Date

8-2021

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (EdD)

Chair

Sharon Michael-Chadwell

Keywords

dual credit, dual enrollment, concurrent enrollment, high school teachers, adjunct faculty, South Texas

Disciplines

Education | Higher Education

Abstract

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to understand the experiences of high school teachers instructing dual credit courses for which they serve as college adjunct faculty in South Texas. The central research question addressed in this study is: What are the experiences of adjunct faculty teaching dual credit courses in South Texas? The theory guiding this study is Albert Bandura’s social cognitive theory. This study used a qualitative research design with a phenomenological approach. The settings of the research were three high schools that offer dual credit courses in Arroyo Nordville, located in South Texas. In this study, pseudonyms were used for the three high schools, namely East Arroyo High School, West Arroyo High School, and North Arroyo High School. Participants were eligible to participate in the study if they are high school teachers instructing a dual credit course at the high school and serve as adjunct faculty at Nordville Texas Community College. This qualitative study utilized extensive interviews, photo interviewing techniques, and document analysis to study the experiences of high school dual credit teachers. The data gathered were analyzed through open coding and the phenomenological method of analysis utilizing Moustakas’ epoché, phenomenological reduction, imaginative variation, and synthesis of description. Five themes were identified from the study: upholding college standards, institutionalized expectations, double edge experiences, key factors to succeed in dual credit teaching, and training and support. The research corroborated and extended previous findings. Theoretical, empirical, and practical implications are discussed in this research.

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