entry points for individuals of diverse backgrounds (Fink et al., 2023). Upward transfer from community colleges to four-year institutions creates critical pathways to baccalaureate degree attainment, but only 33% of community college…

Background: Instructors often use a point-based system for grading students (e.g., 100 or 1000 total points). This system can impact student outcomes. Objective: The purpose of this research was to examine the implications of different point value courses for student emotions, perceptions of courses, and classroom performance. Method: The…

Random call has been proposed as an inclusive and equitable practice that engages students in learning. However, this inclusion may come with a cost. In some contexts, students experience anxiety and distress when being called on. Recently, focus has shifted to critical components of random call that may mitigate this cost. We examined how…

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to gain insight into the experience of low SES community college students in intensive courses. Utilizing both quantitative and qualitative data from one community college, the researcher conducted this study of if, how, and to what extent, intensive courses contribute to low SES student success. Three…

Community colleges provide broad access to postsecondary education to students of every identity, background, and level of academic preparedness. However, while community colleges offer a diverse range of educational and career pathways, completion rates remain low. In the past decade, the guided pathways framework emerged as a model for how…

Learning assistance services offered by U.S. community colleges are vital to the academic success of many students, but the tutors themselves remain understudied. This paper attempts to narrow both the research and recognition gaps by exploring and categorizing prominent aspects of professional community college tutors. Using a small-scale,…

While many community college (CC) students come to higher education with specific career or life goals, these aspirations may be forced to change if students are not able to get past the gatekeeper of remedial mathematics coursework. Racially minoritized students are disproportionately tracked into non-credit-bearing remedial (NCBR) mathematics…

Basic needs insecurity, including insufficient or inadequate food, housing, and other personal necessities, is a common problem on college campuses, especially at community colleges (Baker-Smith et al., 2020; Broton & GoldrickRab, 2018), and an increasing number of higher education institutions are attempting to ameliorate this issue (Broton…

The purpose of this qualitative narrative analysis was to explore how men of color have experienced stereotype threat in their lives and used community cultural wealth to manage stereotype threat and achieve academic success while persisting at a large urban community college. Racial tensions have manifested through blatant acts of racism,…

There is a decrease in completion rates for students with learning disabilities enrolled at community colleges. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how community college faculty who taught at a small rural institution in southeastern Virginia perceived modifying course instruction for students with learning disabilities.…

There is a growing perception in society that people are losing faith in the value of a college education (Craig, 2015; Hart Research Associates, 2018). Declining enrollments at higher education institutions for more than a decade support this assertion (NCH Research Center, 2021). To remain relevant as an industry, higher education institutions…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how college students described their experiences with academic advising as it pertained to cognitive presence, social presence, and teaching presence at a community college in Southern California. Cognitive presence, social presence, and teaching presence are elements of the…

As college education becomes more technology-centric, hybrid instruction that combines face-to-face and online learning has become prominent in programs that seek to serve nontraditional students. As courses offered in the hybrid format become ubiquitous, gathering student feedback regarding satisfaction and success is essential for continuous…

Objective: This study is a replication of Russ et al.'s (2002) work, which showed that students' credibility beliefs about and perceived learning from a male university instructor were negatively affected when he identified as gay. Because the primary professional responsibility of community college faculty is teaching, and student evaluations may…

The advising experience of adult learner's academic and social engagement at community colleges. Based on the literature, it was not known how adult learners in an associate's program describe their advising experience with respect to social and academic engagement at community colleges in the southern United States. The purpose of this…