Understanding and Engaging in Equity Work: A Phenomenological Action Research Study of Community College ESOL Instructors

<p>Community colleges (CCs) are regarded as accessible and affordable pathways to higher education and financial mobility, offering significant potential to promote educational equity (Fink et al., 2023). These institutions enroll the largest number of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students in adult education; however, CC ESOL students face lower rates of degree completion and transfer compared to their non-ESOL peers (David & Kanno, 2021; Fink et al., 2023; Raufman et al., 2019). While research has examined factors contributing to low CC ESOL student persistence and interventions to improve overall CC student outcomes, research on specific efforts to support ESOL student persistence and success is limited (Kanno, 2021; Lewis & Brown, 2021; Park, 2019; Sacklin & Daniels, 2022). This study addresses this gap by exploring how ESOL instructors conceptualize and engage in equity work — the active promotion of fairness to address the needs of historically and systemically marginalized groups (Equity Literacy Institute, 2023). It also investigates how participation in an equity-minded community of practice (CoP)—a collaborative group of CC ESOL instructors focused on addressing inequities within their field—shapes their perspectives on equity and enhances their capacity to affect change. Using a qualitative interpretive phenomenological action research approach, I collected data through interviews, CoP observations, and artifact elicitation. Findings reveal that participants conceptualize equity as providing access and individualized support that acknowledges students' diverse backgrounds and identities. In practice, equity work involves challenging deficit perspectives, addressing intersectionality, promoting student empowerment, advocating for reform, engaging in continuous reflection, overcoming systemic barriers, and experiencing personal fulfillment. This study highlights the potential of CoPs to deepen instructors’ understanding of equity and enhance their ability to engage in meaningful change while also noting the challenges posed by virtual and geographically dispersed CoPs. This research contributes valuable insights into the role of CC ESOL instructors in fostering educational equity and the transformative potential of collaborative, reflective practices in addressing systemic inequities.</p> <p>Keywords: equity literacy, postcolonial theory, community college, esol instruction, linguistic diversity, educational equity, community of practice (cop), interpretive phenomenological analysis, action research, teacher advocacy, systemic inequity</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

PhD Education for Social Justice

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation: Open Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Learning and Teaching

Year dc:date.available

2025

Author dc:creator

• Packer, Emily E

• Equity Literacy
• Postcolonial Theory
• Community College
• ESOL Instruction
• Linguistic Diversity
• Educational Equity
• Community of Practice (CoP)
• Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis
• Action Research
• Teacher Advocacy
• Systemic Inequity
• Adult and Continuing Education
• Adult and Continuing Education Administration
• Adult and Continuing Education and Teaching
• Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education
• Community College Education Administration
• Community College Leadership
• Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
• Educational Leadership
• Educational Methods
• Higher Education
• Higher Education Administration
• Higher Education and Teaching
• Language and Literacy Education
• Other Teacher Education and Professional Development
• Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education
• Teacher Education and Professional Development

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digital.sandiego.edu/dissertations/1053

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digital.sandiego.edu:dissertations-2064