STUDENT EVALUATION OF INSTRUCTION: PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS,FACULTY, AND ADMINISTRATORS

The purpose of this study was to compare the opinions of students, teachers, and administrators relative to student evaluation of instruction in selected community colleges. While important educational decisions in community colleges are made on the basis of students’ evaluations (as in retention, promotion, tenure, and pay), little has been accomplished in testing the assumptions behind student evaluation of instruction. The student evaluation process assumes that students are honest, serious, and evaluate instruction, not some incidental activity.

A 25‐item Student Evaluation Process Scale was completed by 607 students, 130 faculty, and 45 administrators in five Illinois community colleges. Findings revealed little significant differences in the opinions of students regarding evaluation of instruction based on variables of sex, age, school location, student type (transfer or occupational), and class standing. There were little significant differences in faculty opinion and within the administrative groups based on selected variables. There were significant differences when the opinions of students, faculty, and administrators were compared. Students and faculty tended to agree with those items that questioned the objectivity of student evaluation of instruction. Administrators and students tended to agree with items reflecting the seriousness with which students evaluate instruction. Faculty and administrators indicated that student evaluation of instruction impacted faculty members’ instructional performances. Neither students, faculty, nor administrators supported the concept of merit pay tied to student evaluation of instruction.

The role of student evaluation of instruction in a faculty evaluation system must be investigated. A variety of groups should participate in this investigation.     

JOB SATISFACTION OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY

Community college faculty (_n = 390) completed the Job Satisfaction Inventory. Areas of greatest satisfaction included relationships with supervisors and colleagues as well as satisfaction with the actual task of teaching. Faculty were least satisfied with opportunities for professional development, time allocation, and somewhat less satisfied with the preparation and motivation of their students. Differences between men and women faculty are noted.     

COMMUNITY SERVICES: COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY PERCEPTIONS AND PARTICIPATION

This study determined full‐time faculty members’ perceptions of and involvement in community services at community colleges in Ohio. A total of 249 full‐time faculty responded to the survey instrument representing 83.0% of the total sample. Data were analyzed by either the t test or the one‐way analysis of variance and Scheffe's post hoc analysis.

Results showed that involvement in planning and teaching within community services seem to be a key factor relative to how full‐time faculty perceive community services activities. Moreover, certain personal and professional characteristics of full‐time faculty members seem to influence their attitudes toward and their involvement in community services.     

DEMOGRAPHIC AND JOB SATISFACTION CHARACTERISTICS OF FLORIDA COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY

The demographic and job satisfaction characteristics of Florida community college faculty were studied in Florida's 28 community colleges. A total of 1,116 faculty responded in the fall of 1977 to an instrument developed to measure faculty characteristics and attitudes.

The results showed that the Florida faculty is a satisfied faculty with over 95% reporting that they were satisfied with community college work as a career and with 72% stating that they plan to stay in the community college field until they retire. Second, it was found that faculty participation in in‐service training programs had increased significantly since 1968. In 1977‐1978, 69% of the faculty reported participation in one or more in‐service programs while the 1968 percentage was 37%.

It is concluded that periodic surveys in other community colleges and states similar to this one should provide useful information for the further development and improvement of community colleges.     

TEXAS TECH PREP ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN OF PARTNER OPINIONS: AN ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTIVENESS

Tech Prep is a federal education initiative funded by the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act initially authorized in 1990 then reauthorized in 1998. Texas HB 2401 subsequently established the parameters for the operation of Tech Prep in Texas. Texas has 26 regional consortia that coordinate the delivery of services between secondary school districts and two-year colleges under the leadership of consortium directors. The research reported in this paper examined the effectiveness of these consortia based upon an opinion survey administered to Texas Tech Prep consortia directors, community college technical administrators, and secondary technical program directors.     

THE TEACHING THEORIES OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY

The objectives of this study were to determine the percentage of students who felt they were weak in an academic skill and who took a college assistance program designed to correct that deficiency and to identify the reasons given by students weak in an academic skill for not using a college support service from which they could benefit. Analyses of survey data obtained from 268 instructors and 6,428 of their students enrolled in a cross section of courses in a large multicampus urban community college district showed the following: (1) of those students who did not feel confident in a skill, less than 30% took advantage of a support program designed to assist them in that skill; (2) more than 40% of the faculty felt that the primary reason students did not take advantage of a needed support service was that they were not willing to devote the extra time or effort required to avail themselves of the service; and (3) the main reasons most academically underprepared students gave for not using a support service were that they did not feel a need for the service or had no time for the service. Implications of these findings for educational policy are discussed.     

COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY JOB SATISFACTION

This paper presents the findings of a 1983 survey of 131 faculty in four postsecondary institutions in a state in the southeastern U.S.A. The purpose of the study was to elicit faculty judgments about their self‐concepts and commitment, stresses, and satisfactions in work and family life. This report presents data only about the respondents and their work: their job and its stressors and job satisfactions and dissatisfaction.

The study revealed that faculty derive high satisfaction from student achievement, their own intellectual growth in a discipline and the world of ideas, working under flexible and relatively autonomous conditions, and association with stimulating peers. Their chief dissatisfactions dealt with job conditions (equipment and facilities, inflexible teaching schedules), personal conditions (lack of recognition, heavy teaching load), salary, red tape, and student and colleague apathy.

A secondary purpose of the study was to test Herzberg's two‐factor theory of job satisfaction. These respondents did verify Herzberg's thesis: generally workers derive satisfaction from the work itself; they are dissatisfied by factors external to their work.     

BURNOUT AND HUMOR USAGE AMONG COMMUNITY COLLEGE NURSING FACULTY MEMBERS

This study assessed the correlation of burnout among community college nursing faculty members and their use of humor to mediate academic stress related to burnout. Sixty-three community college nursing faculty members were studied using an academic profile survey, the Coping Humor Scale, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Forty percent of community college nursing faculty members surveyed reported high to moderate levels of emotional exhaustion, with 73 % experiencing low feelings of personal accomplishment. Differences in burnout between high versus low humor usage respondents showed a higher sense of personal accomplishment with high humor usage. Of those with low humor usage, workload was related to emotional exhaustion and depersonalization.     

COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY INVOLVEMENT IN INSTITUTIONAL GOVERNANCE

The current study provided an investigation of 110 faculty who were very involved, moderately involved, and not involved in governance activities in community colleges. No differences were found between the three groups on characteristics of an ideal governance process or the roles faculty have in shared governance. Differences were found in responses to general perceptions toward faculty involvement in governance.     

OPINIONS OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE DEANS REGARDING PRINCIPLES OF CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

The ways in which the Education Pilot Criteria for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award were adapted for use in institutional self-assessment are summarized. Research results are based on self-reported perceptions of academic deans in the North Carolina Community College System regarding current and future applications of continuous quality improvement principles in the academic setting.     

FACTORS AFFECTING THE ATTITUDES OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE ADMINISTRATORS TOWARD MANAGEMENT BY OBJECTIVES

This study was designed to assess and determine how operation under a management by objectives system (MBO) has affected administrative units and individual administrators in public two‐year community colleges. Results from the study showed that respondent attitudes toward the management by objectives system were favorable. The variables identified which serve as significant predictors of administrator attitudes toward the MBO program were: (a) effective as a means for planning and organizing work for which an administrator is accountable, (b) effective as a means for evaluating work performance, (c) effective in improving satisfaction with being more a part of decisions, (d) effective in improving the attitudes of the superior toward the MBO program as perceived by subordinates. Negative reactions toward the MBO system were perceived to be generated by increased paperwork and difficulty in setting educational objectives.     

PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY ABOUT THE NEED FOR GERONTOLOGY TRAINING

America is aging, and quickly. Among the educational institutions that could address this critical issue, none are better suited than community colleges. Community colleges not only educate students but also respond to the emerging needs of the communities they serve. Previous studies have shown that few community colleges have developed an agenda for addressing the impact of aging on our society and that faculty and administrators may not be aware of the potential for expanding aging‐related programs. This study reports the responses of 703 community college faculty representing a broad variety of disciplines and educational backgrounds. As expected, the majority of faculty had little previous training in aging, included no aging content in existing courses, and were uncertain as to whether to include aging content in other courses that they taught. This uncertainty, however, must be tempered by the fact that 61% of the responding faculty were interested in attending a basic training program in aging. Such community college faculty interest and participation could enhance the introduction of aging materials into existing curricula and expand their other educational activities that would ultimately benefit older persons in the community.     

COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY: MAKING THE PARADIGM SHIFT

The author looks at contemporary research and surveys on community college faculty, administration, and students and diagnoses problems and obstacles for the shift from a goal of expanded access in the 1960s and 1970s to the 1990's goal of the community college: teaching and learning excellence. First the current state of teaching and teachers in the community college is examined. Problems are illustrated such as lack of support for new teachers in their vital first years and the many and growing responsibilities of faculty that take away from teaching. The article then identifies and defines three major challenges for the next decade: (1) facilitating and addressing the needs of a wider range of student ability and mastery; (2) conquering the high and accepted attrition rate; and (3) dealing with the differing and often contradicting perceptions of students, faculty, and administration. This particular disparity, or this "gap," among student, teacher, and administrator is discussed in detail. Aside from these three important challenges, however, the greatest challenge for community college faculty in the 1990s is stated as the diversity of student academic credentials and maturity. Several conditions are also cited, which seem to put two-year college faculty at risk. Factors such as increased enrollment, lack of funding, limited facilities and equipment, and lack of faculty involvement in change efforts. Finally, the author looks to research by Honeycutt in a search for solutions to the above challenges. Honeycutt suggests several guidelines that might help to minimize teachers at risk and maximize faculty motivation. If the shift is to be made successfully, suggests the author, then faculty, the administrator, and the student will have to collaboratively explore and adapt suggestions such as those by Honeycutt and pay close attention to, and try to eliminate, the gap that divides them.     

COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY GOVERNANCE LEADERS: RESULTS OF A NATIONAL SURVEY

Faculty governance units are widely used in community colleges to provide a sounding board for policy formation and decision making. Typically based on a representative democracy, these units must be both responsive to peer faculty members as well as the college's central administration. As a result of being structurally in the middle of the decision-making process, effective communication is paramount to faculty governance unit leader success. This study profiles individuals in the faculty governance leadership position, including their written and oral communication apprehension levels, and the relationship of this apprehension to job-related stressors.     

TEACHING COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY MEMBERS ON THE INTERNET

This article details the experiences of a university professor and former community college president in teaching World Wide Web based graduate courses to faculty members from Florida's community colleges. These courses have provided faculty members from various parts of the state access to advanced educational opportunities. Courses have been particularly relevant to the day-to-day activities of full-time and adjunct teaching faculty members. For those who might be interested in converting traditional courses for Web-based delivery, tips are included on designing course materials and using technical experts. Emphasis is placed on the needs of the learner to maximize the benefits of this type of distance education. The 12 canons for distance learners, which served as guideposts, as community college faculty member-students progressed through the courses are included. Discussion of various course material components provides insight into the need for thoroughness in overall course design. Course evaluation results, which highlight the appreciation of community college faculty member-students for the way in which the courses were conducted, are included. For example, convenience and exibility were ranked highly as positive reasons for taking Web-based courses. Problem areas are also identified. Teaching graduate courses on the Internet to community college personnel has become an important endeavor in Florida. The University of Central Florida has made a commitment to expand the number and types of courses offered in this manner to address the needs of all students. These courses are particularly important to community college faculty members and administrators who may be precluded from taking relevant graduate courses because of geographical or time limitations. Hence, through the magic of the Internet, courses are available at their fingertips.     

ORIENTATION PROGRAM CONSIDERATIONS FOR NEW COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY

The roles and expectations of community college faculty members have grown more complex as their institutions change to meet the needs of their respective communities. Whereas faculty development programs have assisted in the creation of programs and strategies to help faculty cope with change, the initial orientation of faculty to their college proves to be vital to their performance, success, and length of tenure. This study was designed to supply an understanding of community college faculty perceptions of the objectives for faculty orientation programs, using a revision of the Council for the Advancement of Standards student orientation program objectives. The primary rationale for faculty orientation was found to be the assistance of new faculty in understanding the mission of their specific institution. General responses indicated high expectations for faculty orientation programs, and responses also indicated that programs were not intended to serve as retention activities.     

LEADERSHIP STRATEGIES FOR PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING TECH PREP

The fundamental purpose of the Tech Prep Education Act is to prepare students for rapid technological advances and the America's participation in a global economy. Technical preparation (Tech Prep) addresses this goal through a curriculum comprising mathematics, science, communications, and various related occupational cluster areas to bridge secondary with postsecondary education. Across the nation, approximately 800 local consortia formed during the 1992 fiscal year to receive federal funding to plan and implement these new educational programs. The present study was conducted to document the planning and implementation processes used in 17 Tech Prep consortia in a Midwest state. The three research objectives were to document (a) how planning and implementation processes occurred, (b) the roles of local Tech Prep project leaders who assumed responsibility for guiding these processes, and (c) the leaders’ perceptions of how various planning and implementation processes contributed to the development of effective Tech Prep programs. The findings from this research can assist local consortia in conducting planning and implementation processes for new Tech Prep programs.     

COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS' OPINIONS REGARDING THE VALUE OF THEIR FRESHMAN SEMINAR EXPERIENCE

Students enrolled in a community college freshman seminar course were interviewed to gather qualitative data on their opinions regarding the value of the course. Existing dissatisfaction among students, faculty, and administrators initiated this study . Data analysis revealed that randomly grouping students with wide - ranging levels of academic abilities and life experiences in a freshman seminar class had a number of drawbacks, as older adult learners differ greatly from younger student learners in aptitude, ability levels, maturity, and academic needs. The findings suggest that older adults need a different kind of freshman seminar course than the traditional first - year student, and that "gifted" older students might be used to provide "on - campus apprenticeships" for other first - year students.     

COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY RECRUITMENT: EFFECTS OF JOB MOBILITY,RECRUITER SIMILARITY-DISSIMILARITY,AND APPLICANT GENDER

The study reported in this article was a factorial experiment that addressed the usefulness of the Rynes and Barber (1990) applicant attraction model and the Byrne (1971) similarity-attraction hypothesis as theoretical frameworks for conducting empirical research about community college faculty recruitment. Study participants (N = 136) were business professionals completing the masters of business administration degree who position announcements of community college business faculty vacancies. The independent variables were job mobility (relocation required vs. relocation not required), recruiter background (business vs. education), and applicant gender. The dependent variable was a composite rating for applicant reaction to a job described in a faculty position announcement. Both male and female applicants rated jobs most favorably when the job did not require relocation F(1,128) = 5.16, p.05 and the recruiter conveying the job message had a professional background similar to that of the applicant F(1,128) = 11.97, p.001. These findings have implications for theory, educational recruitment practice, and future research.