Including the Majority: Academic and Social inclusion of Adjunct Faculty At Selected Texas Public Community Colleges

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Department

Higher Edu and Learning Technology

Date of Award

Fall 2012

Abstract

As the majority of teaching faculty on many community college campuses, adjuncts are accountable for the higher education of an increasing number of college-going students. However, adjunct faculty often are disconnected from the community colleges that depend upon them. The purpose of this nonexperimental quantitative study was to investigate the academic and social inclusion of Texas public community college adjunct faculty. This assessment was accomplished by determining whether there were any significant differences in the inclusion of adjunct faculty by their reasons for teaching part time according to Bogert's (2004) job taxonomy, any significant differences in the inclusion of adjunct faculty by their years of service, and any differences between adjuncts' and administrators' perceptions of adjunct faculty inclusion. The primary population of this study was community college adjunct faculty. The secondary population of this study was community college administrators in charge of academics and instruction. Participation in the study was voluntary; therefore, the method of sampling was participant self-selection. The online survey instrument that was used to gather data from participating adjuncts was created from a synthesis of the literature. To establish survey validity and reliability, a pilot test was conducted, and preliminary statistical analyses of constructs were performed. A modified version of the survey was created to assess adjunct faculty inclusion from the perceptions of instructional and academic leaders. Both descriptive and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) research methods were utilized to investigate adjunct faculty inclusion. Findings emphasized the bleak degree of adjunct faculty inclusion. No statistically significant differences in adjunct faculty inclusion were found by their reasons for teaching part time or by their years of service. However, data analyses revealed a significant difference in adjunct faculty inclusion by institution type according to Carnegie Classification. The greatest difference in adjuncts' and administrators' perceptions of adjunct faculty inclusion was the construct interaction with students. Based on the findings and conclusions of this study, several practices for the improvement of adjunct faculty inclusion are suggested. Studies that merit further inquiry of adjunct faculty inclusion also are offered.

Advisor

Joyce Scott

Subject Categories

Education | Educational Technology

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