Dissertation
A phenomenological study: exploring college students' experiences and perceptions about their adjuncts' teaching styles
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Drexel University
May 2018
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/D8HM21
Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative study using the phenomenological approach was to explore students' lived experiences through their perceptions of the effectiveness of adjuncts' teaching styles in one community college located in the Northeastern United States. Many adjuncts bring knowledge of their field and passion to their learning spaces, but they lack the teaching skills to communicate their knowledge to their students effectively. Through the critical student experience, this study explored adjuncts' teaching styles. This study used the interview method to explore how college students describe how they learn most effectively, the teaching styles their adjunct instructors use in the classroom, and how they characterize an effective adjunct. A three-part one-on-one, semi-structured interview was used to collect data from five college students about their experiences with adjuncts' teaching skills. The data was analyzed for common themes that emerged from the college students' experiences with adjuncts' teaching styles providing five results. First, students perceive real world application methods to be an effective learning and teaching style they experienced with adjuncts. Second, Students perceive content knowledge to be a characteristic of effective adjunct teaching that they have experienced with adjuncts. Third, students perceive communication to be a characteristic of effective learning and teaching styles, however they have experienced communication barriers with adjuncts. Fourth, students perceive student-focused and varied teaching approaches to be effective learning and teaching styles, however they describe their experiences as being instructor-focused. Fifth, while students have experienced both adaptable and one size fits all teaching styles they favor the adaptable approach to teaching. Recommendations for further research from the student perspective include exploring teaching styles of adjuncts of specific academic programs and at four year institutions as well as full time professors will provide context for this study.
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Details
- Title
- A phenomenological study
- Creators
- Nicolette Dipietro - DU
- Contributors
- Joyce A. Pittman (Advisor) - Drexel University (1970-)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- x, 139 pages
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- School of Education (1997-2026); Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 8068; 991014632552004721