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Author: Erin M. Nitschke Publisher: ISBN: 9781303910234 Category : Academic achievement Languages : en Pages : 106
Book Description
This qualitative case study examined the perceived benefits of academic assessment as seen by community college faculty members. This study further aimed to identify what methods of assessment faculty perceive as valuable in evaluating student learning and how faculty utilize assessment results to modify academic programming. Lastly, this study sought strategies that may facilitate the construction of a sustainable culture of evidence and learning by focusing on the benefits of assessment. The researcher selected ten faculty members employed at the organization to participate in the interview process. Participants were limited to full-time faculty members with at least five years teaching experience in adult and higher education. During data analysis, six emergent themes developed as follows: (1) assessment as a multi-level process, (2) alignment beginning at the course level, (3) reciprocal relationship between teaching and learning, (4) assessments of higher order thinking, (5) data usability, and (6) administration-faculty disconnect leading to a culture of compliance. While faculty in this study found assessment to be beneficial to improving teaching and learning, faculty also noted several specific challenges they perceived to be barriers in creating a sustainable culture of assessment at the organization. Strategies for building the organizational culture were outlined and recommendations for future research were made.
Author: Erin M. Nitschke Publisher: ISBN: 9781303910234 Category : Academic achievement Languages : en Pages : 106
Book Description
This qualitative case study examined the perceived benefits of academic assessment as seen by community college faculty members. This study further aimed to identify what methods of assessment faculty perceive as valuable in evaluating student learning and how faculty utilize assessment results to modify academic programming. Lastly, this study sought strategies that may facilitate the construction of a sustainable culture of evidence and learning by focusing on the benefits of assessment. The researcher selected ten faculty members employed at the organization to participate in the interview process. Participants were limited to full-time faculty members with at least five years teaching experience in adult and higher education. During data analysis, six emergent themes developed as follows: (1) assessment as a multi-level process, (2) alignment beginning at the course level, (3) reciprocal relationship between teaching and learning, (4) assessments of higher order thinking, (5) data usability, and (6) administration-faculty disconnect leading to a culture of compliance. While faculty in this study found assessment to be beneficial to improving teaching and learning, faculty also noted several specific challenges they perceived to be barriers in creating a sustainable culture of assessment at the organization. Strategies for building the organizational culture were outlined and recommendations for future research were made.
Author: Colin Evan Williams Publisher: ISBN: Category : Languages : en Pages : 164
Book Description
Years of hiring practices have resulted in adjunct professors comprising the majority of college faculty (Gappa, Austin, & Trice, 2007; Schuster & Finkelstein, 2006). Today, adjunct faculty provide almost half of all instruction at the California community colleges (Student Success Initiative, 2018). It is essential to increase adjunct faculty participation in student success activities, such as Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) assessment. A large number of courses may not be taught as effectively if adjunct faculty do not assess SLOs (Danley-Scott & Topsett-Makin, 2013). This study sought to identify how adjunct faculty perceive their department cultures across the state. It also strived to understand what, if any, influence departmental cultures have on adjunct faculty contributing to SLO assessment. This mixed methods sequential explanatory study yielded findings emerged that indicate adjunct faculty at iii both sites primarily experience inclusive and learning cultures. Specific areas for improvement include communication, collaboration, and input in the design of curriculum and learning goals. Emergent findings included the role of the department chair as the progenitor and maintainer of a department's culture. Adjunct faculty were found to be driven primarily by a sense of service to students and refining the curriculum to serve transfer and career goals. Lack of communication and collaboration were found to have adverse effects on these intrinsic motivations. Departments and institutions seeking to transform cultures of compliance around student learning outcomes assessment into cultures of inquiry may do well to begin with communication, collaboration, and other low cost change strategies in order to cultivate inclusive and learning cultures that increase adjunct faculty participation in SLO assessment.
Author: Cynthia A. Dove Publisher: ISBN: Category : Educational tests and measurements Languages : en Pages : 426
Book Description
Faculty at colleges and universities are being asked to integrate student learning outcomes assessment (SLOA) into their teaching to improve teaching and learning and for accountability purposes. Not all faculty respond to this charge equally. This qualitative multiple case study explored factors that influenced faculty adoption of SLOA at a community college. The participants included ten faculty from various academic disciplines, with a wide range of teaching experience, and with varying attitudes towards SLOA. Based on the concept that SLOA is an innovation for faculty, the Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM) and the Diffusion of Innovation were used as theoretical frameworks. Data included in-depth interviews, the Stages of Concerns Questionnaire, and instructional documents. Three broad categories of factors that influence faculty adoption of outcomes assessment emerged from the research. They are (1) background and demographic factors, (2) systems factors, and (3) beliefs about teaching and learning. Background factors that influenced faculty adoption of SLOA were time in education, academic discipline, program type, and faculty knowledge of assessment. Systems factors that influenced faculty adoption included resources, such as time, administrative support and intentions, collaboration and communication, and flexibility. Faculty beliefs about teaching and learning that influenced their adoption of outcomes assessment included their beliefs about academic freedom, their views of assessment, and perceptions that SLOA is similar to No Child Left Behind, the accountability model used in K-12 education. The results of this study provide implications for faculty leaders and academic administrators involved with student learning outcomes assessment.
Author: Publisher: ISBN: Category : Languages : en Pages :
Book Description
Post-secondary education is experiencing increasing numbers of incoming freshman who are academically under-prepared for college level work. California Community Colleges have more academically under-prepared students than any other institutions in the state, with 60-90% of incoming freshman in need of some form of remediation. The California Community College System Office is addressing this influx into its colleges with the Basic Skills Initiative which provides resources for colleges to support the under-prepared population. The purpose of this study was to determine what community college faculty think about the growing population of under-prepared students, how they are addressing these students in their classroom, and how they feel their institution is doing to support this population. The study further investigated differences of opinion between basic skills faculty and non-basic skills faculty. Study participants were full-time instructional faculty who participated in focus groups and a written survey which explored faculty awareness and perceptions of under-prepared students, current classroom practices addressing the under-prepared population, and recommendations for improvement. The response rate of 71% for the survey results paints a fairly accurate picture of the community college classroom as it pertains to under-prepared students at American River College. The results portray community college faculty as a flexible group doing their best to accommodate under-prepared students entering their classroom. Virtually all faculty recognize the under-prepared students in their classroom and most stated up to 50% of the students in transfer level classes are academically under-prepared. Many faculty have adjusted their course requirements to address issues associated with under-prepared students. Faculty believe the institution could be doing a better job to support their work with under-prepared students and a more focused effort is needed to ensure the success of under-prepared students at the institution. Most faculty believe the reason for the growth in under-prepared students is due to student motivation rather than the student's background or available resources. Although current practices in the classroom truly demonstrate progress with academically under-prepared students, they reveal additional work is necessary before all students, regardless of their level of preparation, can achieve success at the community college.
Author: Sharon Kay Geistman Hyak Publisher: ISBN: Category : Languages : en Pages :
Book Description
As community colleges focus on increasing accountability, a growing number of community colleges have implemented professional development programs. Studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of faculty professional development, yet faculty participation and attitude toward training may impede improvement efforts. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative study was to increase understanding of Texas community college faculty attitudes and perceptions about faculty (teacher training) professional development. This quantitative study identified faculty characteristics, such as teaching experience, level of teacher training received, and academic degree earned; as well as environmental factors including college culture, administrative support, colleague influence, funding, time availability, self-efficacy and faculty perceptions toward development activities. A Likert-style online survey was developed and administered at 14 Texas community campuses, where 997 faculty members participated. The faculty list included campus members that taught at least one course in a typical semester, including teaching administrators, deans, part-time faculty, and full-time faculty. The Likert items mostly consisted of five points based on the scales from "Strongly Disagree" to "Strongly Agree," or from "Never" to "Very Frequently." Other questions established participation in faculty development activities and demographic information such as teaching load, prior teacher training, academic degree earned, teaching discipline, teaching experience, and position at the college. Survey data were analyzed using Excel and SPSS statistical software. One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and multiple regressions was performed to determine the relationship among survey variables. A priori level of significance for all statistical analyses was set at an alpha level of 0.05. Participants included 997 Texas community college faculty members at 14 campuses. Results indicated that (a) differences exist in the ways these various faculty groups experience and value training opportunities; (b) campus culture, administrative support, and funding, are statistically significant predictors of faculty member participation, attitudes, and perceptions; (c) faculty members' self-efficacy is significant in predicting attitudes about professional development; and (d) faculty beliefs in their teaching capacity influence their motivation and behavior in the classroom. The researcher recommends that leadership (a) legitimize professional development by promoting, supporting, and participating in strategically aligned programs; (b) evolve training strategies to incorporate diverse objectives, learning strategies, and shared culture for all generations and experience levels; (c) present training using best practices, reflection, and a comprehensive approach; and (d) model high-achieving systems of education. Several recommendations for future research include (a) continually and consistently collect and analyze data regarding faculty attitudes and faculty experiences; (b) evaluate how faculty development training affects student learning; (c) expand research to systems of education that reflect high-achieving models and alignment with the desired culture and strategic directions.
Author: Erin M. Nitschke
Author: Erin M. Nitschke
Author: Barbara Jean Kelberer
Author: Sarah Elizabeth Martin
Author: Colin Evan Williams
Author: Suwimon Wongwanich
Author: Thomas H. Calabrese
Author: Cynthia A. Dove
Author: 
Author: Jo Rainie Rodgers
Author: Sharon Kay Geistman Hyak