Robin James

Publication Date

2016

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Flynn, Joseph E., Jr.

Degree Name

Ed.D. (Doctor of Education)

Legacy Department

Department of Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations

LCSH

Community college teachers--Attitudes; Community colleges--Faculty; Higher education; Curriculum planning

Abstract

This dissertation examines the pedagogical beliefs and instructional practices of community college faculty members. The dissertation uses a qualitative interpretive inquiry approach to explore the contextual understanding of pedagogy and teaching of community college. Drawing from the theoretical framework of pedagogy, teaching and beliefs, this study examines the interrelation of each construct in relation to prior experiences and classroom instructional behaviors. Utilizing Stark, Lowther, Sossen and Shaw's (1991) Contextual Filters Model (CFM) this study explores the cognitive and contextual factors that are intertwined with planning and instructional delivery. Further, this research study is founded on the premise that community college faculty espouse individual teacher's (faculty) beliefs are strong indicators of his/her classroom practices. The findings of the study illuminate the divergent understanding of pedagogy among community college faculty, affirming pedagogy, as an operational term of education theory, is plagued with ambiguity and misconceptions. Despite the uncertainties of pedagogy, it is essential that all educators have a holistic understanding of pedagogy which embraces and informs educational theory, individual instructional practices, assessment, and student relationship inside and outside the classroom (Waring & Evans, 2015). Additional findings of the study provide evidentiary support that faculty beliefs and prior experiences have a direct influence on instructional practices and behaviors. This body of research further advocates for a need for additional research on the impact of faculty beliefs, ideologies, and lived experiences as significant factors that influence the daily interactions of teaching and learning, specifically in the context of community colleges.

Comments

Advisors: Joseph E. Flynn.||Committee members: Kerry T. Burch; William A. Pitney; Patrick Roberts.||Includes bibliographical references.||Includes illustrations.

Extent

x, 229 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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