Community College Review

Background: There is ample evidence to suggest that the motivation of teachers plays a significant role in the success of their students. While there is a substantial body of literature on teacher motivation, most of it is centered on schools and universities. Objectives: This article presents an analysis of the perception of motivation among teachers in community colleges in Nepal, using Adams’ equity theory of motivation as a framework. Findings: The study was conducted using an interpretive phenomenological design, analyzing the audio transcriptions of semi-structured interviews with 12 teachers who held full-time positions at four different community colleges in Nepal. The results revealed that teachers in community colleges enjoyed their work, experienced positive attitudes, and had a conducive work environment. Furthermore, community college teachers expected equitable treatment in terms of policies and practices, salary and benefits, administrative procedures, opportunities for professional growth and development, and recognition from their institutions. Contributions: This information can be used to inform policy and practice in community colleges in Nepal, as well as in other similar contexts.

Objective: Increasing college readiness and college success is a national priority. Early College High Schools (EC) are a popular educational reform employed to prepare typically minoritized students for postsecondary success. This qualitative study examined the schooling experiences of 13 EC graduates in Texas. Methods: This qualitative study examined the schooling experiences of 13 early college high school (EC) graduates in Texas. More specifically, this study employed validation theory to examine students’ academic and interpersonal validating and invalidating experiences. During one-on-one, in-person interviews, students described their interests in applying to an EC, their academic and interpersonal experiences at their EC, and how those experiences influenced their overall educational experience. Results: The findings revealed students experienced academic validation through the EC application process but invalidation in their degree completion trajectory, relationships, and overall mental health. Furthermore, the participants shared interpersonal validation through close relationships with peers, teachers, and faculty, but they also felt isolated in their schooling experience. Contributions: Implications include validating students through their educational pathway, providing realistic academic advising, supporting students’ mental health, including students in course selection, and encouraging faculty connect with students.

Objective/Research Question: The global pandemic has caused major disruptions to technical education, a leading innovator in providing students with the most up-to-date education and training as they transition into careers. Although there is growing evidence of instructional changes in higher education more broadly in response to COVID-19, we have yet to learn what has happened in community colleges and specifically technical education. This study examines what new policies, practices, and initiatives pertaining to technical education emerged as a result of COVID-19, along with prominent patterns and themes that underlie the uncovered changes and innovations. Methods: We leveraged the concept of disruptive adaptation, technical college system media sources, and cutting-edge text mining techniques to present a portrait of the changes and innovations that emerged in technical education during the pandemic across a statewide technical college system. Results: Findings revealed seven key areas of change and innovation: technology/material access for virtual learning, instructional adaptations, student support, college operations, return to campus, COVID-19 and community support, and new initiatives. Four themes underlie the emerging patterns and priorities: access and flexibility, holistic support for students, community focus, and agility to innovate. Conclusions/Contributions: Our study points to community colleges’ and technical education’s commitment to students amid disruptions, as well as the need for a focus on faculty support and development and sustained diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Moreover, through the lens of disruptive adaptation, the pandemic has served as a catalyst accelerating technical education innovation in widespread and overlapping ways within the college, community, and beyond.

Objective: This study is guided by Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) framework and examines community college choice for athletes who eventually transferred to an NCAA Division I institution. Specifically, we aimed to answer the following research question: (1) What factors influenced college athletes’ decisions to enroll at a community college? (2) What experiences impacted community college athletes’ decisions to transfer to NCAA Division I institutions? Methods: Using a case study design, we interviewed 11 college athletes to understand their academic and athletic transfer pathway to a NCAA Division I institution. Based on our interviews, the following themes emerged: (1) college sports opportunities, (2) athletic steppingstone, (3) athletic transfer network, and (4) family influence. Results: Specifically, we found resistant capital was evident in our participants’ responses because their decision to enroll in community college was largely due to their desire to participate in sports after high school. Another central finding of this study is how many participants enrolled at community colleges with aspirations of playing at Division I institutions. Regarding our second research question, this study found how experiences with community college athletic personnel provided our participants with navigational capital. Our findings also reveal how familial capital influenced our participant’s decision to enroll in community college athletic programs and continued education at a 4 year institution. Conclusion: The authors provide recommendations to researchers and practitioners to further support and explore how community college athletes access NCAA Division I institutions.

Objective: This paper provides evidence on the efficacy and effectiveness of federal and state financial aid programs in supporting community college students. Method: I use a regression discontinuity design that takes advantage of discontinuities in the Pell Grant formula known as Automatic-Zero Estimated Family Contribution to estimate the effects of Pell Grant aid on community college student enrollment and financial and academic outcomes. Results: The study findings show that increases in grant aid boost associate degree completion, but these increases do not translate into significantly higher bachelor’s degree completion rates or lower student debt burdens. These results fall in line with most of the empirical literature on Pell Grant aid effectiveness finding only modest effects of marginal increases in financial aid on degree completion. Contribution: Findings further highlight the potential importance of combining efforts to improve financial aid programs and the transfer experience for degree-seeking, transfer-intending community college students.