Assessment of Satisfaction and Efficacy of Community College Faculty by Years of Service
by Kerste, Dean R., Ph.D., NORTHCENTRAL UNIVERSITY, 2011, 158 pages; 3467099

Abstract:

This study assessed satisfaction and efficacy among veteran community college faculty, mid-career faculty, and newcomers by years of service. Despite the fact that community college faculty make up one-third of all postsecondary educators, little data exists regarding the satisfaction and efficacy of this group. Faculty satisfaction and efficacy impacts the quality of teaching and the risk in not examining these variables has the potential to undermine the nation's global competitiveness. The research method utilized was a non-experimental, quantitative study employing descriptive statistics and analysis of variance. Additionally, canonical correlation analysis was used to examine the relationship among the variables. The target population was approximately 250 full-time, instructional faculty at three community colleges in southeastern Michigan. The responses of N = 163 participants were analyzed excluding missing values and outliers. Satisfaction and efficacy were reliably measured (α > .8) and normally distributed (range 1 to 6). Mean satisfaction (M = 5.06 for Faculty Description, M = 2.75 for Frustration Level, M = 4.28 for Current View of the Teaching Profession, and M = 5.04 for Teaching Career in the Future) and mean efficacy (M = 4.91 for Current Classroom Performance and M = 4.69 for How Have You Changed Since You First Started Teaching) were moderate to high. Gender, age, race, degree obtained, and academic division were stratified by years of service. Significant differences (p < .05) in mean satisfaction and efficacy with low to moderate effect sizes (η2 = .075 to .120) were found when gender and race were stratified by years of service. Multivariate ANOVA indicated that the mean efficacies of veteran faculty, mid-career faculty and newcomers were significantly different (p < .05) but the effect size (η2 = .032) reflected limited practical significance. No significant differences were found between the mean satisfaction levels with respect to years of service. It was concluded that satisfaction and efficacy were not simple functions of years of service, but were confounded by other demographic variables. Based on the results, future research is warranted in the areas of community college faculty satisfaction and efficacy with respect to gender and race.

 
AdviserMary Dereshiwsky
SchoolNORTHCENTRAL UNIVERSITY
SourceDAI/A 72-10, p. , Aug 2011
Source TypeDissertation
SubjectsCommunity college education; Educational leadership; Occupational psychology; Higher education
Publication Number3467099
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