Understanding the Socialization Experiences of New Technical Faculty: A Transition from Industry to the Technical College

This phenomenological qualitative research study sought to gain insight into the socialization experiences of new vocational technical faculty. Ten Louisiana vocational technical faculty members were interviewed face-to-face. The interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed to discover how these new vocational technical faculty members transitioned from industry to academe. Data analysis revealed that participants in the study experienced a similar transitional process into the technical college as twoyear and four-year faculty into community colleges and universities. Like their two-year and four-year counterparts, the participants experienced similar challenges related to their new teaching positions, such as balancing heavy workloads, maintaining industry contacts, and interacting with administration, faculty and students. Similarly, they tended to value teaching, collegial relationships with other faculty and their interactions with students. However, some of the challenges were unique to their new positions as Louisiana vocational technical instructors. These faculty members experienced an anticipatory phase that prepared them for the workplace rather than academe. Many of the participants experienced notable levels of stress as they transitioned from industry to the technical college. The stress seemed to be related to their lack of pedagogical knowledge of teaching and the issues of forging a new academic persona. This research found that new vocational technical faculty members enjoyed formal professional development activities that were discipline specific and advanced their knowledge of their craft. The study also explored the use of Menges' (1999) Model of Faculty Academic Life as it related to the new vocational technical instructor experiences, role conceptualization, and resources that would help the faculty grow and develop as instructors. Through their shared experiences and stories the researcher identified the needs of this subpopulation and made recommendations for future studies.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Educational Leadership, Counseling, and Foundations

Year

2010

Author dc:creator

• Thornton, Annette Bordelon

Contributors dc:contributor

• Del Favero, Marietta
• Perry, Andre
• Cropley, Lorelei

• Faculty socialization
• vocation technical faculty
• two-year faculty

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/1152

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarworks.uno.edu:td-2135