This dissertation addressed the issue of reduced transfer of training at a southeastern community college, specifically regarding the application of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies in online courses. Faculty at the college were required to complete a 45-hour training series on UDL, but evidence suggested that the training was not…

In this study, I examined adult learners' experiences and perceptions of barriers to interactions and engagement in online community college courses. Adult learners enrollment in online courses in postsecondary institutions continues to grow due to the flexibility and convenience they offer to learners who often have to juggle multiple…

This qualitative research study sought to help community colleges aid math faculty in making a transformation in their teaching practices. The research questions were: (a) What did it take for faculty to change their teaching style from traditional lecture-based instruction to one that incorporates low-stakes collaborative practice, just-in-time…

Research suggested that community college students struggle to find time to commit to classes and often lack learning strategies to balance school amidst conflicting life needs. This study explored the use of metacognitive monitoring training in a Success and Study Skills class. Learners who participated in the training described the process of…

Evidence-based instructional practices (EBIPs) have been shown to benefit students in undergraduate biology, but little is known about the degree to which community college (CC) biology instructors use EBIPs or the barriers they encounter. We surveyed CC biology instructors to characterize how they use EBIPs, their capacity to use EBIPs, and…

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore part-time college instructors' perceptions of Multiple Intelligence Theory. The study centered on the phenomenon existing within the perception of 12 part-time instructors from a variety of departments, all from the same community college in New England. Data was extracted pertaining to…

The complexity and scope of the challenges today's students face explain why community and technical colleges across the country are reexamining the student experience and the support services they provide. As open access institutions, community and technical colleges by their very existence open the doors of higher education and workforce…

As with other student populations community colleges serve, part-time students often face multiple challenges that present additional barriers to completion, including unfamiliarity with the college experience, parenthood, and food and housing insecurity. Community colleges have historically opened their doors to all those interested in pursuing…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to examine how Hispanic/Latinx ESL students describe their engagement and overcome learning challenges in higher education flipped classrooms. After completing a questionnaire, 12 participants from a community college and university in southern California described their experiences in a…

The North Dakota University System (NDUS) "2014-2015 Annual Enrollment Report" is an effort to report system wide, duplicated and unduplicated student headcount by combining degree credit and non-degree credit enrollments across the eleven NDUS institutions for an entire academic year. Additionally, non-credit enrollments provided…

Understanding the relative impacts of part-time adjuncts in community colleges is highly policy-relevant, partly because community colleges rely on part-time faculty heavily and partly because community colleges assume a critical role in addressing the national equity agenda by disproportionately serving underrepresented groups. This study uses…

Algebra has been called the gatekeeper to higher level mathematics, college success, and higher wages, but many community college students struggle to pass college-level mathematics courses. The National Educational Technology Plan for higher education (U.S. Department of Education 2017b) calls for the integration of technology, such as real-time…

Issues of instruction and assessment at community colleges are influenced by the high percentage of classes taught by adjunct faculty. In 2014 for the Virginia Community College System, part-time instructors comprised 70.3% of instructional faculty. This dissertation describes the instruction and assessment technique choices of adjunct instructors…

MDRC's Scaling Up Community College Efforts for Student Success (SUCCESS) aims to increase graduation rates for low-income students and students of color by partnering with states and colleges to implement large-scale, financially sustainable support programs based on strong evidence. SUCCESS combines components that have been proven to help…

Is there a better education model for English learners (ELs) in the United States? The Internationals Network for Public Schools (the Network) now supports 21 schools and six academies in seven states as well as Washington, D.C. They are open only to immigrants who have been living in the United States for less than four years and who score in the…