Community College Research Articles

Showcasing 2024 Community College Research and Practice Highlights

ABSTRACT The Community College Journal of Research and Practice (CCJRP) has published impactful and relevant research concerning community college in 2024. This article describes the scholarship published in 2024 within the journal’s scope, providing important information about the reach and metrics of the journal. In addition, publishing opportunities for scholars and professionals are noted.

How offering a free introductory AI computing course at a hispanic-serving community college influences computing interests for enrolled students?

ABSTRACT Background and Context Hispanic-serving community colleges represent promising sites for broadening participation and enhancing computing interests around AI. Objectives This study investigated how students enrolled in an introductory AI computing course at an HSCC made meaning of their course experiences and how they described their interest in computing during the course. Methods Using Social Cognitive Career Theory, this study employed a qualitative, phenomenological approach with participants who took the freely offered introductory AI computing. Findings Offering a free, credit-bearing introductory AI computing course nurtured interests in computing, despite varying previous coding backgrounds. The course’s implicit prerequisite coding knowledge requirement challenged computing interests. Faculty members played a pivotal role in supporting student interests by adjusting supportive learning environments. Implications This study informs the development of introductory AI computing courses at Hispanic-serving community colleges and demonstrates how free course offerings can create interest in computing courses to increase overall interest in computing..

Enduring the COVID-19 Pandemic at a Major Research University

This descriptive study provides insights into the perceptions associated with the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s impact on degree progression, and protocols that a major R2 research university community would like to see remain in place once the pandemic ends. A Qualtrics survey was used to draw responses from the community. Our research findings conclude that: 1) Responses were mixed concerning KSU doing a good job in handling the COVID-19 pandemic, 2) The majority of student responses felt that transitioning to online course delivery did not adversely impact their degree progression, 3) Whereas vaccine availability and testing were what most impressed respondents about KSU’s handling of the pandemic, the discontinuation of a mask mandate after the Summer 2020 semester is what least impressed respondents, and 4) The ability to work remotely was the most popular protocol that respondents preferred to see remain in place after the pandemic ends.

Community College Social Media Public Scholars: Reframing the Narrative from the Inside Out

ABSTRACT Community colleges are one of the United States’ greatest educational success stories. Accessible to nearly every community, these colleges are woven into the fabric of society. They serve the highest diversity of postsecondary students and offer an ambitious array of educational missions. However, despite these longstanding accolades, community colleges have long been subject to pervasive false narratives and enduring stigma. Social media, however, offers a solution to these issues. This article argues that practitioners from inside community colleges can leverage this form of media as public scholarship, addressing faulty narratives by placing research, data, and information straight into public channels, disrupting the cycle of disinformation that has plagued these institutions for over a century.

The Landscape of Undergraduate Introductory Exercise Science Courses.

Introductory classes are often a student's first exposure to foundational knowledge, careers, and faculty in an academic major. The characteristics of introductory exercise science courses, as well as faculty impressions of course benefits and areas for improvement, were explored in this study. Electronic survey data from 181 universities around the United States were analyzed. A wide range of course content was reported. Institution type was related to the status of the faculty teaching the course, method of course delivery, class size, and class availability. The number of majors was related to faculty status, class availability, and class size. Specifically, private 4-year institutions were more likely to teach smaller, face-to-face classes. Introduction courses at R1, R2, Doctoral/Professional institutions, and programs with 300 or more majors were less likely to be taught by only tenured/tenure track faculty. Classes were more likely to be offered in various modalities as opposed to only face-to-face at community colleges, and programs with 300 or more majors were more likely to have classes with 50 or more students. Enrollment in the introductory course was more likely restricted to majors and minors at public 4-year schools and programs with 300 or more majors. Faculty perceived knowledge acquisition and relationship building as benefits of introductory classes for students and programs. The overarching themes for course improvement were modifying course content and characteristics of course delivery. Considering the varied course characteristics, we encourage faculty and administrators to be intentional when designing and implementing introductory exercise science courses.

Pathways into Computing Fields by Florida’s Community College Students: An Intersectional Descriptive Analysis

ABSTRACT While it is well understood that gender and racial stratification in computing fields continues to exist, we too often approach this workforce problem from a deficit perspective and look to typical sites (where status quo norms are reproduced) to investigate potential solutions. Using an intersectional descriptive analysis on state administrative data on Florida state colleges, we prioritize centering the academic journeys of Asian, Black, Indigenous, Latina/e/o/x, and Multiracial community college women and men, addressing the often-overlooked effects of holding multiple marginalized identities in quantitative research. Analytic results from this study suggest that women of color completed high school computing courses significantly less often than men. Further, our findings reveal that these disparities in high school computing coursetaking were even greater among those who enrolled in Advanced Placement Computer Science. Employing an intersectional approach enabled this study to dive into these and other nuanced effects. Implications offer directions for future research, practice, and policy that may enhance efforts to broaden participation in computing in high school and among community college students.

Exploring the value of PGRs who teach (PGWT) in supporting undergraduate students’ sense of belonging: A Student Staff Partnership Project

The aim of this research was to explore the impact of interactions between undergraduate students (‘students’) and the postgraduate researchers (‘PGWT’) who teach them, on students’ sense of belonging. Meaningful interactions between staff and students have been identified as a key aspect of students’ sense of belonging. The unique space that postgraduates who teach occupy- both student and teacher- is widely recognized in the literature and through this dual role PGWT can provide a valuable bridge between students and academic staff. Due to the nature of their teaching - which is typically small group teaching characterised by proximity and informality - opportunities can arise for discussion of matters from the wider student experience beyond the curriculum. Activity-oriented focus groups were conducted with module leaders, PGWT and their students in the School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Hull to explore each groups’ perspectives, and the results were thematically analysed. Findings show that whilst students didn’t explicitly recognize or use the term ‘belonging’, through resonance, rapport and academic enrichment PGWT created environments which aligned with definitions of belonging, including building meaningful relationships, contributing to the student experience, and creating informal spaces where students discussed both learning and personal matters. PGWT were relatable, providing authentic examples and being role models. Our findings suggest that being a teacher enables PGWT themselves to feel part of, and that they belong in, the University community. This research adds to the literature on students’ perceptions of PGWT and provides recommendations for future practice.

Long-Term Effects of the Dana Center Mathematics Pathways Model: Evidence from a Randomized Trial

Following up on an individual-level randomized controlled trial of a Dana Center Mathematics Pathways (DCMP) model, this study assessed longer-term impacts on students’ math completion, academic progress, and academic attainment. The version of the DCMP that was assessed in this study diversified the developmental and college-level math course content that students take, separating it into distinct pathways that better aligned with their career interests. It also streamlined developmental math sequences into a one-semester developmental course for all students, regardless of placement level, and implemented evidence-based curricula and pedagogy to engage students in active problem solving that was pertinent to real-life situations. The study, which followed 1,411 students from four Texas community colleges and ten campuses, found that program group students were more likely than control group students to successfully complete their first college-level math courses. The study did not find impacts after five years on the number of overall college credits that students accrued or on the likelihood that students attained a credential or transferred to a four-year college.

University Governance in the Legal Entrepreneurship of Intellectual Capital Around the Implementation of the SDGs

Aim. The study's objective is to compare a theoretical model of university governance in the COVID-19 era. Since the literature consulted warns of the pandemic's impact on university governance, the factor structure was confirmed. Method. An exploratory, cross-sectional, and correlational study was carried out with a sample of 180 administrators, teachers, and students from a university in central Mexico selected for their participation in the social service system and professional practices in community health institutions. The instrument was evaluated using the Delphi technique in three phases: qualifying, comparative, and reiterative- reconsidered. The University Governance Scale was applied via Zoom session. The data were captured in Excel and processed in JASP. Reliability, validity, adjustment, and residual coefficients were estimated to contrast hypotheses. Results. The three-factor structure was corroborated: identity, reputation, and image. Although the first factor explained the highest percentage of variance, only 12 of 18 indicators correlated with its factors. Conclusions. The study's contribution lies in contrasting the university governance model in a scenario of exposure to COVID-19. Still, the study's limit lies in the non-generalization of the results to the university community.

The Professional Development Practices of Community College Presidents: A National Study

The length of a college president’s tenure is under six years, meaning that boards and institutions are increasingly grappling with the turnover associated with senior leaders. This turnover is seen in all sectors of higher education, especially in community colleges where the changing roles of these institutions are particularly pronounced. The purpose for conducting the study was to describe the professional development practices of community college presidents in hope of identifying efforts that might help to lengthen presidential tenures. Drawing on a national survey of 500 community college presidents, 159 usable responses were received and point toward the reliance on national conferences and self-direction as the primary methods that presidents use to remain current in their roles.

Abstract 4126895: Bridging the Gap in San Joaquin Valley LGBTQ+ Cardiovascular Disease and Mental Health Disparities

Introduction: LGBTQ+ adults experience discrimination and violence that lead to stressors in daily life. Homophobia affects the mental health of the growing San Joaquin Valley (SJV) LGBTQ+ community leading to psychological distress and mental health concerns which can further lead to High Blood Pressure (HBP) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). SJV has a growing rate of LGBTQ+ migrants from the Bay Area who may be at risk for psychological distress and CVD. With a diverse community of low income and minority groups, the lack of physicians do not represent the workforce of SJV. Objectives: Trainees conducted Kessler psychological distress tests, HBP and CVD screenings across college campuses and community events to reduce the risk of CVD and spread awareness about mental health, CVD and its implications in the LGBTQ+ population due to environmental racism in the most underserved region for health care, SJV. Methods: I trained and provided mentorship to medically ambitious diverse low-income high school to instill a passion in them to come back after their medical education to practice medicine and promote LGBTQ+ health equity in SJV. Students conducted weekly Kessler psychological distress tests, HBP screenings and serve as a health technology coach. Each student monitored 2 hypertensive and psychological distressed patients. Kessler psychological distress tests and CVD screenings were conducted at college campuses to spread awareness about LGBTQ+ mental health and heart health and track psychological distress and HBP in the LGBTQ+ community. Findings: -About 88% (98 of 112) experienced some form of discrimination from a health care professional -About 57% (64 of 112) of SJV LGBTQ+ population are at risk for CVD -About 14% (16 of 112) of SJV LGBTQ+ population are Stage 1 hypertensive -About 76% (83 of 112) of SJV LGBTQ+ population are at risk for hypertension and are psychologically distressed Direct Outcomes: -Youth learned the value of empathy and service to disadvantaged LGBTQ+ communities through the program and volunteering -LGBTQ+ empowerment and students are determined to pursue medicine and address community concerns -Awareness, education among LGBTQ+ community for better heart and mental health -Better understanding in how to manage and seek referral for mental health and health systems concerns -Students learned about SJV health disparities and applied precision medicine to their own health inequity projects in SJV -Improved LGBTQ+ patient provider trust

Perceived Parents’ Stigma and Personal Stigma Toward COVID-19 Survivors: A Study Among Emerging Adults in India

The COVID-19 pandemic introduced widespread stigma toward individuals who contracted the virus, impacting social interactions and perceptions within communities. This study aimed to understand personal and perceived parental stigma toward COVID-19 survivors among Indian college students, examining how this stigma varies based on the relationship closeness to the survivor (peer vs. best friend) and whether gender differences influence personal stigma levels. A sample of 650 Indian college students (mean age = 20.01 years, SD = 1.43; 501 males) participated in the study. We assessed both personal stigma and perceived parental stigma toward COVID-19 survivors, with additional comparisons made based on the survivor’s relationship to the student (peer vs. best friend) and participant gender. Findings indicated that personal and perceived parental stigma were significantly higher toward peers than toward best friends who had recovered from COVID-19. Additionally, among perceived parental stigmas, stigma attributed to mothers was highest, followed by that attributed to fathers, with participants’ personal stigma being lowest. Notably, no significant gender differences were found in personal stigma among participants. The results highlight nuanced perceptions of stigma toward COVID-19 survivors, with stigma levels varying by relational closeness and perceived parental attitudes, particularly mothers. These findings underscore the importance of targeting stigma reduction efforts, considering family influence and relational factors. Policymakers and mental health professionals could develop age-specific interventions to mitigate stigma toward COVID-19 survivors, potentially enhancing social support systems within college communities.

Level of Satisfaction with the Library Resources and Services of Education Faculty and Students in Lone Agricultural State College in Bulacan

Academic libraries are an integral part of learning institutions, serving as crucial hubs for meeting the information and research needs of students and faculty. The study aimed to determine the level of satisfaction of users with library resources and services at a lone agricultural state higher education institution (HEI) in Bulacan, Philippines. A survey research design was employed to quantify the responses from education faculty and students, who were selected using a purposive sampling technique. The findings reveal that respondents are generally satisfied with the library’s resources, including the availability of printed materials, accessibility of online resources, provision of ICT equipment, and overall conduciveness of the learning environment. Both faculty and students expressed satisfaction with the quantity and quality of the library’s online and print materials in supporting their respective fields of study. Regarding library services, majority of respondents were satisfied with the institution’s library orientation, instruction, guidelines for borrowing books, service hours, reference support, reader’s advisory, information and referral, current awareness, indexing, and internet access. These services enable college librarians and staff to facilitate effective utilization of the library’s resources, allowing students to engage with books, journals, and other vital educational materials, as well as conduct individual and group studies. The degree to which the college community utilizes the library’s services and resources can serve as an indicator of the library's function and value in supporting the academic and research needs of the institution. Generally, this study provides valuable insights to guide the library in enhancing its offerings and ensuring sustained user satisfaction.

Community College Counselors’ Experiences Assisting Community College Students in Navigating Course-Taking at Multiple Institutions

ABSTRACT Community college counselors play an important role in supporting students’ decision-making as they navigate toward varied academic goals. Most community college students intend to transfer and thus must navigate the regulations and policies of two institutions, and many follow nonlinear enrollment patterns. Knowledgeable, personalized advising is an important resource for students in community colleges. Yet, counselors often juggle multiple roles, manage large counselor-to-student caseloads with limited resources, and must understand and meet the needs of a growing diverse student body. This study examines the factors that affect community college counselors’ ability to assist community college students in navigating multiple institutions at once while taking classes at a four-year university through a policy called cross-enrollment. To do so, we employed focus group interviews with 29 community college counselors from three community colleges in California. We found that institutional resources and support, cross-campus collaborations, counselors’ perception of the benefits and challenges associated with cross-enrollment, and counselors’ perception of the ideal cross-enrollment student were factors that affected counselors’ ability and willingness to facilitate cross-enrollment efforts. The findings suggest that improving the uptake of cross-enrolling is contingent on institutions improving their cross-institutional collaborations and providing community college counselors with adequate professional development and resources on the policy.

Examining English Learners' Opportunity to Learn from High School to Community College: A Qualitative Case Study

AbstractStudents classified as English learners (ELs) in high school are more likely to start their postsecondary education in community colleges (CCs). Many high school EL graduates enter a CC, hoping to make good academic progress and later transfer to a 4‐year college. However, past research has found that such students often struggle in CCs and rarely earn a postsecondary credential or transfer to a 4‐year college. ELs' high school academic preparation and their subsequent college access—or lack thereof—are closely related. Yet, there is little research connecting ELs' academic preparation in high school and their subsequent ongoing trajectories once they are enrolled in CC. Drawing on the concepts of opportunity to learn (OTL) and opportunity sequences, this qualitative case study examines six high school ELs' academic trajectories from high school through CC. Our analysis shows a negative opportunity sequence in which ELs' limited OTL in high school lands them in remedial education at a local CC, which in turn delays their exposure to disciplinary courses in their majors. The students' struggles with their first disciplinary courses subsequently hinder their CC persistence and timely transfer to a 4‐year college, forcing them to reset their postsecondary goals.

Navigating Barriers to Success for Community College Science Students: A Review of Transfer Challenges

This paper examines the challenges community college students encounter when transferring to four-year higher-education institutions, focusing on the gap between their transfer aspirations and actual success. Despite the availability of substantial financial aid in higher education, transfer students continue to face numerous challenges that impede their integration and success at new institutions. These obstacles arise from a combination of institutional factors and individual student characteristics. Utilizing Pascarella’s model, this study underscores the importance of support programs in raising institutional awareness of the diverse challenges transfer students face and the necessity for tailored strategies to facilitate their successful transition and retention.

Querying Public Scholarship: An Unfinished List of Questions toward More Meaningful University–Community Partnerships

Abstract How do we do public scholarship? It might seem like a simple question, but as anyone who has attempted to experiment with academic norms—let alone work collaboratively in and through institutional regulations, cultural expectations, and diverse personalities—is well aware, things get complicated quickly. As scholars, practitioners, and educators in the public humanities, the authors offer a set of sticky and thorny questions that are both theoretically minded and practice oriented, as possibilities to consider throughout the process of working on public projects or with community partners. Questions are grouped thematically—Framing, Planning, Partnerships, Institutions, Tools, Outputs and Forms, Documentation, Evaluation and Reflection—though are not meant to be exhaustive or prescriptive. In so doing, the essay insists that public scholarship not be codified into a clearly-defined discipline, but rather acknowledged as both an always already present practice for many scholars and in a constant state of emergence as a field. To that end, the authors also invite direct engagement with these questions, both inside and outside of the space of the text, encouraging readers to generate and share their own questions as well.

Bacteriology and Physicochemical Analysis of Borehole Water in Some Hostels of a Tertiary Institution in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Several factors influence the quality of water for human consumption. Most of these factors are more of anthropogenic origin than nature and thus exercises an untold health effect on the end-users of such water body. Bacteriology and Physicochemical Analysis of Borehole Water in Some Hostels of a Tertiary Institution in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Water samples were collected from six (6) hostels for each study period, and subjected to standard laboratory procedures to analyze for parameters such as pH, nitrite, nitrate, dissolved oxygen (DO), electrical conductivity (EC), Phosphate, as well as standard procedures for antibiotics susceptibility and molecular characterization. Result of the physicochemical parameters showed that the parameters ranged from 5.26±3.53 mg/L to 7.61±0.01 mg/L forpH; 0.61±0.01 to 2.56±0.01 mg/L for Dissolved Oxygen (DO); 96±1.41 μS/cm to 503.5±0.71μS/cm for electrical conductivity; 4.56±0.03 mg/L to 20.3±0.01 mg/L for nitrate; 0.003±0mg/L to 0.03±0mg/L for nitrite; 0.12±0mg/L to 0.17±0mg/L for phosphate. Statistical evaluation showed there was a significant difference (p < 0.05) between the mean values of physicochemical parameters studied, except for pH that recorded no statistical difference (p > 0.05). From the study, 5.6% of Staphylococcus species were resistant to Pefloxacin and Rocephin, while 5.9% of Bacillus species were resistant to Ampiclox. Similarly, 3.33% of Salmonella species were resistant to Augmentin, while the rest of the gram negative isolates were either susceptible or within an intermediate range of susceptibility to the antibiotics tested. Molecular characterization of some bacterial species isolated had pairwise identity with Klebsiella pneumonia strain CP27 and Escherichia coli strain RIZHAO 498.1, Staphylococcus haemolyticus strain SH1. The study has shown that the physicochemical water quality variables were all within the WHO limits, with bacterial species having high percentage susceptibility to the antibiotics tested. Regular water quality monitoring is however recommended to ensure continuous access to water of good quality in hostels within the university community.

Characteristics of medical student education during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction. After the last pandemic, the university community faced a number of issues related to the management and conduct of training, so improving the quality of education and training of medical students is relevant. The transition to distance learning on various platforms with all kinds of media support, on the one hand, made it possible not to interrupt the educational process during a difficult period of social restrictions, and on the other hand, created a load and stressed both students and teachers of educational institutions. Purpose. To assess the impact of changes on the educational process of medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the implementation of distance learning technologies and the use of online platforms, and to identify the need for social support measures to reduce academic burnout and improve students’ psychological resilience. Materials and methods. A comparative observational study was conducted at the Urology Clinic of the Russian University of Medicine, which used an anonymous Internet survey. Two hundred forty eight 4th year medical students were interviewed from 2020 to 2021 and 501 respondents from 2021 to 2022. Results. Two groups of students were compared, distributed according to a time criterion. The most frequent area of application of social networks in the educational process was consultation with teachers and search for information for educational activities. In relation to distance learning, positive responses were received from 170 respondents (68.55%) in group 1 and 342 (68.26%) in group 2, and negative responses from 68 (27.42%) and 127 (25.35%) respondents, respectively. Research limitations. A narrow focus on the sample of medical students, which does not reflect the diversity of opinions and experiences in the wider population, as well as conducting research during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions. Given the changes in educational activities against the background of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the lack of regulated norms, rules, and support for students and teachers during this period, comprehensive coverage and development of distance learning methods are necessary.

“I Have One More Hour of Power and Many Miles of Communication to Go”: Lessons Learned from Community Research Interrupted by Climate Crises

The Ang Pagtanom og Binhi Project is a University–Community partnership and community-based participatory research project exploring the health benefits of food sovereignty practices in the Philippines. In late 2021, in the midst of data collection, Super Typhoon Odette made landfall in the Philippines causing massive environmental and structural devastation. In the aftermath of the storm, community partners in the Philippines and members of the research team in the United States shared photos, texts, and updates. These messages included descriptions of structural and environmental damage caused by the storm and stories of mutual aid efforts and actions taken by individuals and small organizations, each highlighting connections between food sovereignty efforts in the Philippines and the impacts of climate change. Due to the richness of the stories, the interconnectedness between these conversations and the research topic, and the alignment within the theoretical foundations of the project, the researchers understood that these communications should be included as data. With feedback from the Community Advisory Board, the Research and Design Team amended project protocols, research questions, and consent forms to incorporate this emergent data. This manuscript describes the process that the team undertook and some of the lessons learned by taking this approach.