ERIC Number: ED655733
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 172
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-5970-9905-7
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Instructional Development Experiences of Adjunct Faculty at One Community College in the Southeast United States
Susan Renee Goss
ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, Capella University
This aim of this study was to explore the instructional development experiences of adjunct faculty at one community college in the southeast United States. Researchers have discovered that, generally, adjunct faculty are not provided instructional development resources or opportunities. Therefore, how do they develop their instructional knowledge and skills? The researcher explored the influences on instructional decisions, the types of instructional methods adjunct instructors employed, how their instructional practices have changed over time, and the instructional development needs that instructors say they have. The researcher employed a qualitative case study utilizing interviews, class observations, and syllabi assessment to collect data. The population was adjunct instructors at one community college in the southeast United States. Fifteen out of 250 adjunct instructors volunteered, nine of whom were eligible and followed through with the study. Interview data were analyzed using first and second cycle coding. Data were categorized for each research sub-question onto a matrix to view the aggregated results for all participants. The adjunct instructors in this case study described reflecting on their past experiences as students and as an instructor to inform decisions on their instructional methods, and the less-experienced instructors relied on colleagues for input. The participants also described and demonstrated teacher-centered instructional methods with an occasional insertion of more learner-centered methods. However, further research is recommended to determine whether an inverse relationship exists between years of instructional experience and instructional development stages. Instructors with more than five years' experience described and demonstrated the beginning stages of instructional development while instructors with less than five years' experience described and demonstrated advanced instructional development stages. [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.]
Descriptors: Community Colleges, College Faculty, Adjunct Faculty, Faculty Development, Reflective Teaching, Decision Making, Teaching Methods, Teaching Experience
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Two Year Colleges
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A