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Teaching Developmental English: Perceptions and Motivations of One Adjunct Faculty Group

This qualitative study describes members of the Liberal Arts/English adjunct faculty at one mid-Atlantic urban community college (MAUCC), their perceptions of the organizational climate of their program, and their satisfaction and motivation patterns. The study was designed as a case study focusing on one MAUCC department. Adjunct faculty members constitute a growing percentage of the teaching force in higher education institutions--particularly in community colleges (Eagan, 2007; National Center for Educational Statistics, 2011). With rising economic pressure, community colleges increasingly rely on adjunct faculty for teaching their students, particularly in introductory and remedial courses (Eagan, 2007; National Center for Educational Statistics, 2011). However, research suggests that, relative to students taught by full-time faculty, students in introductory courses that are taught by adjunct faculty members are less likely to be successful and to persist to degree completion (Harrington & Schibik, 2001; Eagan, 2009; Jaeger, 2009). Some research suggests that adjunct faculty's work conditions interfere with the quality of their instruction (Eagan, 2007; Lei, 2008). Other research concludes that adjunct faculty members' motivation for teaching and/or method of teaching is incompatible with the investment required for supporting community college students in developmental courses (Adamowicz, 2007; Glenn, 2008). However, little is known about the way contemporary community college adjunct faculty members perceive their role in the organization and their responsibility for promoting students' learning, development, and academic success. The completed research answers the questions: (1) How do adjunct faculty members teaching developmental courses in a community college describe their satisfaction within their current organizational roles? (2) How do adjunct faculty members teaching developmental courses in a community college perceive their responsibility toward student learning and academic success? (3) How do adjunct faculty members describe their motivation within their current role? and (4) How do these adjunct faculty members' perceptions of satisfaction, instructional effectiveness, and motivation relate to their personal background? The research is designed as a case study and focuses on adjunct faculty members teaching introductory and developmental English at one community college. / Educational Administration

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:TEMPLE/oai:scholarshare.temple.edu:20.500.12613/3912
Date January 2013
CreatorsZeas, Joanne
ContributorsCaldwell, Corrinne A., McClendon, John A., Kaplan, Avi, Shapiro, Joan Poliner, Gross, Steven Jay
PublisherTemple University. Libraries
Source SetsTemple University
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis/Dissertation, Text
Format181 pages
RightsIN COPYRIGHT- This Rights Statement can be used for an Item that is in copyright. Using this statement implies that the organization making this Item available has determined that the Item is in copyright and either is the rights-holder, has obtained permission from the rights-holder(s) to make their Work(s) available, or makes the Item available under an exception or limitation to copyright (including Fair Use) that entitles it to make the Item available., http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Relationhttp://dx.doi.org/10.34944/dspace/3894, Theses and Dissertations

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