Content Validation of the Community College Student Success Program Inventory

This study reports on the content validation of the Community College Student Success Program Inventory (CCSSPI), a structured interview protocol for program personnel, designed to serve as a tool for researchers and practitioners alike to account for critical features of various types of student success programs in detailed and comparable ways across multiple sites. In all, 20 subject matter experts (SMEs) rated the relevancy and clarity of each item to ascertain essential program features. Content validity index (CVI) and scale-level index scores (S-CVI) were calculated. Results showed high to moderately high validity for items related to course goals, logistics, skills-focused curricular items, and academic and student services. Other contingent facets—collaborative and contextualized learning, co-curricular and community activities, ancillary instruction, and instructor role—were rated as less valid, depending on program goals. The instrument is recommended for use in multisite qualitative or mixed-methods research and institutional improvement.     

How Community Colleges in Texas Prioritize Resources for Latino Men

This study explored how administrators at community colleges conceptualized change related to resource allocation and managing competing priorities to support targeted programming for Latino men. The study included the perspectives of 39 administrators from seven community colleges across Texas using concepts associated with institutional change to ground our analysis. Findings revealed that state and national initiatives, particularly those concerned with enhancing success for students of color, influenced how community college administrators approached change on their campuses. In addition, community college institutional mission, leadership, and a desire for data-informed resource management influenced the approach to resource allocation for Latino men.     

Male Program Assessment for College Excellence (M-PACE): Content Validation Summary

This article describes the development and content validation of the Male Program Assessment for College Excellence (M-PACE). The M-PACE is an outcomes based assessment tool designed to assess and improve the effectiveness of programs and initiatives serving men of color in the community college. The instrument was developed to serve as a standardized outcomes assessment tool to determine the efficacy of minority male initiative (MMI) interventions and enhance program models.     

Anatomy of a Community College Faculty Diversity Program

Diversifying the faculty in community colleges, especially with faculty of color, continues to be problematic as we move through the first decade of the 21st Century. National statistics show that overwhelmingly the faculty continues to be Caucasian, even at a time when more and more students are coming from diverse ethnic backgrounds. This seemingly intractable problem is particularly acute in California, where the majority of community college students are students of color, but not the faculty. A faculty diversity program that has been in existence for 17 years has made important progress in changing the situation in southern California. This comprehensive program recruits, trains, and places interns in 10 community colleges in cooperation with a regional university. The results of the program demonstrate that substantial numbers of faculty of color are being prepared by the program and that they are getting hired in community colleges as adjunct and full-time faculty. Community colleges can be and should be proactive in identifying, developing, and hiring faculty of color. They shouldn't wait for other societal institutions to do the job for them. By working cooperatively with other local colleges, community based organizations that involve communities of color, and nearby universities, they have the opportunity to make significant inroads into diversifying their faculty. This program can and should be replicated in other parts of the country as a way to nurture the next generation of community college faculty leaders.     

The role of community college counselors as validating agents on men of color student success

The purpose of this study was to explore the role of counselors in providing validation for men of color in community colleges. Through protocol writing, 13 counselors from seven community colleges responded to open-ended questions asking them to reflect and describe strategies they employed when advising and counseling men of color. Thematic analysis using a combination of detailed, selective, and wholistic reading approaches, as described by van Manen (1990), was employed to identify themes reflecting different forms of validation. Findings from this study demonstrate the critical role of community college counselors as validating agents in affirming men of color as being capable of college success, helping them build confidence, affirming them as individuals, and providing opportunities for academic and personal development. Implications for practice are discussed.     

美国社区学院“责任自愿评估框架”:指导原则、指标、意义与挑战

"责任自愿评估框架"(VFA)是美国第一个服务于社区学院,并由社区学院自愿实施的全国性责任评估计划,其指导原则是:信息必须有价值,容易收集和共享,有利于促进社区学院实现自己的大学使命。VFA指标体系内容包含学生进步及效果指标,劳动力、经济与社区发展指标和学生学习效果指标。对社区学院来说,VFA的使用既带来一定的机遇,也面临一些挑战。     

Autobiographical Counternarratives from the Community College to the PhD

ABSTRACT

Historically, community colleges and those they serve have been relegated to the margins of academe. Community colleges’ critics argue that students starting at two-year institutions are less likely to earn bachelor’s degrees and have lower student outcomes. This CCJRP Exchange Article draws upon counternarratives in highlighting multiple truths of the community experience through use of scholarly personal narratives (SPN) of those that moved in, through and out the community college to the PhD. The faculty member and doctoral students reflect on how their community college experiences influenced their career trajectories. Further, implications for community college practice, policy, and research are shared as the authors make a case for applying SPN in an effort to see community colleges as sites of deep growth that have lasting effects on the personal and professional lives of their students.     

Reflections From One Community College Leader

Research on gender provides a framework for understanding what it means to be a woman working within the community college; however, the voice of experience helps to add meaning to what it means to live as a woman leader of color within these institutions. Dr. Green provides a reflection on her career leading up to her presidency, and she outlines key areas of consideration to support women's advancement within the college system.     

Teaching Styles of Community College Instructors

This study examined the teaching styles of online instructors at Florida's 28 community colleges in an effort to determine if the instructors had adopted the learner–centered model touted in the literature. The Principles of Adult Learning Scale was the primary instrument used to collect data from 292 online instructors. The study revealed that nearly half of the participants (n?=?135) scored in the middle range, with 84% (n?=?244) of the participants’ scores falling into the teacher-centered range. Although online distance education does have the potential to transition education from a teacher-centered orientation to a more student-centered orientation, continued efforts are needed to accomplish this shift.     

Defending the Community College Equity Agenda By Thomas Bailey and Vanessa Smith Morest

The current rhetoric around using data to improve community college student outcomes with only limited research on data-driven decision-making (DDDM) within postsecondary education compels a more comprehensive understanding of colleges’ capacity for using data to inform decisions. Based on an analysis of faculty and administrators’ perceptions and behaviors at 41 community colleges that participated in an initiative to improve student success, an argument is presented to include social capital as an explicit component of the capacity of community colleges for using data on student outcomes to increase student success. Building on Newmann, King, and Rigdon’s (1997) conceptualization of schools’ organizational capacity to meet accountability expectations and Smylie and Evans’ (2006) exploration of the role of Coleman’s (1988) social capital in policy implementation, this study found a relationship between the presence of forms of social capital as part of the organizational capacity for DDDM and the frequency and extent of data use among faculty and administrators. In light of research on organizational learning that suggests that social capital creates opportunities for the creation of new knowledge—such as possible solutions for persistent problems of student success—and research on organizational routines as mechanisms for change and preservation in organizations, this article concludes with recommendations for community colleges undertaking data-driven educational reform.     

Is Online Learning the Silver Bullet for Men of Color? An Institutional-Level Analysis of the California Community College System

The spread of online courses and programs in community colleges across the nation has contributed to a redefinition of open-access education. Accordingly, the growth in online courses has drawn attention to the value of different instructional modalities, particularly with regard to their effectiveness in learning, retention, and success. As a result, this study sought to determine whether or not there were differences in students’ academic success and course retention for community college men by racial/ethnic affiliation. This study used institutional data on men enrolled in California’s community college system to provide greater insight into the effect of online learning on student success. Findings illustrated that Asian, Black, Latino, and White men were more likely to have higher success outcomes when engaged in face-to-face modalities. There were no clear patterns in which online modality was better than others with regards to success, except for Black men. For these men, asynchronous with multimedia was identified as the second most effective online modality pertaining to success. This research has demonstrated the manifold benefits of face-to-face instruction. As such, face-to-face courses seemed to be the best type of modality for community college men. For that reason, careful consideration must be taken when promoting online learning to Asian, Black, Latino, and White men in community colleges. Though, further research is needed to better understand variation in the presentation of online learning materials and the structure of interactions within online classrooms.     

Complementarity Between the Transfer Goals of Community Colleges and Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Learning from History

Community colleges and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) often serve the same populations; however, the historical purposes, policies, and practices of HBCUs often better prepare them to serve first-generation students. Although both HBCUs and community colleges have their origins within the same historical period, the forces that created each of these branches of higher education also created a divergence in how they operate. This article looks at the most critical of those shaping forces to identify why HBCUs and community colleges often view their mission and their students differently and, thus, perform their work differently. The increased diversity of students whom community colleges are serving provides an opportunity for community colleges to look at HBCUs' successes and determine how community colleges can learn from and adapt those successes with students of color especially. The article suggests that in their mission to serve transfer students, community colleges can learn much from HBCUs' successes with underprepared students.     

Community College Attendance and Socioeconomic Plans

Using data from the National Education Longitudinal Study, 1988 (NELS: 88), this paper documents differences in the socioeconomic plans of students in two-year and four-year colleges. We found attendance at a two-year college led to a modest but statistically significant disadvantage in socioeconomic plans. However, the impact of attending a community college on educational and occupational goals are conditional rather than general. That is, the negative impact on socioeconomic plans of attending a two-year college held for women but not men. Finally, according to our research, the negative effect of attending a two-year college differed in magnitude by an individual's tested cognitive preparation. In particular, attending a two-year college significantly reduced subsequent socioeconomic plans only for students with relatively high precollege test scores.     

Recently Completed Dissertations on Community and Junior Colleges

Latinos are being educated in American colleges and universities in greater numbers than ever before. Yet, despite the increases in population growth, Latinos are still falling behind. Little attention has been given to the experiences of Latino males enrolled at the community college. However, research shows that it is the community colleges in which a large portion of the college-going Latino population is enrolled. The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine how community colleges can increase Latino male engagement in the quest to promote their academic persistence. Findings suggest these 12 Latino men are faced with unique circumstances (familial commitment, employment, peers) both on and off campus that impedes their involvement. Institutions of higher education are encouraged to be more supportive by offering opportunities for engagement that are sensitive to lifestyle of these participants in order to maintain their enrollment.     

Creating a New University-Based Community College Leadership Program

The author describes the process for developing a new Community College Leadership (CCL) curriculum for a certificate, master's, and doctoral degree in adult and higher education. The article details the research strategy in learning about Oklahoma's community colleges, existing national community college leadership programs, relevant courses needed for a leadership emphasis, and the desired methods to deliver such courses. The author describes the additional steps undertaken to create a relationship with Oklahoma's community colleges and their leaders. A qualitative study was conducted to learn from the community college presidents what challenges, knowledge, and skills future leaders needed to possess. The overarching theme that emerged from the study was the political nature of community colleges and leadership. This political theme placed all other themes secondary to the necessity of leaders being cognizant and skilled at being political beings. Even the theme of inadequate funding was linked to politics. The article concludes with detailed information on the new curriculum and future research and practical application.     

Reading Across the Curriculum at an Urban Community College: Student and Faculty Perspectives on Reading

Research indicates that there has been a decline in college reading over the past decades, yet few studies have been conducted at community colleges. The aim of this exploratory study was to gain a broad view of what reading across the curriculum looks like at one urban community college from the perspectives of students and faculty. A survey was administered to students to gather information on their reading practices, beliefs, and attitudes. A second survey was distributed to full-time faculty to gather information on assignments, practices, and beliefs regarding reading. Findings indicate that many students do not complete assigned readings. Further, women students spend more time on reading and attend class more often having completed assigned reading than men. There are discrepancies between students’ and faculty’s assessments of students’ reading abilities, whether reading is essential to course success and between the kinds of readings commonly assigned and those students enjoy reading. The study identified areas for further research on reading in community college including the relationship between gender, reading compliance, and community college outcomes; the effectiveness of reading compliance strategies; the relationship between PowerPoint use and student reading; and students’ use of active reading strategies. The findings also point out the need for pedagogical innovation in the teaching of reading in community college, namely through the implementation of reading across the curriculum programs.     

美国社区学院的发展对我国高等教育改革的启示

美国社区学院,以灵活多样的办学形式和以职业教育为主、兼顾成人教育和普通教育的多类教育受到人们的重视。社区学院这种典型的美国式二年制大学对美国经济发展和社会进步发挥了重要作用。借鉴美国社区学院灵活的办学机制,改革我国高等教育,这将为我国高等教育的发展注入新的活力。     

Examining the value of mentoring and men of color staff members of a community college

As higher education continues to experience a shift in demographics commiserate with the United States population, colleges and universities are making more concerted efforts to recruit men of color as staff, administrators, and faculty to reflect their diversified student bodies. One way to retain men of color staff members is to provide mentoring programs. While there are authors who are examining the benefits of mentoring, there has been little research into how men of color staff members of community college experience mentoring as a mentee and as a mentor. In this study we sought to understand how do men of color experience mentoring, both as mentor to undergraduate men of color and as staff mentees at a community college. The findings of our study include three common themes: investments made by mentors, investing in mentees, and support from administration.