Considering practitioner influence on student success: exploring community college faculty funds of knowledge

In the context of persistently low retention rates for underrepresented students of higher education, the role of the practitioner in the academic success scholarship is largely understudied. There is comparatively little scholarship on the ways in which the practitioner influences the student’s experiences in college. This study addresses this knowledge gap by conducting research at the community college, often the institution of choice for underrepresented students, which explores faculty (the practitioner who most often engages with the student in the academic setting) perceptions and ideas of the essential knowledge needed to be a community college instructor. The research design is qualitative multiple case study using cross-case data analysis. The study was conducted at a Midwestern community college and through purposeful criterion and snow-ball sampling, nine full-time faculty participants were identified and successfully recruited to participate. The study used funds of knowledge, a framework located in the sociocultural scholarship of teaching and learning, which provides for the social construction of knowledge in the educational environment. Data collection methods included face-to-face, semi-structured interviews, observation of the classroom setting, and review of syllabi. Two findings emerged out of the analysis of data and themes that reveal perceptions of essential knowledge of community college faculty. The first finding reveals, paradoxically, that while faculty perception of essential knowledge includes ability to meaningfully engage students, there is often an inability to do so. The second finding reveals that faculty perception of essential knowledge includes predispositions about students that seem to formulate out of the local context. The third finding goes to the ways in which faculty knowledge is formed. This finding reveals the local context of faculty exerts a significant influence on the development of their funds of knowledge.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ed.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Ed Organization and Leadership

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Babb, Michael

Contributors dc:contributor

• Baber, Lorenzo D.
• Bragg, Debra D.
• Bresler, Liora
• Hood, Denice W.

• Underrepresented student success
• funds of knowledge
• community college practitioner influence on student success
• faculty funds of knowledge

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2012 Michael Babb

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/42355

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/42355