Supporting and Engaging Adjunct Faculty

Helen E. Burn, Highline Community College & Curriculum Research Group

Gabrielle Gerhard, Curriculum Research Group

2013 Washington State Community College Math Conference, Bellingham, Washington

Importance

Tenure is shrinking nationally (about 1/3 of college faculty have tenure)

Adjunct faculty comprise an increasing percentage (>60%) of instructional staff, particularly in precollege mathematics

Any hopes of improving precollege mathematics relies on supporting and engaging adjuncts

System-wide focus on adjunct faculty

Selected Literature: What does research say?

Defining NTTF (non-tenure-track faculty): ◦ Contingent◦ Full- or part-time NTTF◦ Tenure hopefuls versus choice to be NTTF

Equally committed while satisfaction can vary (Gappa & Leslie, 1993; Wagonner, 2007)

Effectivess of NTTF (e.g., Benjamin, 1998; Ehrenberg & Zhang, 2004; Jacoby, 2006)

◦ Interactions◦ Support◦ Instructional approaches◦ Technology

Overview of session

Supporting

Engaging

Share study findings from Re-Thinking Precollege Mathematics grant

Defining adjunct roles/expectations

Supporting

A board of trustee member becomes aware of the “adjunct issue” and is concerned. Your vice-president asks you to speak to the board of trustees about how you support NTTF in your department.

List the top three to five departmental practices you would include in your presentation.

Distill each to single bullet

Engaging

What behaviors describe an “engaged” adjunct faculty?

What could your department do to secure this type of engagement? List three to five strategies that come to mind.

Effective Engagement Strategies for NTT Community College Faculty in Developmental Mathematics Reform (Gerhard & Burn, 2013)

Re-thinking Precollege Mathematics Grant

Goal - “substantive changes in core educational practices”

3 “Core Practices” of the grant◦ Faculty Inquiry Groups (FIGs)◦ Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs)◦ Reciprocal Observations

Qualitative study (interviews) with 7 grant leaders (FT) and 11 adjunct faculty in 3 RPM colleges

Finding 1: Range of Strategies

Professional development opportunities

Leveraging the core practices

Targeted instructional support

Offering perquisites

Finding 2: Initiating vs. Sustaining Engagement

Initiating engagement◦ Compensation◦ Preferential scheduling◦ Personal invitations

Sustaining engagement - organized around O'Meara, Terosky, & Neumann (2008) professional growth framework◦ Learning◦ Professional relationships◦ Agency◦ Commitment

Finding 3: Changes to Practice

4 changes to practice - interconnected

◦ Classroom instruction: less lecturing, questioning patterns, instructor role, teaching basics

◦ Approach to curricular topics ◦ Preparation for course no longer just textbook driven

◦ Assessment: changes to form and content

Implications for Practice

NTTF professional development◦ Utilizing the professional growth framework

Institutionalizing engagement◦ Practices shifted from groups to individuals◦ Advancement opportunities missed

Professional development as a shared responsibility◦ NTTF faculty, departments, colleges, the state system

NTTF as “hybrid professionals” or “managed professionals” (Rhoades, 1998; Shaker, 2008)

Part laborer, part professional Hired and managed as contingent labor Professional training, autonomy, academic freedom

Practices that support NTTF (e.g., Gappa & Leslie, 1993; Green, 2007; Grubb, 2010; Lyons, 2007; Wallin, 2007)

◦ Clarity of expectations◦ Mentoring◦ Compensation◦ Creation of instructional materials◦ Professional development◦ Peer interaction and communication

Thank You

HelenBurn, hburn@highline.eduHighline Community College & Curriculum Research

GroupGabrielle Gerhard, Curriculum Research Group

2013 Washington State Community College Math Conference, Bellingham, Washington