Education Commons^™

How Orientation Programs At West Virginia Community Colleges Affect Mid-Level Administrators' Perceptions Of Adjunct Faculty Quality, Gina M. Taylor

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this descriptive study was to explore the relationship between the presence of orientation programs for adjunct faculty at West Virginia community and technical colleges and mid-level administrators’ perceptions of adjunct faculty quality. Using data obtained through an Internet-based questionnaire administered to 91 mid-level administrators at West Virginia community and technical colleges, the study resulted in several notable findings, many of which reinforced similar findings uncovered in the review of the literature. Most researchers agree that the results of high-quality orientation programs can be a tremendous asset to adjunct faculty, leading to an adjunct group that knows what …

Treated Like A Professional: A Case Study In Adjunct Faculty Socialization, Elizabeth C. Hobson

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This study explored the experiences of part-time adjunct faculty members in a community college setting. It specifically looked at how adjuncts described: (1) their career journey to being adult educators, (2) their socialization experience, and (3) how teaching adult education influenced their perspective on teaching. All participants were experienced adjunct instructors in an adult basic and secondary education department (ABE/ASE) at a suburban community college. By looking at experienced adjunct instructors, the study informs practices to support both experienced and new part-time college faculty members.

A qualitative case study approach was used to explore the participants’ experiences. Ten adjunct faculty …

The Attraction Of Adjunct Faculty To Rural Community Colleges, Hara Dracon Charlier

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

As rural community colleges face mounting fiscal pressure, the ability to attract adjunct faculty members to support the institutional mission becomes increasingly important. Although the professional literature documents differences between rural, suburban, and urban community colleges, the effect of this institutional diversity on the role and attraction of adjunct faculty has not been explored. The purpose of this cross-sectional, national study of chief academic officers (CAOs) was to examine the impact of institutional type on the reliance on and demand for adjunct faculty across teaching disciplines and explore the applicability of the applicant attraction model (Rynes & Barber, 1990) to …