Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Date

2019

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Instruction & Curriculum Leadership

Committee Chair

Amanda Rockinson-Szapkiw

Committee Member

Craig Shepherd

Committee Member

Alison Happel-Parkins

Committee Member

Brandi Leonard

Abstract

The low number of aspiring academics who are able to secure full-time positions at colleges and universities is concerning. One way to address this issue is to investigate the experiences of former aspiring academics who have earned full-time positions. This case study explored the successes and challenges of a group of former aspiring academics as they pursued entrance into and joined a community of practice. Surveys, interviews, and focus groups were conducted to gather the experiences of the participants. These methods looked specifically at their experience related to a community of practice. Results of the study showed that the participants all shared initial feelings of being in the dark as adjuncts, in that there were obstacles they faced such as lack of resources, training, and connectivity. The faculty participants managed to overcome these challenges by treating the part-time position as if it were full-time or being all in. Finally, though initially after earning full-time status, they felt apart from the community, with time they became a part of the community.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to ProQuest

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