Quality of instruction provided by adjunct/part-time community college faculty - Research Proposal Example

? Quality of Instruction of This research paper will explore on the quality of instruction provided for by adjunct or part time community college faculty. Additionally, focus will be laid on the effectiveness of instructors and their role in helping students graduate. It is out of these that research proposal is going to be formed. Introduction For a long time, community colleges have been operational in the United States as well as in other countries. These colleges use part time faculty, something that has attracted varying opinions from different quarters of the society. While different people may hold different opinions about adjunct faculties, first of all it would be of great importance to elaborate on a small history on how adjunct faculties first gained popularity. According to Cohen and Brawer (2003), adjunct faculties were started so that they can accommodate the working but class who wanted to continue with their education part time. In many cases, these classes met outside the schedule of normal university or college program. Learners met over the weekends and late in the evening. Ryland (2007) observes they were among the fist-organized group of people to use modern technology such as video conferencing and instructional television. In a fast changing world where students have to do attend classes and work at the same time for a master’s degree, such faculties as adjunct come very handy to enable people balance both their jobs and classes. This is a big benefit for those who are married and have responsibilities pressing on them. For learners, it is about being in a position to accomplish a college degree without necessarily having to attend classes or lectures full time. These colleges also happen to have been among some of the first ones to offer specialized training. Other scholars have observed that having Adjunct faculties benefits the stakeholders in this kind of pattern. Scheppers (2001) argues that having adjunct faculties in institutions is seen, as a cheap form of management by colleges since part time employees do not get entitled to other things like insurance cover, no befits in short. However, some scholars are concerned that hiring adjuncts raise concern about the image of the institutions of higher learning. Baldwin (2001) for example sees adjuncts as a workforce that may make higher education institutions be seen as, unprofessional, inefficient and as offering poor quality of education quality. Lurie (2007) claims that adjunct faculties at community colleges are usually poorly paid and remunerated and workers have no stake in the in places of work. Problem and Purpose Student satisfaction in the kind of education they are being given is not dependent on who gives it but how well they are taught and motivated to understand the teaching-learning objectives. Masson and Weller (2000) claim that it is, in many cases, in the event that students do not get time for practical skills that they get dissatisfied. Arbaugh (2000) identifies four factors that can influence a student’s learning. He talks of flexibility, perceived usefulness and ease of the course, ease and emphasis on interaction, and experiences with engagement. The quality of instruction provided by Adjunct would also matter to enable a learner understand concepts taught. Puplampu (2004) observes that sometimes there is the tendency of part time instructors trying to keep their students happy in order to keep their jobs. He remarks that this may actually compromise effective teaching of critical thinking aspects of the subject. The purpose of this study therefore is to find out whether there is a correlation between the number of students who graduate from a community college after quality learning and the number of part time instructors in that college in a neo-liberal economy. Methodology The research question and hypothesis were approached by seeking to answer the following questions from previous surveys that addressed issues related to the hypothesis. Community colleges were selected for studies were from regions such as New England/North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Great Lakes/Plains, South Central, and Mountain/ Pacific. Questionnaires were also used to collect data on issues pertaining to the quality, completion, pass rates, and grades. The research questions were: Research Questions I. Have community colleges addressed the issue of quality education? If so, then how? II. How do completion rates in community colleges with adjunct faculties compare with other colleges? III. Is there any major difference between pass rates in community colleges with adjunct faculties and other colleges with full time faculties? IV. How do grades of students in adjunct faculties compare with those of other students in full time faculties in community colleges? V. Have community colleges part time faculties responded to job specialization, or customized training required by some companies today? VI. Do part time community college faculty instructors feel equally satisfied as their counterparts in regular lectures? VII. What aspects of satisfaction do instructors in part time faculties look for? VIII. Do instructors’ job satisfactions in part time faculties contribute to the overall quality of education and learners achievement? IX. Is there statistically difference in quality of instruction delivered by full time and part time adjunct faculty? Significance of Topic Sometimes there are debates on whether there is a significant difference in the quality of education offered in community colleges part time faculties and full time faculties. Other people believe that a dissatisfied worker may not deliver while executing his/her duties. This paper therefore majorly seeks to dispel these misconceptions and assure learners that while dissatisfaction may be a factor that cannot be easily identified unless expressed verbally or through actions, the highest percentage of instructors are very professional. They are guided with professional ethics and therefore carry out their duties professionally. This paper also aims to show that while part time faculty instructors remain professional to their job, it is also the responsibility of the full time faculty instructors to make a friendly environment where everyone feels equal and motivated (Forster, 2000). Amongst many other things, this paper also exemplifies the role of community colleges part time faculties in adapting to the changing trends of time to accommodate education and training to those in jobs and work at the same time (Floria and Brackin, 2006). The bottom line is that community college part time faculties are also guided by the sale education goals, objectives and policy as their counterpart full time faculties. The overall picture is that Literature review In a bid to understand the whether communities have address the issue of quality education or not, completion rates, pass and grades in part time faculties in community colleges, a study of a secondary data was adopted. In this study, the researchers (Gerlaugh, Thompson, Boylan, and Davis, 2007) had set out to study development of education in community colleges. In this study, the researchers found out that most community colleges have been prioritizing open access to higher education to cater for students who may not complete a higher education study program (Cohen & Brawer, 2003; NCES, 2003). National Centre for Education Statistics (NCES) had also found out that even many universities also offer developmental education course (McCabe, 2002). While surveying twenty-nine schools, this research was focused finding the quality of instruction used by instructors. The survey found that instructors in both full time faculties and part time faculties used almost the same instruction methods. They used frequent testing, active learning strategies, laboratory work and individualized instructions. Other methods that they also used were mastery level performance, immediate feedback on test performance, and classroom assessment techniques. An article written purposely to find out how community colleges became much diversified with so many roles also sheds much light on instruction in part time faculty community colleges. It elaborates on how American community colleges responded to changing societal needs. The article demonstrates out that community colleges keep adapting to the economic and social environment (Sommerville, 2005). In his survey of community colleges, it becomes apparent that community colleges play a comprehensive role of being open to train admit any member of the society without any discrimination (American Association of Community Colleges, 2003b), and aims to serve local community. Sommerville’s work also indicates that community colleges are concerned about providing not only education but life skills and other aspects of life (Vaughn, 2000 and Bailey and Morest, 2003). Without attributing to full time or part time faculties, this survey indicates the major objective of community colleges at inception back in the 19th century. It becomes apparent that the major aim then was to meet the needs of the society then, which was composed of traders, farmers, and manufactures unlike today (Herhold, 2000). Sommerville (2005) indicates that the major role of colleges (community colleges inclusive) was to take care for instruction of lower level or collegiate instructions of freshman or sophomore years while the universities concentrated on higher level instruction (Cohen and Brawer, 2003). While this trend was one leading to specialization, the survey does not show whether it can be categorized directly as having responded with instruction methods that respond to today’s job specialization and company customized training targeting specific companies. Nevertheless, Cower and Brawer (2003) note that during the 1980s, community colleges rose by as much as 15% which composed also of an increase in the number of those students attending part time, student combining work and their studies and a general upward trend in females admission. Sommerville summarizes by indicating that community colleges, both full time and part time accomplished their roles as education centers. In another study that set to find whether instructors in part time faculties were satisfied with their job had interesting survey. Researchers surveyed on the relationship between dissatisfied instructors in part time faculty and quality of education given in such community colleges (Leslie and Gappa, 2002; Antony & Valadez, 2002 and Jacoby, 2005). The survey also sought to find out whether overall instructors job satisfaction in part time community colleges has any relationship with students’ achievement at the end of a course. Researchers addressed issues leading to job satisfaction such as decision-making, classroom equipment, salary, workload, healthcare insurance, rewards for exceptional effort, job security and the feeling of appreciation in the relevant part time department. The last literature review was to a survey aimed at finding whether part time faculties were a burden or of benefit. The study surveyed the reasons why part time faculties were on the rise in relation to the cost of managing a full time faculty. The paper assessed the role of finances in community colleges and part time faculties. Data analysis and findings The research on the rates of completion, grades, pass rates, showed that students' grades in reading and writing were stable at 83% throughout the semester in both full time and part time. Math students were at 80%. The students who remained in class during the entire semester, an average of 72% scored at least C and above. Reading students scored the highest rate of 76% while writing students scored 73%. Findings indicate that the grades, and pass rates have to close relationship with full time faculty or part time faculty. Completion rate has some relationship with completion especially that a student in part time classes may take longer to finish than one in full time faculty. This is not attributed to the instructor but to the student who takes advantage of the flexible system in part time faculties. Such a student may call off a semester for as long as it is allowed. Since some students in this category are usually in job already, demands of the job may be prioritized since it is the job that pays for the education in many cases. Student tutoring and advising were also significant used by both full time and part time instructors. A statistical description of how students under a part time and a full time instructors were compared and found to take a trend which many would be surprised to behold. Statistics taken from Kentucky in 2006 form The Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS). While being categorized as outstanding, good, average, poor, and completely inadequate. Part time and full time instructors registered scores as 73.6% to 68.0%, 18.9% to 29.9%, 4.1% to 2.0%, 2.7% to 0% and 7% to 0%. This was after course objectives were clearly communicated to the learners at the start of the semester. The trend depicts that many learners in part time classes score outstandingly more that learners in full time class. Graph of Achievement by Full Time Instructor and Part Time Instructor A: Outstanding B: Good performance C: Average D: Poor performance E: Completely inadequate Source: The Kentucky Community and Technical College System, 2006 In the research in which the survey sought to find out the satisfaction level of instructors on part time and full time, respondents had varied opinions. While many of them were satisfied with their jobs, different people had different dissatisfactions that were either employer oriented or work environment oriented. 53% of part time faculty instructors in Colorado Community College System (CCCS) were in part time teaching as their major employment in the year 2008. 30% had another full time job in addition to the part time job. 49% of part time employees in CCCS would have preferred a full time job in CCCS in 2008. Thirty one percent of those who held jobs were involved in teaching other classes that were non-CCCS. In the same year2008, statistics showed that of those who were in part time faculty, forty-six percent prefer teaching in additional online classes, or to teach online classes. An amazing huge number, 89%, was still willing to take a teaching job again if teaching was amongst options for a change of job from CCCS. Discussion The trend seen in the findings indicate a delicate nature that the conceptions of teaching in a full time or in a part time faculty can be associated with in different systems. All the trends depicted are derived from neo-liberal economies. Trends that characterize community colleges are those that have been shaped over the years with changes and developments that sprung immediately after the Second World War. As Sommerville attempts to elaborate, the developments of community colleges have a long history but most importantly, the fact that they were found to be able to complement the efforts of universities was not a demeaning strategy but a complementary role in the expansion of education. Given that they were community based, charged with aims of developing the concerned communities around them, aspects of flexibility were incorporated that allowed for part time faculties and part time learning. Perhaps this was to make sure that the education process did not interfere with the economy of the community around them but to contribute towards strengthening it. Perhaps that is how technical, customized and specialized started being applied so that the community colleges do not draw people from their jobs but trains them within their jobs. Expansion of academic programs and institutions that concentrated on full time faculties perhaps stirred the debate that probably part time faculties do not do as much as full time faculties. Other misconceptions have been that instructors in part time faculties are very dissatisfied thus do no deliver as much as the fellows in full time faculties. We have found that research findings have been able to demonstrate otherwise. Indeed, there is no indication for factors that may cause dissatisfaction. Most importantly, this research has shown that job dissatisfaction and students achievement do not go hand in hand. The correlation is so negligible that it is almost not there. In fact, we can say that student achievement has no correlation with instructor job dissatisfaction. Research from CCCS has indicated that it is many students who have outstanding performance tend to be those in part time faculties than those in full time faculties. Full time or part time faculties but other factors, which, although this research has not addressed, may be attributed to be under student characteristics, do not determine the issue of quality instruction and grades. Conclusion To conclude, this study has found that since the part time faculties do not affect the performance of students in a community college, the numbers of part time instructors do not affect the number of students graduating from a part time faculty in a community college in any neo liberal economy (Jacoby, 2006). Many community colleges that are not categorized as common remain unfunded. Nevertheless, the quality of their education is not compromised despite the issues to do with finances. We can say that colleges in the United States have remained vibrant and met the criteria required for accreditation. Another thing that should be looked into by various colleges is issues to do with social benefits like healthcare coverage, gender and racial issues. As an institution of higher learning, community colleges should also lead by example and from the front. This can only be manifested straight from their policy frameworks. References American Association of Community Colleges. (2003b). Significant historical events in the development of the public community college. Retrieved December 21.2003, from http://www.acc.nche.edu/Content/NavigationMenu/AboutCommunityColleges/Historica information/SignificantEvents/SignificntEvent Antony, J.R., & Valadez, J.S. (2002). Exploring the satisfaction of part-time college faculty in the United States. The Review of Higher Education, 26(1), 41-56. Arbaugh, J.B., (2000). Virtual classroom characteristics and student satisfaction with internet- based MBA courses. Journal of Management Education, 24 (1), 32-54. Bailey, T. R., & Morest, V. S. (2003). The organizational efficiency of multiple missions for community colleges. New York: Columbia University. Baldwin, R. G., & Chronister, J. L. (2001). Teaching without tenure: Policies and practices for a new era. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press. Cohen, A. M., & Brawer, F. B., (2003). American Community College (4th ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Forster, A. (2000). Learning at a distance. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin- Madison. Gerlaugh, K., Thompson, L., Boylan, H., and Davis, H., (2007) National Study of Developmental Education II: Baseline Data for Community Colleges.(20). 4 2007; Herhold, J. (2000). The primary purpose of education between 1777-1865 and Influential Individuals. Retrieved December 19, 2003, from http://cep.jmu. edu/ahrd67/2000% 20history % 20presentation Jacoby, D. (2005). Part-time community-college faculty and the desire for full-time tenure-track positions: Results of a single institution case study. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 29, 137-152. Jacoby, D. (2006). Effects of part-time faculty employment on community college graduation rates. Journal of Higher Education, 77(6), 1081-1103. Leslie, D.W., & Gappa, J.M. (2002). Part-time faculty: Competent and committed. Ne Directions for Community Colleges, 118, 59-67. Lurie, M. N., (2003). Major problems result from the growing use of part-time and adjunct faculty. Organization of American Historians. Retrieved December 20, 2006, from http://www .oah.org/pubs/nl/2003feb/luri. Mason, R., & Weller, M. (2000). American Journal of Educational Technology. 16(2), 173-200. McCabe, R. (2002). Yes, we can! Washington, DC: Community College Press. National Center for Education Statistics. (2003). Remedial education at degree granting postsecondary institutions. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement Puplampu, K. P., (2004). The Restructuring of Higher Education and Part-time instructors: a Theoretical and Political Analysis of Undergraduate Teaching in Canada. Teaching in Higher Education, 9(2), 171-182. Schepers, E., (2001). Road scholars part-time faculty have no choice but to unionize. People’s Weekly World, Chicago. Somerville, J. A. (2005). The shaping of the American community college mission. Community College Moment, spring 2005, 7-13. Vaughan, G. B. (2000). The community college story. Washington, DC: American Association of Community Colleges. Read More