A local community college is experiencing low level student retention. . The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of administrators, faculty and students regarding the low student retention rate. The participants for this qualitative case study included 6 former students who withdrew from the local community college before completing their degrees, 2 faculty members, and 2 administrators. The conceptual framework was constructivism. Research questions were designed to elicit perceptions of understanding retention issues in terms of adult learning and documenting the problem of retention. Data were collected in the form of semi-structured interviews and document review to answer the research questions. Interview data were coded, and 10 themes were identified. Themes included lack of socialization, cost of tuition, lack of online options, class scheduling, student self-discipline, quality of faculty, institutional support, high schools not preparing students for college, 2 year degree implications, and parental pressure. Document review showed that minimal efforts were present to track students or educate faculty regarding adult learning through the 2 year degree process. The key results showed that student retention was a problem that needed to be addressed at both the faculty and administrative levels. The themes resulting from data analysis served as the basis for creation of a 3-day professional development training project for faculty and administrators at the college. This study and resulting project might encourage positive social change for the students, faculty, administration, and college by improving retention rates and graduating more students into the workforce.

Leaders at a local community college in southern California ascertained that adjunct faculty members felt disconnected from the school and were not properly socialized to the culture of the school. The purpose of this case study was to help leaders learn adjunct faculty's perceptions of the socialization process. Organizational socialization theory and occupational socialization theory provided the theoretical framework for this study. Purposeful sampling was used to select 12 adjunct faculty to participate in face-to-face interviews. Data were collected via open-ended interview questions. These data were then transcribed, coded, and searched for themes. Coding was completed using Microsoft Word to search for common words and phrases. The 6 major themes were identified as follows: working conditions, voice and perception of adjuncts, mentoring, budget, lack of involvement in campus activities, and the desire to become a fulltime faculty member. A 3-day profressioanl development workshop pertaining to mentoring was identified as the project outcome. The results from this study could facilitate positive social change by helping this college, as well as other community colleges, assist adjunct faculty with their socialization processes. Better socialization could lead to committed adjunct faculty members who are more satisfied, informed, and engaged. When adjunct faculty feel more a part of the college, this engagement could result in improved understanding of the curriculum, more organizational commitment, and greater faculty dedication to the college's mission.

The purpose of this study was to understand how effective the Guskey professional development evaluation model would be in a community college setting and determine how well the model serves the needs of the key college stakeholders. The study used the Guskey model to evaluate a professional development activity at a community college. The need for this type of research is evident in the current limitations of formal assessment of professional development activities at the community college. Accordingly, this study sought to determine the effectiveness of the Guskey’s evaluation model of professional development training from a broader perspective, including participants reactions, determining if the training met the target goals, resulted in administrative support for the training and subsequent implementation, and finally assessing to what extent the training was transferred to the classroom setting. Data were gathered through seven different instruments: professional development training evaluations, semi-structured interviews with participants and administration, engagement survey results, review of policy and procedures, classroom observations and embedded assessment. Data were analyzed through statistical and qualitative methods. The data analyses revealed the training was effective on all five evaluation levels identified by Guskey. The model provided a systematic approach to evaluation; beginning with training and ending with improvement of student learning. A report generated from the data served as a basis for an assessment report for community college stakeholders. The report provided appropriate data to make informed decisions. The knowledge gained in this study will add to the professional development assessment literature and will contribute to the culture of assessment in the community college setting.

The purpose of this interpretive, multiple case qualitative study was to explore factors associated with presidential derailments in community colleges. The case studies involved interviews, document analysis, and observation. The population consisted of four community colleges in the United States. These distinctly different institutions produced the data for the investigation. The findings revealed five derailment themes among the four cases. These were: problems with interpersonal relationships, failure of the president to adapt to the institutional culture, difficulty working with key constituencies, failure to communicate, and a flawed search process. Two of the five themes from community colleges related directly to Leslie and Van Velsor’s (1996) derailment themes from the corporate sector. These were: problems with interpersonal relationships, and the inability to change or adapt to the culture of an organization during a transition (failure to adapt to the institutional culture). Finally, implications for preventing presidential derailments and for improvement in the presidential selection process are also presented.

Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006.

Although the career choice decision for women is recognized as a complex process, there is little understanding about how the influencing factors affect the choices of disadvantaged women returning to community colleges. This study was concerned with understanding how certain factors influenced the career choices of this population. A random sample of 15 subjects was identified for this study from a population of 53 female students attending Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon. The data were gathered through examining the subjects' college student records, interviews and survey questionnaires. The literature suggested that six major factors may influence career choices of women. These are: the environment, the family, individual abilities, self-concept variables, vocational interests and values, and the influence of education. Factors identified in this study which may influence the career choices of disadvantaged women returning to community colleges and provided support for the literature included: high academic ability, a more tolerant and feminist attitude, a sense of independence, interest in planning for a career, and a supportive faculty. In addition, economic security was the most often discussed motivating factor; it had not been previously identified as an influencing factor. Contrary to the literature, the following factors had minor influence on career choices: success in mathematics courses, supportive parents and family, and educational role models. In addition, the absence of a familial value for education was identified. Although it did not appear to impact the subjects' career choices, it appeared to have previously created a barrier to education. / Graduation date: 1992

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1998. / Includes Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 154-162). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ed. D)--Oregon State University, 2008. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 142-148). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2008. / Title from title screen (site viewed Oct. 21, 2008). PDF text: 223 p. ; 12 Mb. UMI publication number: AAT 3308325. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche formats.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Ohio University, June, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.