Barriers and Facilitators for Mid- and Later-Life Community College Students: The Role of Faculty

This qualitative study of students in mid- and later-life (MLL; age 40 and older) sought to address the role faculty play in facilitating student success and how institutions support faculty, especially adjunct faculty. Adjunct faculty teach a majority of classes at community colleges but are not pr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Community college journal of research and practice 2022-06, Vol.46 (6), p.431-434
Main Authors: Cummins, Phyllis A., Arbogast, Annabelle, McGrew, Kathryn, Bahr, Peter Riley
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Academic Achievement
Adjunct Faculty
Adult Students
Affordances
Barriers
College Faculty
College students
Community colleges
Faculty Development
Middle age
Nontraditional Students
Professional development
Qualitative research
Student Attitudes
Teacher Attitudes
Teacher Role
Teacher Student Relationship
Tenure
Two Year College Students
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Summary:This qualitative study of students in mid- and later-life (MLL; age 40 and older) sought to address the role faculty play in facilitating student success and how institutions support faculty, especially adjunct faculty. Adjunct faculty teach a majority of classes at community colleges but are not provided the same professional development opportunities as tenure track faculty and are often not well integrated into the college system. Data were collected in focus groups with faculty (both adjunct and tenured) and students, supplemented by key informant interviews, at multiple community colleges in a Midwestern state. MLL students are a heterogeneous group and often have more demands on their time than do younger students. Our findings on the critical role faculty members play in helping MLL students succeed suggest that providing additional support for faculty is a valuable investment for community colleges.
ISSN:1066-8926
1521-0413
DOI:10.1080/10668926.2021.1876783