University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

How do non-tenure track faculty interact with Latino and Latina students in gatekeeper math courses at an urban community college?

(USC Thesis Other)

How do non-tenure track faculty interact with Latino and Latina students in gatekeeper math courses at an urban community college?

PDF

Download a page range

Download transcript

Copy asset link

Request this asset

Transcript (if available)

Content Running head: STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

1

HOW DO NON-TENURE TRACK FACULTY INTERACT WITH LATINO AND
LATINA STUDENTS IN GATEKEEPER MATH COURSES AT AN URBAN
COMMUNITY COLLEGE?

by

Roberto C. Montes

________________________________________________________________________

A Research Proposal Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements of the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

December 2014

Copyright 2014 Roberto C. Montes

STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

2
Dedicación
Me gustaría dedicar la culminación de mi trayectoria educacional y mi doctorado a mi
familia. Valoro los momentos que hemos compartido juntos. Nuestra manera de reír, recordar y
convivir me han dado la fuerza para seguir adelante.
Especialmente me gustaría reconocer a mi madre y padre. Siempre recuerdo las historias
que me contaban cuando era niño. Con tiempo logré reconocer que esas historias tenían mensajes
y enseñanzas para hacerme saber de nuestra familia y nuestros esfuerzos para poder vivir bien.
Aprecio todo lo bueno que son, las sabidurías que me han ofrecido y las mañas de nuestra cultura
que siempre me hacen valorizar nuestras raíces Salvadoreñas. Nuestros rumbos humildes me han
enseñado a ver un mundo lleno de oportunidad y un deseo eterno de querer descubrir todo lo
bueno que la vida puede ofrecer. Algún día le daré las mismas enseñanzas a mis hijos. Los años
de viejez que me han regalado brillaran para siempre.
I would also like to dedicate this final educational accomplishment to Lizzy Liz. You are
my love, my supporter, my distraction, and my number one fan! Of all the people who have
supported my educational path, you have been the one sitting by my side pushing me along the
way. You are the only person that saw, felt, and experienced the highs and lows that were part of
my journey. I am forever indebted to you for your unwavering support! Thank you for the
comfort and unconditional love along the way. I couldn't have done it without you!

STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

3
Acknowledgements

I’ve had the privilege and ple asure of making new friends and working with world-class
scholars throughout my journey at USC. I would like to sincerely acknowledge that such friends
and scholars have empowered me to grow as an academic, as a professional and as an individual.
I will take with me a wealth of knowledge, tools, and skills that will allow me to contribute to the
very communities that once taught me about the value of giving. I’ve enjoyed the ride! The
tailgates, football games, good friends, and even the long days at the library were once in a
lifetime experiences that I will hold with great regards forever. I look forward to continue being
a part of the Trojan family.
I have met amazing professors along the way that have profoundly deepened my
convictions for learning, education and positive change. However, I would like to especially
thank the following individuals. Dr. Kezar, I would like to express my deepest appreciation for
your guidance, support and contribution to my growth as a scholar. Your unconditional support
and our insightful talks always found a way to encourage me to elevate my work to the highest
standards. Your enthusiasm and graceful qualities sparked my potentials and instilled a wealth of
knowledge beyond measure. Dr. Rueda, I have been fortunate to have you as a professor and as a
guiding supporter that has intensified my drive to create purposeful change one step at a time.
Your way of thought is evident in your remarkable contributions to education, which inspire me
to become a stronger researcher and practitioner. My drive is ever present and I will continue to
find the right solutions to the right problems. Dr. Cole, I deeply admire your scholarly work that
seeks to better understand fairness, diversity, and student success in higher education. I look
forward to contributing to such important scholarship. Thank you for being a part of my
committee and helping me enhance my dissertation.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

4
Table of Contents

Dedication 2
Acknowledgements 3
List of Figures 6
Abstract 7

Chapter One: Latino/a Students Background 8
Latinos in Community Colleges 9
Cultural Values & Social Interactions 13
Student & Faculty Interactions 17
Hispanic Serving Institutions 24
Problem Statement 25
Purpose of the Study 28
Research Question 29
Significance of Study 29

Chapter Two: Literature Review 31
Social Learning Theory 33
Relationships as Reciprocal Interactions 35
Observational Experiences 37
Vicarious Learning 39
The Role of Non-Tenure Track Faculty 42
Psychosociocultural Framework 45
Institutional Challenges 49
Culturally Responsive Teaching 52
A Holistic Framework 55
Conclusion 56

Chapter Three: Methodology 58
Research Design 59
Ethnographic Approach 61
Site Selection 62
Participants 65
Data Collection 66
Observations & Interviews 68
Data Analysis 72
Trustworthiness 73
Considerations of Researcher Bias 75
Conclusion 76

Chapter Four: Findings 76
Chapter Overview 77
Discovery Community College 78
Ms. V 82
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

5
Classroom Culture 84
Classroom Readiness 87
Classroom Opportunities to Connect 91
Personal & Work Commitments 97

Ms. Antonia 102
Classroom Culture 102
Classroom Readiness 106
Classroom Opportunities to Connect 109
Personal & Work Commitments 114

Ms. Mirian 120
Classroom Culture 120
Classroom Readiness 122
Classroom Opportunities to Connect 124
Personal & Work Commitments 130
Cross Case Classroom Analysis 135
Conclusion 145

Chapter Five – Discussion 146
Summary of Findings 147
Connection to Existing Literature 151
Implications for Practice 155
Future Research 160
Conclusion 163
References 167

Appendix A: Student Survey Protocol 185
Appendix B: Classroom Observation Protocol 186
Appendix C: Interview Protocol 187
Appendix D: Summary of Themes 188

STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

6
List of Figures
Figure 1.0 Social Learning Theory 34
Figure 2.0 Psychosociocultural Model 46
Figure 3.0 A Holistic Framework 56
Figure 4.0 Dropped Students 141

STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

7

Abstract

The purpose of this ethnographic study was to better understand the nature of student-faculty
interactions particularly between Latino/a students and part-time non-tenure track faculty
(NTTF) in an urban community college. A qualitative methodology provided an exploratory
approach that used classroom observation and interviewing techniques to examine part-time
NTTF working conditions as an important factor that may affect the academic progression of
Latino/a students. Social learning theory (SLT), and a psychosociocultural (PSC) model were
used as integrated frameworks to examine sociocultural factors that may affect classroom
experiences for Latino/a students and the nature of student-faculty interactions. Observations
within three introductory gatekeeper math courses and ongoing interviews with 3 part-time
NTTF and 11 Latino/a students permitted a better understanding of the culture in which student-
faculty relationships are formed. Among a host of important findings, this study found that some
student-faculty interactions mattered greatly as they created a social bridge that encouraged a
collective learning culture where students became further engaged in classroom experiences,
academic discourse, and the relevancy of math in their future educational endeavors. However,
part-time working conditions adversely affected classroom experiences, which also hindered
student-faculty interactions. The study concludes with implications for practice that addresses
how the current adjunct employment model as designed creates barriers for NTTF to perform at
optimal levels and help Latino/a students meet their academic goals.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

8
Chapter One: Latino/a Students Background

The Latino population has grown to be the largest ethnic minority group in the United
States (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010). Projections estimate that the Latino population will continue
to grow much faster than any other minority group well into the next decades (Passel, Cohn, &
López, 2011). In fact, some projections estimate that Latinos will make up one-third of the U.S.
population by 2050 (Martinez & Cervera, 2012). The success of Latinos in their educational
attainment is of immediate and long-term importance to the economic and social well-being of
American communities. Educational attainment for Latinos in higher education has received
national attention. In a recent State of the Union address, President Obama stated that:
Hispanics [Latinos] constitute the country’s largest and fastest -growing minority group.
They have had a profound and positive impact on our country through, among other
things, their community’s strong commitment to family, faith, hard work and service....
Our country was built on and continues to thrive on its diversity, and there is no doubt
that the future of the United States is inextricably linked to the future of the Hispanic
community.
Those invested in the educational, economic and social prosperity of the country realize that
steady growth and stability in the educational attainment of Latino/a students is vital to all
community members. According to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau, the highest concentrations of
Latinos reside in California. The most recent Census data suggests that 14 million Latinos are
residing in the state of California, and in Los Angeles alone, 4.7 million are already living within
local communities. Currently, Latinos are the largest ethnic group in Los Angeles County and
comprise sizable communities in neighboring cities. While the Latino population continues to be
one of the fastest growing minority groups in the state of California and in local communities,
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

9
their presence in higher education is not (Cavazos et al., 2010).
Latinos hold only 11.4% of bachelor’s degree in California (Perrakis & Hagedorn, 2010).
At the graduate level completion rates are even more daunting. Despite some recent
improvements, Latinos earn only 4% of master’s degrees, 5% of professional degrees, and only
3% of doctoral degrees (Nora & Crisp, 2009). Such dismal educational attainment and
tremendous demographic growth in local communities have urged educational leaders to
examine factors that may hinder the educational progress of Latino/a students in higher
education. For these reasons Latino/a students were selected to be the focal point of this study.
However, a primary starting point that leads Latinos to higher education starts at the community
college level (Jaeger & Eagan, 2009; Perrakis & Hagedorn, 2010; Thompson, 2001).
Latinos/as in Community Colleges

The community college serves as the primary entry point for the majority of Latinos
looking to pursue higher education (Martinez & Cervera, 2012; Nuñez, 2009; Pérez &
McDonough, 2008; Perrakis & Hagedorn, 2010). According to the National Center for Education
Statistics, there are 1,240 public two-year community colleges across the United States and
Latinos represent over 54% of the total student body. In other words, more than half of all
beginning college students in the U.S. are Latinos and they enter the higher education pipeline at
the community college level (Martinez & Fernandez, 2004). Considering the overrepresentation
of the Latino population in community colleges, examining the specific context of their
classroom experiences that may hinder or enhance their trajectory will be important to this study.
The focus of this study will take place in Los Angeles California where there is the
highest concentration of Latinos entering community colleges (Nuñez, 2009). Such high
concentration of Latino/a students in one place will serve as a perfect setting for this study. There
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

10
is a great need to better understand why Latino/s students are not achieving their educational
goals within community colleges when compared to enrollment rates. Therefore, a good starting
point to begin examining the trajectory of Latinos in higher education is the community college
system.
The Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) is known as an urban district
because of the high concentration of urban communities they serve. Students served are often
first in their families to attend college, economically disadvantaged and of minority decent
(Martinez & Cervera, 2012). There are 112 community colleges statewide, 9 of which reside
within the Los Angeles County. Five of the nine community colleges that are part of the LACCD
are Hispanic-serving institutions (HSI), which serve high numbers of Latino/a students. The
community college system serves approximately 3 million students per year and one-third of
students enrolled in California community colleges are estimated to be Latino/a students
(Perrakis & Hagedorn, 2010; Santos, 2004). In fact, researchers have found that Latino/a
students are far more likely to enroll in two-year community colleges than any other racial or
ethnic group (Dennis, Phinney & Chuateco, 2005; Lucero, Maes & Chopra, 2011; Martinez &
Fernández, 2004). Importantly, this makes Latino/a students considerably more likely to have
classes with non-tenure track faculty, which are also leading majorities at community colleges.
Therefore, the community college is the common pathway for low-income, first-generation, and
underrepresented students such as Latinos (Hagedorn & Cepeda, 2004; Martinez & Cervera,
2012; Sullivan, 2007).
Researchers have documented several reasons that Latino/a students are more likely to
attend community colleges (Martinez & Fernandez, 2004). The initial application process in
community colleges is an important factor for Latinos as they make decisions as first time or
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

11
often first generation college students (Dika & Singh, 2002; Tierney, 2009). Community college
applications are less tedious and encompass a single application with almost certain admission.
Student self-reports suggest that many Latino/a students simply choose the community college
system because it is easiest to get into (Nora & Crisp, 2009). In contrast, four-year universities
encompass three different tiers that include California State Universities (CSU), Universities of
California (UC), and private universities. Each system has different prerequisites and admission
requirements such as grade point averages (GPA), personal statements, and entrance exams.
Therefore, competitive high school GPAs and adequate preparation are strong predictors to
where high school seniors will apply toward their path to higher education (Santos, 2004). Thus,
straightforward features in the community college application process draw a higher
concentration of students with lower levels of academic preparation. Aside from a simplified
application and admissions process, Latino/a students also consider other important factors that
lead them toward community colleges.
When compared to universities, community colleges offer lower costs, flexible schedules,
availability to evening courses and proximity to home (Calaff, 2008; Lucero, Maes & Chopra,
2011). Latino/a students may view such notable features of the community college system as
important considerations when deciding where to start their college education. In addition, such
features in community colleges are of particular importance to Latino/a students since they are
most likely to work at least part-time to support themselves or assist the family (Dennis, Phinney
& Chuateco, 2005). Nuñez (2009) contends that family needs are often seen as more important
than individual needs in the Latino community. An important implication is that about 40% of
Latino families live below the federal poverty line, a crucial economic factor associated with
decisions that affect their choices of where to attend college (Stearns, Watanabe, & Snyder,
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

12
2002). All community colleges are vastly more affordable than any university system.
Self-report studies have found that Latino/a students consider distance from work and
home as important factors that determines where they will enroll for college (Cress, 2008;
Hurtado, Carter, & Spuler, 1996). Workloads may mean that students will have to find ways to
coordinate work schedules with class schedules. Such ongoing attempts of coordination can
become stressful considering that fewer classes are being offered due to budget cuts and
employers are often unable to provide flexible schedules. Thus, Latino/a students attending
community colleges face tremendous challenges as they seek to find ways to adjust to unfamiliar
college experiences while balancing workloads, family contributions, and academic
responsibilities (Castellanos & Gloria 2007; Gloria, Castellanos & Orozco, 2005).
The need to balance schoolwork with off-campus employment may significantly limit
students’ time to meet with professors during office hours or seek guidance from academic
counselors (Chaves, 2006). In addition, this may also suggest that Latino/a students are less
likely to become a part of student organizations that serve as social capital or research programs
that provide specific skills and experiences highly useful in universities. Most importantly, such
lack of exposure of campus life become barriers as Latino/a students become less likely to seek
mentors or role models to help guide their college experiences that shape decisions to pursue
higher education (Dougherty & Townsend, 2006). Lack of exposure of campus life may also
decrease the likelihood of developing teacher-student relationships and may put Latino/a
students at more noteworthy disadvantages (Chaves, 2006; Perrakis & Hagedorn, 2010). For
these reasons, classroom experience may be the only opportunities Latino/a students may have
for social integration.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

13
Although there are a great deal of factors mentioned above that affect Latino/a students’ college
choices and experiences, numerous researchers suggest that a significant factor being overlooked
in community colleges is a significant increase of non-tenure-track faculty (Jacoby, 2006; Jaeger
& Eagan, 2009; Thompson, 2001). Despite the many challenges that Latino/a students must face,
cultural supports and relationships have been found to have tremendous influence over their
academic progressions in higher education (Castellanos & Orozco, 2005; Nora & Crisp, 2009).
Cultural Values & Social Interactions
Studies show that cultural histories experienced in the home influence Latino/a students
in an academic setting ourdieu, 1 , re c onough, Rosales, 2006). Such
influences may affect how they learn, socialize, and integrate into the campus life, which may all
contribute to academic attainment (Chaves, 2006; Gloria & Castellanos, 2003; Hagedorn &
Cepeda, 2004). Literature that discusses the social and cultural characteristics of the Latino
population describes them as collective, interdependent and family oriented (Nuñez, 2009;
Pappamihiel & Moreno, 2011; Romero, Cuellar, & Roberts, 2000). Such cultural histories and
social interactions provide noteworthy implications that become critical to decisions that
Latino/a students make when making sense of current and future aspirations to pursue higher
education. Such implications call for an even greater need to better understand how Latino/a
students experience college and build relationships with professors, counselors, administrators,
and peers in an academic setting.
Studies show that parental support and encouragement have been found to help Latinos
pursue higher education (Dennis, Phinney & Chuateco, 2005). Specifically, parental educational
expectations, involvement in high school, and the college enrollment process were positive
predictors of Latinos bound for college (Nora & Crisp, 2009). In addition, familial support
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

14
especially reinforces the importance of college because family members may have not gotten the
opportunity to attend college themselves. Moreover, parents may understand first hand that lack
of education results in labor-intensive jobs with little pay. For Latino/a students, strong family
bonds form as parents communicate about past struggles that stem from lack of opportunities to
attend college. Such close-knit relationships are common in Latino communities (Pintrich, 2003).
Latino parents seem to provide very specific support for their first-time college bound children.
For example, parents provide emotional adjustment by providing constant encouragement and
instilling expectations that promote the importance of education (Dennis, Phinney & Chuateco,
2005).
Parents are often vocal about the opportunities that education provides, but are often
conflicted with not knowing specific processes and procedures that promote college readiness
(Nora & Crisp, 2009). These messages may encourage Latino/a students to reflect upon past
histories of family hardships brought upon by lack of education, and inspire them to purposefully
pursue higher education. Therefore professors, counselors, and peers are left to provide messages
that pertain to specific academic endeavors and career goals. To successfully navigate the college
adjustment process, it is likely that Latino/a students need both the social support from the
academic environment, and the familial and cultural supports coming from home (Gloria &
Castellanos, 2003).
Considerable research suggests that cultural values play a significant role in the academic
aspirations of Latino/a students (Carter, Yeh & Mazzula, 2008; Nora & Crisp 2009; Sue & Sue,
2002). Parents can serve as role models that teach their children valuable lessons about working
hard, honesty and respect for others. Parents also teach their children about truth, ethics, love,
fairness, and the importance and significance of family values. However, Latino parents may not
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

15
be able to serve as direct role models specific to ideologies and actions pertaining to college
preparation without some college experience themselves (Nauta & Kokaly, 2001). In fact, 26%
of Latino parents report having less than a high school diploma, 24% possess a high school
diploma, only 33% possess some college experience or have completed a bachelor’s degree, and
7% report having a master’s or doctoral degree U.S. epartment of Education, National Center
for Education Statistics, April 2013). The implications of these percentages are severe and
become a significant barrier to the current and future generations of college bound Latino/a
students.
Although Latino/a parents may be able to provide rich cultural and emotional support,
they may lack personal college experience, social networks, and specific experiences that are
needed to help their children navigate successfully through higher education. Simply, some
Latino/a parents do not have the personal experience needed to guide their children toward
college preparation and enrollment (Nora & Crisp, 2009). For instance, parents of first-
generation Latino/a students may not be equipped to anticipate specific questions about college
readiness in high school, time sensitive deadlines about the enrollment process, scholarships, or
the financial aid process. This is noteworthy as barriers emerge for Latino/a parents that
adamantly encourage their children to pursue a college education, but may not be unable to
provide specific strategies that will help their children overcome the unique challenges faced in
college. Therefore, it is important to consider the significance of social integration as a key factor
that contributes to academic achievements for Latino/a students once they have entered the
community college setting.
Toward the opposite end, Latino/a parents who have gone to college may be able to
personally help their children throughout the lengthy and possibly intimidating process of
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

16
applying and succeeding in college. Parents who possess experience in such important behaviors
that directly contribute to the college readiness and entrance process may significantly influence
whether their children feel confident enough to pursue their education in a four-year university.
Researchers agree that students’ motivation to attend college is influenced by parental college
experience (Dennis, Phinney & Chuateco, 2005; Pintrich, 2003). Indeed, cultural values
experienced in the home may impact how parents are involved and how their involvement affects
their children’s aspirations to pursue higher education. Once their children have decided to attend
college, social engagement will be important to the success of Latino/a students as they
experience new environments beyond their home.
Field and Schuller 1 7) suggest that students’ social interactions play a role in their
motivation to learn and develop practical skills in college. More importantly, students may also
treat their academic peers and learning as “as a function of identifiable social relationships” p.
17). Researchers believe that interacting with individuals that are relatable and that may have
similar cultural customs may help Latino/a students adjust during college transitions from high
school (Arbona & Nora, 2007; Hagedorn & Cepeda). Particularly, peer support has also found to
be closely related to social adjustment for Latinos in community colleges (Pintrich, 2003).
Through peer bonds, first generation college students can exchange notes, discuss lecture topics,
and study together for upcoming exams. These specific adaptive behaviors elicit resiliency
within Latino college students because they can develop protective cultural and social identities.
In turn, such protective identities can mediate the college adjustment process. This may suggest
that issues such as language, social experiences and culture do matter. Again, the importance of
social relationships emerge and function as protective supports that encourage academic
progress. Social networks provide opportunity for collaboration and grant access to academic
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

17
and personal resources (Dennis, Phinney & Chuateco, 2005; Nora & Crisp, 2009).
Such social memberships are often developed in academic institutions where students can
experience social ties that result in professional networks, resources, physical goods, and access
to intellectual capital that create a strong pipeline that may lead to graduate level degrees
(Coleman, 1988; McNeal, 1999). Researchers have found evidence suggesting that strong social
networks in college are important predictors of academic persistence for Latino/a students (Cole
& Espinoza, 2008; Fry, 2004; Nora & Crisp, 2009). Educational institutions in higher education
are the perfect breeding grounds that provide opportunities for the social exchange process to
occur. Particularly, Latino college students report developing a sense of belonging through social
cohesion that contributes to psychological health and academic motivation (Hurtado & Carter,
1997; Hurtado, Carter, & Spuler, 1996). The college adjustment process becomes more
manageable when Latino/a students report having social relationships that foster resources,
support, and encouragement (Nora & Crisp 2009; Sue & Sue, 2002). As such, these social
interactions affect persistence and academic achievement particularly for Latino/a students.
Another significant relationship that is developed in higher education is the relationship between
students and faculty. Researchers have found strong links between student-faculty interactions
and academic achievement (Hurtado & Carter, 1997; Hurtado, Carter, & Spuler, 1996; Kim &
Sax, 2009).
Student-Faculty Interactions
There are a host of factors that impact Latino/a student success such as family and peer
relationships, but one often overlooked is their relationship with faculty members. Therefore,
student-faculty interactions between Latino/a students and non-tenure track faculty (NTTF) are
central to this study. According to Nora and Crisp (2009) once Latino/a students enter an
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

18
educational institution of higher learning, professors play a significant role in their academic
achievements. Studies have documented the significance of faculty interactions with Latino/a
students and the potential of these interactions to prevent or propel academic undertakings
(Hurtado, Milem, Clayton-Pedersen, & Allen, 1998; Kuh, 1995). Researchers agree that the
interactions between Latino/a students and their professors are a key element to academic
achievement rint Karabel, 1 Cohen rawer, 1 Fry, ). Students’ academic
development appears to be intricately linked with how they interact with their learning
environment. For example, Thompson (2001) found that as formal interactions increased
between community college students and their professors so too did students’ academic efforts.
Such interactions may entail asking questions before, during or after class for clarification or
feedback of assignments, and approaching professors during office hours for further discussion
of topics discussed in class (Kim & Sax, 2009). These help seeking behaviors seem to mediate
the difference between problem solving alone and burnout, and cooperation with professors that
can reduce stress (Crisp & Cruz, 2009).
Other studies have found that student-faculty interactions impact aspects of students’
confidence toward academic tasks and their self-concept (Boulter, 2002; Cole, 2007; Kuh, 1995).
Studies found that increased interactions that pertained to academic content increased students’
intellectual development (Endo & Harpel, 1982; Pascarella & Terenzini, 1980). Findings suggest
that student-faculty interactions also increase students’ commitment toward their educati onal
institution (Strauss & Volkwein, 2004). In addition, students who excel in the community college
setting report having close relationships with peers and high levels of interaction with faculty
members (Barnett, 2007; Cotton & Wilson, 2006; Kim & Sax, 2009; Thompson, 2001). All of
these interactions result in student persistence and academic progress. The goal is to find an
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

19
effective path to student-faculty collaboration, adequate preparation, and degree completion.
However, such paths may experience setbacks that foster low transfer rates to four-year
universities. Although there may many contributing factors that affect college experiences,
particularly for Latino/a students, numerous researchers suggest that the significant shift of
faculty in community colleges may be a significant factor (Jacoby, 2006; Jaeger & Eagan, 2009;
artine Fern nde , 4 Nora & Crisp, 2009; Thompson, 2001). Such disproportionate
changes may contribute to unintentional outcomes for Latino student in their community college
experiences.
The traditional composition of tenure track faculty has significantly shifted to
predominately non-tenure track faculty (NTTF). In fact, about two-thirds of all higher education
professorate in the United States are NTTF (Gappa et al., 2007; Schuster & Finkelstein, 2006).
Researchers contend that the need for such trends emerged to compensate for state and
nationwide fiscal budget cuts in the community college setting (Baldwin & Chronsiter, 2001;
Jacoby, 2006). Departmental deans are still being called upon to balance budgets and provide
adequate counts of teaching faculty while dealing with decreased resources (Baldwin &
Chronsiter, 2001; Cross & Goldenberg, 2009; Kezar, 2012; Thedwall, 2008;). Although, NTTF
bring in a variety of expertise and flexibility to the department, significant implications arise that
may not have been accounted for. Mounting research argues that inequitable NTTF working
conditions, particularly for part-timers, are an important factor to consider when examining such
implications that may also affect classroom experiences and students (Baldwin & Chronsiter,
2001; Cross & Goldenberg, 2009; Kezar, 2012). While educational leaders are being forced to
deal with mass budget cuts, they have neglected to consider the potential long-term impact of
part-time NTTF on all students, but particularly Latino/a students who already experience
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

20
significant challenges in the community college sector.
Tenure-track faculty appointments usually resemble a traditional model that encompasses
scholarly work in research development, administrative and departmental responsibilities,
teaching assignments, and the overall progress of the students they serve (Ehrenberg & Zhang,
2005; Jaeger & Eagan, 2009). Tenured faculties are granted professional autonomy,
opportunities for professional growth and job security (Baldwin & Chronister, 2001; Schuster &
Finkelstein, 2006). Such secure and stable working conditions provide tenured professors with
time and opportunities to get more involved within their departments, on campus and with their
students. Students are able to take more than one class with a specific professor and develop a
relationship that fosters mutual respect, ongoing intellectual conversations, and ensuing
academic achievements (Baldwin & Chronister, 2001; Carrell & West, 2010). Toward the
opposite end, scholars believe that part-time NTTF are experiencing significant differences that
add obstacles for these faculty members and the students they serve (Baldwin & Chronsiter,
2001; Cross & Goldenberg, 2009; Kezar, 2012).
Particularly in community colleges there is a significant dependence on part-time non-
tenure track faculty. Recent estimates suggest that over 65% of NTTF hold part-time
appointments (Jaeger & Eagan, 2009). Other notable differences include temporary teaching
appointments, lack of office space, and unfavorable benefits and salaries (Baldwin &
Wawrzynski, 2011; Gappa et al., 2007; Kezar, 2012). Such working conditions do not foster
faculty involvement or opportunities for collaboration aimed at continuous improvements that
ultimately benefit the students. Significant concerns arise, particularly for part-time NTTF, as
they are much less likely to spend time on campus and interact with students (Levin, 2007). As a
result, Latino/a students may have much less time to develop academic relationships that have
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

21
been found to increase academic persistence and pursuits toward advanced degrees (Levin,
Kater, & Wagoner, 2006; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005; Phillippe, 2000).
Due to part-time appointments, NTTF have much more difficulties holding consistent
office hours and maintaining availability for their students, which impact opportunities for
purposeful contact such as academic discourse with students (Kezar & Sam, 2010; Pascarella &
Terenzini, 2005). Lack of time on campus also creates obstacles for ongoing professional
dialogue to exist between tenure-track faculty and non-tenured track faculty (Kezar & Sam,
2010; Jacoby, 2006). In addition, NTTF are likely to constantly commute from one campus to
another due to part-time teaching assignments (Cross & Goldenberg, 2009). Such travel time
may significantly decrease the availability that NTTF have to prepare for class, collaborate with
other faculty members or meet with students. Therefore, it is important to consider how part-time
working conditions for NTTF can affect their performance and subsequent classroom
experiences that are shared with students.
Particularly to Latino/a students, less availability may mean fewer opportunities to build
meaningful relationships that have been found to result in academic progress (Pascarella &
Terenzini, 2005). For faculty members who do hold consistent office hours throughout the
semester, compensation is not provided (Anderson, 2002). Often times, teaching appointments
for part-time NTTF are given on a per semester basis. Relatively no commitments to rehire may
lead to uncertainty and subsequent high turnover rates. Importantly, this makes developing
rapport with professors off the tenured track difficult to do for Latino/a students. Part-time NTTF
that take on last minute scheduling may lead to less time to get acquainted with course books,
syllabi and preparation for course assignments (Gappa & Leslie, 1993).
Substantial research suggests that there are many factors outside the classroom such as
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

22
planning and continuous preparations that contribute to teacher effectiveness within the
classroom setting (Cox & Orehovec, 2007; Middaugh, 2009; Scheeler, 2007). Decisions that
affect academic improvements such as ongoing departmental meetings, discussions regarding
book choice and course structure are all activities that also occur outside the classroom.
Researchers point out that NTTF may not take part in such activities due to working conditions
(Cross & Goldenberg, 2009). Such lack of participation for NTTF may hinder their ability to
become familiar with book concepts and activities that can serve as instructional tools for their
students. Also, lack of departmental interactions may keep NTTF uninformed and prevent them
from communicating with their students about programs, services, research opportunities, or
campus activities that help students integrate into the culture of the college. Most importantly,
such lack of information due to an inconsistent presence on campus may give NTTF fewer
reasons to interact with their students or initiate conversations about resources and guidance that
encourage academic involvement and progress.
Advising opportunities are also lost and Latino/a students may be less likely to build
relationships with their professors that are off the tenured track. Less integration into the campus
culture may not only affect NTTF, but also the students they serve. In fact, studies find that
student exposure to part-time faculty members decreases the likelihood of students earning an
associate’s degree and the probability of transferring to a four -year institution (Jaeger & Eagan,
2009; Martinez & Fernandez, 2004). To further, a study conducted by Yosso and Solorzano
(2006) found that Latino/a students reported that positive interactions with faculty members were
a major reason for transferring to four-year universities. However, those who reported no
interactions with faculty were less likely to accomplish their academic aspirations. As such, these
findings suggest that NTTF play an important role in the classroom context that affect the
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

23
trajectory of Latino/a students in community colleges. Adequate support will come from many
contributing factors, but the current significant shift in NTTF may not contribute to helping
Latino/a students meet their own academic aspirations and surpass community colleges to pursue
degrees in four-year universities (Chapa & De La Rosa, 2004; Martinez & Cervera, 2012).
Perhaps an important place to examine the interactions of NTTF and Latino/a students is
in Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI). As mentioned earlier in the chapter, five of the nine
community colleges that are part of the Los Angeles Community College District are HSIs. This
reality highlights the importance of examining community colleges that are particularly HSIs.
These types of community colleges can provide an ideal backdrop to better understand
interactions between part-time NTTF and Latino/a students for two reasons. First, community
colleges that are HSIs serve as critical gateways to higher education for substantial amounts of
Latino/a students (Laden, 2004). Because of federal grants and recognition of their importance,
HSIs may be better equipped to improve the educational achievements for Latino/a students
(Contreras, Malcom & Bensimon, 2008). Moreover, as the Latino/a population continues to
grow, the number of HSIs is also likely to increase to serve as supports. However, little is known
about the nature or quality of interactions between Latino/a students and the teaching faculty
who lead the classroom environment in HSIs. Second, considering that the majority of teaching
appointments in higher education are held by NTTF, it is also expected that NTTF are the
majority in HSIs. This not only suggests that NTTF teach the majority of all students, but that
they teach the majority of Latino/a students in HSI settings. Therefore, further examination into
HSIs that house considerable amounts of NTTF and Latino/a students is warranted.

STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

24
Hispanic Serving Institutions
Community colleges that serve as Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) have provided
Latino/a students with some support (Dennis, Phinney & Chuateco, 2005; Perrakis & Hagedorn,
2010; Stearns, Watanabe, & Snyder, 2002). Laden (2004) defined Hispanic Serving Institutions
as “accredited degree -granting, public or private, nonprofit colleges and universities with 25% or
more total undergraduate Hispanic student enrollment” p.1 ). Importantly, HSI full -time
students must account for at least 25% Latino/a students, and at least 50% of those students must
qualify as low income (Perrakis & Hagedorn, 2010). HSIs were intended to help grant better
access and resources to Latino/a students pursuing higher education (Crisp, Nora, & Taggart,
2009). Considering the high concentration of Latino/a students in the Los Angeles Community
College District that are HSIs, such educational institutions are suitable places to investigate
classroom experiences that may impact the educational pathway of Latino/a students. Therefore,
the present study intends to utilize a community college that meets HSI criterion to examine the
nature of student-faculty interactions.
Studies suggest that Hispanic-serving Institutions (HSI) have a positive influence on the
experiences of Latino/a students who study there (Santiago, 2006; Stearns, Watanabe, & Snyder,
2002). Particular in community colleges in California, researchers have found that Latino/a
students are more likely to graduate or transfer to a four-year college when compared to students
that do not attend an HSI (Laden, Hagedorn, & Perrakis 2008). Specifically, HSIs provide grants
that are designated for faculty development, curriculum development, improvement in
counseling programs, and mentoring programs that target first generation minority students
(Laden, 2004). Such programs serve as student services that may be helpful for those students
with low socioeconomic status or for those with low academic preparation (Stearns, Watanabe,
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

25
& Snyder, 2002). Due to the significant growth of Latino/a students, more community colleges
are expected to reach HSI status in the coming years (Santiago & Andrade, 2010). Aside from
financial and academic support found in HSIs, Latinos may also have social supports that help
their adjustment in the community college.
Researchers have noted that Latino/a teaching faculty, counselors and administrators are
more likely to hold positions at HSIs when compared to traditional community colleges that are
not HSIs (Laden, 2001). A wide range of research has documented the significant influence that
faculty and counselors may contribute to students as role models (Castro, 2006; Chaves, 2006;
Crisp, 2010; Crisp & Cruz, 2009; Gloria & Castellanos, 2003; Hagedorn & Cepeda, 2004).
Perhaps Latino/a students are better able to relate to Latino/a faculty or perceive such faculty
members as approachable because of shared histories or experiences (Crisp & Cruz, 2009;
Dayton, Gonzalez-Vasquez, Martinez, & Plum, 2004). While being a Latino faculty member
certainly does not mean or ensure that he or she is better equipped to serve Latino/a students, it
may imply faculty members are simply more likely to understand issues that are relevant to
Latino/a students. Having a Latino background is not a prerequisite to help Latino/a students
reach academic achievements, but studies show that Latino/a faculty are more likely to take part
in culturally responsive teaching and practices that support Latino/a students (Crisp & Cruz,
2009; Laden, 2001).
Problem Statement

Community colleges serve as a primary pathway to four-year universities, professional
careers and economic prosperity for Latino/a students (Chapa & De La Rosa, 2004). While the
main intent for Latino/a students is to transfer to four-year universities, less than a quarter of
Latino/a students who start their educational careers at a community college actually transfer
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

26
(Crisp, 2010). Rather than leading toward higher education, community colleges seem to become
an unfavorable route leading Latino/a students away from pursuing higher education. In fact,
Latinos/as hold only 11.4% of bachelor’s degrees in California errakis Hagedorn, 1 ). At
the graduate level completion rates are even more concerning. Latinos/as earn only 4% of
master’s degrees, 3% of doctoral degrees, and only 5% of professional degrees (Nora & Crisp,
2009). The problem becomes more urgent when one considers that the significant disparities in
achievement may later contribute to fewer options in career choice, lower salaries, substandard
living conditions and an inability to become contributing members of society (Lucero, Maes &
Chopra, 2011).
Latino/a students looking to pursue higher education are often found struggling, taking
four to six years to transfer, or eventually dropping out (Cavazos et al., 2010; Lucero, Maes &
Chopra, 2011; Nora & Crisp, 2009; Perrakis & Hagedorn, 2010). Because Latino/a students
represent such a high rate of the total population of urban community colleges, it is unlikely that
transfer, graduation rates or reform efforts can significantly increase without examining factors
that may affect the Latino/a students inside the classroom. Significant efforts are being made that
examine factors that affect Latino/a students, but one significant factor often overlooked is their
interactions with part-time NTTF. Teaching faculty within these two-year educational
institutions play key roles in ensuring that Latino/a students achieve their academic goals.
However, NTTF at community colleges are experiencing many challenges of their own.
Considering that 70% of teaching faculty at community colleges are NTTF, their
significant growth makes them a key element that will contribute to the educational pursuits of
Latino/a students (Jaeger & Eagan, 2009). Researchers are aware of the significant shifts, but not
completely informed of the affects that such changes may have in the classroom with students.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

27
To further, considerable literature has documented the significance of faculty interactions with
Latino/a students and the potential of these interactions to influence academic achievements
(Fry, 2002; Hurtado, Milem, Clayton-Pedersen, & Allen, 1998; Kuh, 1995). However, NTTF
may be unable to play their part in developing such important interactions because of barriers
that make professional development, departmental cohesion, and job security difficult to obtain.
Researches have argued that faculty working conditions may significantly affect students
learning conditions (Benjamin, 2003; Kezar & Sam, 2009; Curtis and Jacoby, 2006; Umbach,
2007). There is great need to understand how such working conditions may affect the ability to
build academic relationships with Latino/a students.
Community colleges must critically evaluate how relationships between Latino/a students
and their professors play a role in determining why so few Latino/a students are achieving their
educational goals. Nowhere are these issues more relevant and significant than in the context of
the community college where the population of Latinos/as continues to rise, but their transfer and
graduation rates are not (Perrakis & Hagedorn, 2010). If educational researchers are going to
leverage the conditions that affect Latino/a students’ academic attainment, understanding the
interactions that take place in the classroom with NTTF will be essential. More specifically,
examining such interactions between Latino/a students and part-time NTTF in gatekeeper math
courses will also be crucial to the progression of Latino/a students in higher education.
Researchers estimate that 25% of first-year college students withdraw from the
community college because they do not feel that they can successfully complete required
gatekeeper courses (Eagan & Jaeger, 2008). Particularly for Latino/a students, gatekeeper math
courses are a critical barrier that appears to keep them away from pursuing higher education. To
fully develop the strength and vitality of STEM fields in the United States a critical focus must
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

28
be placed on the educational pathway that allows Latino/a students to successfully pursue such
fields. Exploring classroom experiences that focus on introductory gatekeeper math courses
where students are first forming impressions of math at the college level can be a good starting
point to better understand how Latino/a students make decisions about pursuing STEM fields.
Importantly, lack of understanding of student-faculty relationship within these courses may
significantly affect the trajectory of Latino/a students in higher education. As such, the nature of
interactions between part-time NTTF and Latino/a students within gatekeeper math course was
the focus of this study.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this ethnographic study is to observe and better understand the social
interactions between Latino/a students and part-time NTTF in the classroom setting. In addition,
qualitative interviews will be conducted to hear how students and faculty members describe the
characteristics of these interactions. This study attempts to better understand how NTTF working
conditions may not only affect work performance, but also their interactions with Latino/a
students. The goal is to better understand the factors that contribute to student-faculty
interactions in order to provide Latinos/as with opportunities to enhance their education in a
community college setting and go onto four-year universities. Identifying such factors may
reveal practices that break down barriers and create practical solutions that contribute to the
community as a whole. To date, no studies have investigated how student-faculty interactions
within gatekeeper math courses affect academic progress of Latino/a students within urban
community colleges.

STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

29
Research Question
The primary research question that will be examined is: How do NTTF interact with
Latino/a students in gatekeeper math courses at an urban community college? The primary
objectives to this research study are to a) examine the nature of the social interactions between
Latino/a students and part-time NTTF in an urban community college setting; b) examine the
role of part-time working conditions for NTTF that may affect classroom experiences and
subsequent student-faculty interactions; c) shed light on how such interactions may affect the
academic progress of Latino/a students within gatekeeper math courses; and d) reveal ways in
which educational leaders can adapt and equip faculty members to increase effective
collaboration with Latino/a students to improve transfer to four-year universities and graduation
rates. Increasing Latino/a academic achievement in community colleges will depend on the
ability to provide empirical evidence for best practices within particular issues that relate to
interactions between NTTF and Latino/a students in an urban community college.
Significance of Study
The significance of this study will come from providing new perspectives and promising
practices to educators and decision makers at existing and emerging community colleges that are
actively pursuing new ways to enhance learning experiences for Latino/a students. Such learning
experiences can translate into higher transfer rates to four-year universities, graduate degrees,
better career choice, and an ability to become contributing members of society. Part-time NTTF
will play a vital role in such progressions for Latino/a. In fact, educational scholars have noted
that the educational attainment of Latino/a students is strongly linked to their experiences with
NTTF in community colleges (Jacoby, 2006; Jaeger & Eagan, 2009; Nora & Crisp, 2009;
Thompson, 2001). Further examining and enhancing the strong presence of part-time NTTF may
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

30
mediate the challenges that Latino/a students face in community colleges that often serve to
prepare them to enter four-year educational institutions. Researchers have documented the
significance of student-faculty interactions and the likelihood of such interactions to stimulate
positive academic achievements (Fry, 2002; Hurtado, Milem, Clayton-Pedersen, & Allen, 1998;
Kuh, 1995). Social relationships have also been linked to academic progress in Latino/a students
(Gloria, Castellanos & Orozco, 2005; Gloria & Rodriguez, 2000). Though not all Latino/a
students may seek or need social interactions with faculty, it is important to examine the benefits
of such interactions for those who choose them in efforts to enhance their educational
experiences. Exploring how these social interactions are formed and potentially progress into
added opportunities to successfully navigate through academic challenges have much
significance to the academic trajectory of Latino/a students. Therefore, this study seeks to
provide new insights about the impact of student-faculty interactions in a community college
classroom setting.
The success of Latinos in their educational pursuits is of immediate and long-term
importance to the economic and social prosperity of national and local communities. Perhaps
new insights and promising practices may emerge that may help educators better serve and
support Latino/a students through the higher education pipeline. Such promising practices may
help advance the flow of knowledge and skills that enrich educational experiences for Latino/a
students who strive to excel and become contributing members of society. Also, this study may
help better understand the drastic shifts in NTTF and Latino/a students in community colleges to
adjust and reshape the current and future workforce. Examining the students’ educational
experiences in a social context may help gain better understanding over sociocultural aspects of
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

31
learning that Latino/a students have been found to value (Gloria, Castellanos & Orozco, 2005;
Gloria & Rodriguez, 2000).
The following literature review will provide a theoretical framework that argues for the
need to better understand the link between Latino/a students and NTTF through a social learning
lens. In addition, a psychosociocultural framework will be introduced that takes into account the
cultural values of Latino/a students. For the purposes of this dissertation, I will focus on better
understanding the nature of interactions between Latinos/as and NTTF within the community
college setting. The goal is to contribute to literature that seeks to provide a better understanding
and path that leads to purposeful student-faculty collaboration, adequate preparation, and degree
completion for Latino/a students. Perhaps, researching these issues will allow community
colleges to adjust to the high enrollment rates of Latino/a students and ensure that there is an
equal and diverse flow of students entering the pipeline leading to higher education.
Chapter Two: Literature Review
In view of the changing educational climate for Latino/a students and non-tenure track
faculty, a closer look into their interactions is warranted. The purpose of this study is to better
understand the nature of interactions between Latino/a students and part-time NTTF in a
community college setting. Such interactions can shed light on the impact and interdependencies
that may exist and important implications that affect both NTTF and Latino/a students. In this
study, the literature review is divided into two main parts. The first section will introduce social
learning theory as a theoretical framework that relates to the social context in which student-
faculty interactions are formed. The second section will introduce a psychosociocultural
framework to support the significance of student-faculty interactions that incorporates a
sociocultural lens that relates particularly to Latino/a students.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

32
More specifically, the SLT framework in the first section will provide an integrative
perspective that orchestrates personal, behavioral and environmental factors that may contribute
to the development of social interactions between NTTF and Latino/a students (Bandura, 1986).
The SLT framework will describe student-faculty interactions as reciprocal interactions. In
addition, the significance of observational experiences and vicarious learning to student-faculty
interactions will also be described. Lastly, the role and importance that NTTF play in facilitating
the academic environment will be examined. Although SLT provides an extensive understanding
of the social interactions that contribute to the learning process, it does not account for cultural
experiences that have been found to be particularly important to the Latino population
(Castellanos & Gloria, 2007).
The second section will bring forth a psychosociocultural framework that validates
Latino/a students intellectually, socially and culturally (Gloria & Rodriguez, 2000). Such
validations highlight the importance of mentorships that can contribute to a better understanding
and development of student-faculty interactions. The sociocultural challenges that Latino/a
student face in higher education will also be discussed as they may create unintended barriers
with their educational institution and NTTF. Lastly, this section will present cultural responsive
teaching as a tool that may create a pathway for NTTF and Latino/a students to develop
meaningful academic relationship that may enhance the community college educational pipeline.
The challenges that arise for NTTF will also be addressed as these challenges also affect their
interactions with students. Overall, the goal is to better understand the context in which it is
possible to examine how social interactions are initiated and sustained in an academic
environment where the objective is meaningful learning, academic progression and degree
attainment.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

33
Social Learning Theory
The social learning theory (SLT) perspective conceptualizes student-faculty interactions
as a social, integrated and interactive process that fosters the development of academic
relationships (Bandura, 1980). Within this view, Bandura (1986) emphasizes that much learning
takes place in a social context. Numerous educational scholars argue that learning is seen as
more than acquiring knowledge from others. Rather, learning is seen as a process of social
participation where the situation and environment impacts learning (Kim & Sax, 2007; Lave &
Wenger, 1991; Lundberg & Schreiner, 2004). Uniquely, social learning theory takes into account
behavioral, cognitive and environmental factors that shape the context in which social learning
occurs (Bandura, 1980). A significant feature of SLT is that all factors influence each other in
reciprocal and bidirectional ways. Prior theories seemed to have provided incomplete
perspectives that provide purely behavioral (Skinner, 1976), purely cognitive (Weiner, 1985), or
purely social (Homans, 1974) approaches that attempt to better understand behavior within an
academic context. By contrast SLT perspective takes into account personal, environmental and
behavioral factors that are influenced by interactive social interactions.
andura’s social learning model places considerable emphasis on the relationship
between person, environment and behaviors (Bandura, 1986). Within the context of this study
the person is viewed as the student or NTTF. Students are believed to bring to the classroom
prior knowledge and existing skills derived from internal cognitive and affective processes
(Bandura, 1986; Gloria & Rodriguez, 2000). Substantial studies assert that sociocultural
practices and values shape student’s prior knowledge and existing skills Gloria, Castellanos
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

34
Behavior
Actions & Existing Skills

Person Environment
Internal Competencies: External Influences:
Cognitive & Affective Professors & Classroom

Orozco, 2005). The environment
1
is representative of the classroom environment shared by
students, peers, and NTTF. Importantly, NTTF create and utilize the classroom environment to
immerse students into the learning process. Finally, behavior represents the actions derived from
the interactions between the student and classroom environment. Figure 1.0 illustrates the
reciprocal and bidirectional relationship to one another. While these personal, environmental and
behavioral interactions have been shown to impact students in many ways, a significant factor
that is often overlooked is the relational aspect to one another within the classroom setting.

Figure 1.0
Against this backdrop, relational aspects between faculty and students have the potential
to encourage or discourage academic performance and attainment for all students. That is,
academic discourse and interaction are social elements important to learning. However, it is
important that both participants add respective meaning to such interactions. Considerable
studies have found positive associations between student-faculty interactions and educational
achievements (Anaya & Cole, 2001; Gasiewski et al., 2012; Lundberg & Schreiner, 2004;
Strayhorn, ). Such positive associations are not merely a result of student’s affective,
cognitive, and behavioral characteristics alone, but rather environmental factors fostered by
professors that influence these positive associations (Crittenden, 2005). A significant strength of
social learning theory as a framework is that it has particular features that may help explain the

1
The “environment” may include other areas of the college campus. However, the classroom
will be the primary focal point of this study.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

35
social and symbolic nature of student-faculty interactions. While these faculty-student
interactions have shown to impact students in many ways, a social learning perspective views
observational or vicarious experiences, and symbolic processes as important features that are
mediated by students-faculty interactions. These features are particularly important because they
may help explain the advantages and significance of student-faculty interactions.
Student-Faculty Interactions as Reciprocal Interactions
The SLT framework conceptualizes students as driven by personal, behavioral and
environmental conditions that have continuous reciprocal effects on one another (Bandura 1977;
1980). Accordingly, within the SLT framework students are not viewed as passive recipients of
information within the classroom setting. Rather, it is through an ongoing and active exchange of
interactions and information that learning occurs (Kuh & Hu, 2001;Weidman, 2006). Moreover,
this view suggests that learning is a result of the interactions between what students bring to the
classroom and the environment facilitated by their professors (Lundberg & Schreiner, 2004;
Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005). Therefore, the relationships that emerge from ongoing student-
faculty interactions may play a critical role in academic progress for Latino/a students.
A large body of literature has linked positive student outcomes to student-faculty
interaction such as aspirations to pursue graduate studies (Hathaway et al. 2002), academic
persistence (Castellanos & Gloria, 2007; Pascarella & Terenzini, 1980), social integration and
adjustment, (Schwitzer et al. 1999), and learning (Bandura, 1980, 1986; Lundberg & Schreiner
2004). In addition, significant predictors of academic success in higher education such as grade-
point-average have linked positive student outcomes to student-faculty interaction (Bean & Kuh,
1984; Cole 2007). Although many efforts are being made to better understand the factors that
contribute to advancements within the community college pipeline for Latino/a students,
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

36
insufficient progressions indicate that past approaches are not working.
Both students and faculty share codependent responsibilities in the classroom (Pascarella
& Terenzini, 2005). Students are bestowed with the responsibility to get involved by being
attentive and maintaining active engagement with class discussions. The goal is to become part
of the learning process. Accordingly, faculty must also demonstrate content knowledge and an
array of instructional tools to convey complex concepts in comprehendible ways (Pascarella &
Terenzini, 2005). For instance, lectures alone are passive learning experiences whereas class
discussions are considered collaborative social learning experiences where both students and
faculty have more opportunities to interact, add meaning to interactions, and further stimulate
academic discourse (Bandura, 1986; Nuthall, 2004). Creating the right balance is difficult to do,
but possessing a multitude of instructional strategies that involve and increase interactions with
students may permit more opportunities for students to become more engaged (Cornelius-White,
2007). Therefore, experiences that support the learning process are dependent on both faculty
and students.
Within the classroom context, Latino/a students have ample opportunities to observe
NTTF. However, within the social learning context, NTTF and students interact in a
reciprocating social context that facilitates the learning process (Bandura, 1980; Pascarella,
Terenzini, & Hibel, 1978). NTTF serve as primary socialization agents that lead the classroom
by providing implicit and explicit knowledge that can direct their students toward academic
achievement (Jaeger & Eagan, 2009). In this view, interactions that result in academic
progressions or setbacks for students can be viewed as socially structured events jointly
constructed by both sides. Researchers highlight the significance of socializations by suggesting
that cognitive and affective elements within the environment mediate educational outcomes such
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

37
as academic persistence and the pursuit of degree completion (Weidman, 2006). Toward this
end, the social learning aspect of student-faculty interactions may permit students to learn course
content within the classroom and observe subtle lessons that influence academic endeavors that
are not always conveyed through curriculum (Bordes & Arredondo, 2005; Cox & Orehovec,
2007; Cox, McIntosh, Terenzini, Reason & Quaye, 2010; Lamport, 1993). For instance, such
subtle lessons may relate to critical thinking, problem solving, persistence and coping skills that
are all important to the academic environment, but rarely taught through curriculum. Thus,
observational experiences, which are an important element to social learning, can serve to
transfer this type of knowledge onto students.
Observational Experiences
In adding the social element to learning, Bandura (1991) argued that people learn new
information and behaviors by observing other people. Bandura (1986) states, “Of the many cues
that influence behavior, at any point in time, none is more common than the actions of others”
(pg. 87). Although the nature of observation is seemingly passive, its influence and effectiveness
on learning is impactful as learners, faculty, and the environment continuously interact and affect
one another in complex and dynamic ways. Such conditions include student-faculty relationships
that are believed to be a critical factor in the learning process (Gloria, Castellanos & Orozco,
2005). In essence, Bandura believed that direct reinforcement could not account for all types of
learning (1980). Instead, Bandura coined the concept of observational learning to describe
learning that takes place through observing models. Such observations contextualized within the
classroom setting can be viewed as the underlying foundation for student-faculty interactions.
Moreover, the observational lens links the relational aspects of NTTF and Latino/a students as
their continuous presence in the classroom permits abundant opportunities interact.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

38
The link between teaching and learning is not a direct relationship (Ball & Lampert,
1999; Copper & McIntyre, 1996; Nuthall, 2004). Professors may explain or demonstrate
concepts that may not result in learning if students are not attentive to the concepts being
presented (Nuthall, 2004). Students must still encode the information as important or relevant
and act on new knowledge. According to andura’s social learning theory, attention, retention,
reproduction and motivation are specific processes that must take place to foster effective
learning through the observation of models. First, an individual must become attentive to the
behaviors or the model. Focus is more likely to take place when models are relatable to the
observer. Second, the individual must be able to remember the details of the behaviors observed.
Here, students would presumably have the opportunity to encode specific information as
important and store for future use. Third, individuals must reproduce the behavior to develop a
particular skill through practice. Whether active or experiential learning, instructional strategies
on the part of faculty play a key role in the way they model and demonstrate content that is clear
enough for students to understand and develop through practice to acquire a new skill.
The last process that must take place to foster effective learning is motivation, which must be
present to drive current and future desire to pursue a task. For example, faculty can seek to
present content in engaging ways that appeal content in social and culturally relevant everyday
experience to motivate students (Moll & Greenberg, 1990).
From the students’ perspective, the desire or application of learning in future instances
will depend on their ability to find value in the content presented and the relationships built
within the classroom setting. However, such relationships require that faculty leading the
classroom make an effort to get to know their students. Importantly, these four cognitive and
affective processes are derived from the social exchanges between students and faculty. Relative
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

39
to this study attention, retention, reproduction and motivation are interconnected with student-
faculty interactions in the classroom where NTTF directly serve as models and Latino/a students
serve as observers. Each process requires that the student and faculty interact, whether
cognitively or actively, in order for effective learning to take place.
Social interactions that facilitate observational learning provide learners with
opportunities to transform observed activities into meaningful symbols that permit reflective
thought and means through which they can better understand their educational environment.
Bandura (1986) states:
The remarkable capacity to use symbols, which touches virtually every aspect of
people’s lives, provides them with a powerful means of altering and adapting to their
environment. Through symbols people process and transform transient experiences into
internal models that serve as guides for future actions. Through symbols they similarly
give meaning, form, and continuance to the experiences they have lived through (p. 18).
For students, such symbolic representations add to self-regulating and goal oriented capacities
that foster mastery oriented behaviors that contribute to academic progression (Locke, Frederick,
Lee & Bobko, 1984). Considering that behavior is both influenced by both self-generated and
external sources, students can develop intentional and problem-solving strategies that buffer
environmental challenges (Bandura & Wood, 1989). Hence, understanding the relational context
in which learning occurs has important bearings on NTTF as models and Latino/a students as
observers.
Vicarious Learning
An important implication about social learning is that it also occurs through inaction or in
the absence of direct stimulation (Bandura, 1997). Although there are other significant ways in
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

40
which we learn, vicarious learning is of great significance because it’s easy, most common a nd
can even occur unknowingly (Bandura, 1997). The observational dimension was described as
vicarious reinforcement that suggests that students can learn or become influenced by the mere
presence and observation of other people’s behaviors, or by observing how other people’s
behaviors are punished, ignored or rewarded (Bandura, 1986). Simply put, people learn by
observing others or vicarious experiences. Although simple, research suggests that this is one of
the most common and powerful ways in which we learn from people around us (Bandura, 1997).
Based on this notion, learning by experience or observation can greatly impact the occurrence of
that behavior in the future (Bandura, 1986).
Vicarious learning has important implications for informal student-faculty interactions.
Aside from direct instructional exchanges, interactions between students and faculty outside the
classroom have been found to improve academic performance (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005). In
fact, numerous researchers have found that informal student-faculty interactions outside the
classroom that include academic advisement, mentorship, and the development of personal
bonds contribute to positive academic student outcomes (Bordes & Arredondo, 2005; Cox &
Orehovec, 2007; Cox, McIntosh, Terenzini, Reason & Quaye, 2010; Gloria, Castellanos, &
Orozco, 2005; Lamport, 1993). This may suggest that new patterns of functional behavior can be
acquired in the absence of direct external reinforcement or direct reward suggesting that students
can pay attention to what others do, and replicate their actions (Bandura, 1980).
Informal interactions outside the classroom may revolve around academic progress,
upcoming assignments, career plans or future aspirations about degree attainment (Pascarella &
Terenzini, 1991). Common interests may lead to additional intellectual discussions or deeper
conversations about personal well-being or obstacles that impede academic progressions (Cox &
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

41
Orehovec, 2007). Interestingly, the mere presence of NTTF in academia suggests that they were
once college students that had to experience and surpass the same issues that their current
students are experiencing. Potentially students can vicariously learn and benefit from challenges
or successes that their professors experienced when they were students. Learning vicariously
without the need of direct experience can prevent the hazards of costly errors and provide means
through which students can direct purposeful thoughts and behaviors to navigate their academic
careers (Bandura, 1986). Perhaps student-faculty relationships provide NTTF the opportunity to
teach their students beyond course content. These types of relationships may develop into short-
term or long-term mentorships that have been found to lead to personal and professional growth
for faculty (Johnson, Rose & Schlosser, 2007).
Consistent with the SLT framework, vicarious learning results from interactions between
the student, the student’s environmental models and behaviors, and is the mechanism through
which self-motivated academic development may be realized (Bandura, 1986). It is quite
plausible that students have the opportunity to learn valuable lessons from their professors
vicariously through personal advice or anecdotes. Some scholars have noted that Latino/a
students may not have the time available to have these types of interactions due to work
responsibilities or family obligations (Dennis, Phinney & Chuateco, 2005; Nuñez, 2009). In
addition, often times NTTF do not get a chance to interact with their students in these manners
due to working conditions that hinders availability (Conley & Leslie, 2002; Gappa & Leslie,
1993; Outcalt, 2002). As such, both populations experience challenges that warrant close
examination. The second section of this literature review will provide more detail about such
challenges for Latino/a students and part-time NTTF working conditions. However, the
following section will review literature that discusses the organizational factors that may
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

42
significantly affect part-time NTTF on that may influence the social context of student-faculty
relationships.
The Role of Non-Tenure Track Faculty
The SLT perspective suggests that behavioral, cognitive and environmental factors
influence the learning process. From a teaching perspective NTTF, including part-timers, must
cultivate a welcoming and engaging environment where students feel comfortable asking
questions and sharing their thoughts to contribute to their academic environment (Ehrenberg &
Zhang 2005). The behavioral dimension implies modeling, as effective NTTF must demonstrate
how to perform activities (Bandura 1980). Within the cognitive dimension effectiveness will
come through the NTTF’s ability to clearly articulate the reasoning behind why and how a
learner may want to utilize a particular lesson (Kline, 2005). NTTF must be able to present
complex concepts in comprehensible ways that permit students to capture important connections.
Such interactions between professors and their students points to an ongoing relational
dependence on one another for the learning process to occur. However, what professional and
organizational factors permit NTTF to invest time and effort into enhancing classroom
experiences and developing relationships with their students?
Professors are deemed to have a significant amount of influence over how they shape the
academic environment, including the interactions or specific tasks that will occur in the
classroom (Cotton & Wilson, 2006; Endo & Harpel, 1982). However, such influence may
become compromised for NTTF that may not have stable teaching appointments and office hours
that permit effective planning and preparation (Conley & Leslie, 2002; Gappa & Leslie, 1993;
Outcalt, 2002). Planning and preparation are particularly important elements of effective
teaching for NTTF (Gappa & Leslie, 1993). Ongoing planning can help NTTF adjust to
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

43
instructional tempo, anticipate areas of difficulty for their students, and strategize for future
adjustments and activities (Bruner, 1996; Umbach, 2007). In addition, planning time also allows
professors to continuously realign to student learning objectives and progression toward their
academic goals.
Administrative endeavors such as selecting and reviewing book content also requires
time and participation that NTTF may not have or are excluded from due to their non-tenure
track status (Conley & Leslie, 2002). NTTF that lack participation in departmental tasks are
unable to contribute to the development of course syllabus and contribute to the structure of the
course that best fits personal teaching styles (Outcalt, 2002). Hence, NTTF may be less likely to
make important connections to course content and learning objectives (Kezar & Sam, 2010). As
a result, NTTF may be less skillful in developing effective or diverse instructional strategies to
meet student’s academic needs (Conley & Leslie, 2002; Outcalt, 2002). For these reasons, lack
of time devoted to course content may also create limitations on the delivery and clarity of
course content (Umbach, 2007).
According to Nora and Crisp (2009) once Latino/a students enter an educational
institution of higher learning, professors play a significant role in their academic achievements.
Jacoby (2006) highlights that community colleges are where NTTF have become the majority.
These large numbers may considerably lead modeling behaviors to become even more visible
and widespread to students. Furthermore, such modeling behaviors that may not permit adequate
time on campus may become evident in the classroom environment where students can become
affected due to lack of time. Hence, NTTF working conditions may significantly affect time on
campus, classroom performance, and subsequently the students that they serve (Gappa & Leslie,
1993; Jacoby, 2006; Kezar & Sam, 2010). From a social learning perspective, students may
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

44
observe and take note of their teachers’ lack of presence before and after class, or the lack of
familiarity that their teachers have with the textbook. In addition, availability for the students
may become a concern without ongoing office hours or enough time to stay after class to answer
important student questions (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005). Appropriate responses to such
questions from teachers are often the difference between students making important connections
to complex concepts and them being able to utilize these connections in practical real-world
experiences (Crisp, 2010). In addition, such student-faculty interactions may serve to reinforce
students’ help seeking behaviors Zimmerman, 2008).
Substantial evidence supports the notion that NTTF play a key role in influencing
students within the classroom setting, but research is also emerging suggesting that working
conditions may affect the performance of NTTF (Baldwin & Chronister, 2001; Conley & Leslie,
2002; Jaeger & Eagan, 2009; Kezar & Sam, 2010; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005). As such,
students and the culture of an entire classroom may also experience adverse effects of NTTF
working conditions. Therefore, examining working conditions may be an important factor to
consider when exploring interactions between NTTF and Latino/a students. Importantly, the SLT
perspective is consistent with the notion that both students and faculty influence one another
bidirectionally. However, departmental and working conditions also have the potential to affect
NTTF in a bidirectional manner. Perhaps, the classroom environment may serve as a focal point
where such multilayered influences take place.
While it is the professor who bears the responsibility for creating an engaging learning
environment, it is the interactions with the students within and out of the classroom environment
that results in learning (Einarson & Clarkberg, 2004; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005). Therefore,
the student’s cognitive and behavioral engagements, in c onjunction with the environmental
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

45
conditions structured initially by their NTTF will contribute to how students and teachers are
likely to build relationships with one another. While the SLT framework accounts for social,
environmental, and behavioral factors that are believed to influence the social nature of student-
faculty interactions, it does encompass a cultural element that is believed to be important to
Latino/a students. The following section will present the psychosociocultural framework that
considers the cultural dimension that may significantly influence student-faculty interactions.
Psychosociocultural Framework

Similar to andura’s social learning theory, the sychosociocultural SC) framework
encompasses socially reciprocating factors that influence student-faculty interactions. The PSC
framework is an extension of Vygotsky’s 1 7) sociocultural theory that argued that social,
cognitive, and cultural factors are an inseparable link to learning. However, the PSC framework
is unique in that it has been utilized particularly to examine Latino/a students in higher education
setting. This study will utilize the PSC framework to suggest that the cultural influences that
Latino/a students bring to the classroom and the environment facilitated by NTTF are important
to the development of student-faculty interactions. Specifically, the PSC framework argues that
social, psychological, and cultural factors contribute to persistence in Latino/a students in higher
education (Gloria & Rodriguez, 2000). Perhaps examining how NTTF may influence cultural
considerations of Latino/a students’ classroom experiences may foster opportunities to develop
their scholarly identities and successfully persist through the community college pipeline and
beyond. As such, the PSC framework proposes that student-faculty interactions and academic
progressions cannot be effectively considered without examining the sociocultural influences
that surround Latino/a students.
The present study considers culture as a key element to consider within the Latino/a
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

46
student population. Gloria and Rodriguez (2000) first conceptualized the PSC framework, as a
holistic perspective that integrates sociocultural influences that may help better understand the
academic persistence of Latinos in higher education. In addition to academic persistence, the
PSC framework views the student-faculty interactions as an essential aspect of the social
environment that fosters meaningful learning and academic progression. Figure 2 illustrates the
PSC framework. Castellanos and Gloria (2007) assert that the overarching goal is to increase
academic skills and personal well-being that will result in Latino/a student’s abilities to
“negotiate the academic context and ultimately persist until graduation” pg. 3 3).

Figure 2.0
Specifically, the PSC model is an interdependent framework that explores psychological,
social, and cultural aspects of Latino/a student experiences that begin in their home
environments but are brought into an academic setting (Castellanos & Gloria, 2007).
Psychological dimensions include self-esteem, attitudes, perceptions and self-efficacy. The social
dimension includes family, peers, teachers and mentors that provide added support to academic
endeavors. Specific to the social dimension of the PSC framework, teachers are viewed in a
social context where they may serve as direct or indirect models or mentors that provide support
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

47
to student academic needs (Castellanos, & Orozco, 2005). The cultural dimension includes
values and validation of ethnic identity, cultural congruity, or acculturation that recognize the
realties that Latino/a students may face. Cultural congruity refers to how well ethnic minority
students are able to culturally “fit” into their academic environment such as their comm unity
college campus or classroom (Gloria & Robinson Kurpius, 1996).
The PSC framework views social interactions between NTTF and Latino/a students as
interpersonal “formali ed relationships” where there is opportunities to establish mutual trust and
respect for one another (Castellanos & Gloria, 2007). In addition, these person-focused and co-
constructed social interactions view Latino/a students as interconnected and interdependent
members of a classroom rather than individual students with no connection to one another.
Moreover, the development of student-faculty relationship has been found to be important to the
social and cultural development of Latino/a students in higher education (Anaya & Cole, 2001).
Castellanos and Gloria 7) state “Latina/o stu dent success can be improved by applying
values central to the Latina/o experience within the academic environment and shifting it to one
that respects familiar and essential values” pg. 37 ).
The PSC framework is consistent with extensive empirical evidence that highlights the
significance of the sociocultural influences in higher education. For example, research contends
that students bring a variety of academic and non-academic prior skills and knowledge into the
classroom believed to derive from a history of social experiences (Constantine, Robinson,
Wilton, & Caldwell, 2002; Kim & Abreu, 2001; Solberg & Villareal, 1997). Such prior
knowledge includes sociocultural values, expectations, motives and attitudes that may shape
student behaviors (Gloria & Rodriguez, 2000). Likewise, other researchers argue that students
come into the classroom setting with cultural models or preconceptions about who they are, their
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

48
motivations to learn, and a glimpse of what their futures may hold (Gallimore & Goldenberg,
2001). They further their point they state, “by cultural models we mean shared mental schema or
normative understanding of how the world works, or ought to work. The concept incorporates
behavioral as well as cognitive and affective components” p. 47). This perspective is consistent
with the notion that knowledge and skills begin to take form through sociocultural practices as
part of family and community structures far before arriving to the classroom.
Researchers suggest that the cultural histories that students experience influence
interactions in academic settings that, in turn, influence academic achievement (Gloria,
Castellanos & Orozco, 2005; Gloria & Rodriguez, 2000). It is important to view such influences
for Latino/a students as cultural capital that can be used as resources, guiding values, and reasons
to excel academically (Yosso, 2005). Particularly within the Latino/a population, researchers
argue that internalizing lasting psychological benefits such as improved confidence and self-
esteem have been found to increase academic persistence (Castellanos & Gloria, 2007; Rosales,
2006). Gallimore and Goldenberg (2001) investigated the impact that culture plays in how
students learn. Their study found that there are “substantial differences between no rms of
behavior, language, cognitive styles, and other aspects of personal and interpersonal functioning
that students learned at home and what was then expected at school” p. 4 ). Such findings
suggest that sociocultural factors are important elements of socialization that teachers must
account for when working with Latino/a students. Moreover, the cultural capital that Latino/a
students bring to the classroom can be viewed as knowledge derived from everyday experiences
that shape the way they learn and develop relationships with others.

STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

49
Institutional Challenges
Literature has well documented the many challenges that Latinos/as often face in higher
education. Some challenges include being stereotyped (Hurtado & Ponjuan, 2005), low
expectations (Martinez, 2003), lack of faculty that is reflective of ethnic/racial backgrounds
(Gonzalez, 2002), racism and discrimination (Edwards & Romero, 2008; Jones et al., 2002), and
being exposed to a deficit minded point of views by faculty (Marx, 2008; Yosso, 2005). Such
challenges prevent protective factors consistent with PSC ideologies from emerging. Also, it is
noteworthy to mention that these challenges found in educational institutions may significantly
prevent culturally responsive practices and hinder student-faculty interactions. In addition, these
significant challenges may create inequitable educational climates that may become pervasive
throughout higher education. For these reasons, some scholars have long argued whether
Latino/a students drop out of college or whether institutional inequalities push them out of the
higher education pipeline (Solorzano, Villalpando, & Oseguera, 2005).
Yosso (2005) argues that the culture and structure of educational institutions in higher
education create conditions that stream down to affect both faculty and students in the classroom.
She argues that institutional agents within some colleges produce inequitable educational
outcomes for underrepresented students. In other words, ill-equipped educational institutions
unintentionally create practices that create conditions that contribute to inequality for
underrepresented students such as Latino/a students. Much has to do with the lack of knowledge
and consideration of the multitude of cultures on campus (Gonzalez, 2002; Hurtado & Ponjuan,
2005). To further, Bensimon (2005) states the following:
Institutional actors are more likely to view diversity as a generalized characteristic of
institutions and be blind to the particular circumstances of the racial and ethnic groups
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

50
that constitute diversity. Or if they are or become aware of the educational status of
specific racial/ethnic groups within their own campuses and departments, they are more
likely to make stereotypical attributions, such as associating deficit with blacks and
Hispanics and achievement with whites and Asians (p. 101).
Because community colleges may unknowingly adopt such notions, more pressures are placed
on Latino/a students and their non-tenured faculty that are now the majority. Can such unspoken
and stereotypical perceptions produce adverse effects to understand the significance of culture
for Latino/a students? Also, can these misconceptions about students create an organizational or
departmental culture that creates barriers that affect NTTF and perhaps prevent them from better
understanding the Latino/a students that they serve?
PSC ideologies may suggest that such lack of cultural awareness within educational
institutions may discourage ethnic minority students from seeking faculty as mentors and
developing persistence in college (Gonzalez, 2002; Jones, Castellanos & Cole, 2002). Despite
both NTTF and Latino/a students having much agency in contributing to the learning process,
the institutional climate and practices seem to have some influence over what goes on in the
classroom. This may contribute to strenuous work conditions for NTTF and why so few
Latinos/as may not successfully transfer out to four-year institutions from community colleges
(Jaeger & Eagan, 2009; Jacoby, 2006). Currently, community colleges are failing to create
balanced measures that create equality for part-time NTTF and Latino/a students. As a result,
Latino/a students may begin to build cognitive frames that create obstructive beliefs, attitudes,
and actions toward learning (Bensimon, 2005). Challenging work conditions for part-time NTTF
may make adequate preparations for class activities more demanding and time devoted to
student-faculty interactions may be jeopardized. Both academic and social integration can
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

51
become undermined as Latino/a students attempt to find their respective place on campus or in
the classroom with added constraints. These maladaptive conditions become additional barriers
that both part-time NTTF and Latino/a students must overcome.
Cultural incongruence and subsequent lack of choice to experience student-faculty
interactions may strain Latino/a student’s ability to develop the social supports often needed to
encourage the confidence and beliefs that contribute to self-regulatory thoughts and behaviors
that contribute to academic achievements (Bandura, 1986, 1997; Castellanos & Gloria, 2007;
Gloria & Rodriguez, 2000; Zimmerman, 2008). Researchers maintain the notion that there is
significant potential for the development of social capital in student-faculty relationships
uller, 1). ourdieu 1 ) describes social capital as “the aggregate of the actual or
potential resources which are linked to membership in a group” p. 4 ). Importantly, the
development of social capital addresses how social networks can assist Latino/a students in
progressing through institutions of higher education (Yosso, 2006). Without such social supports
and the benefits of social capital in an academic environment, Latino/a students may doubt their
level of competence and knowledge needed to experience academic progression through the
community college pipeline.
Ultimately, without adequate faculty involvement that may extend beyond course
curriculum, Latino/a students may be less likely to transfer out and pursue four-year degrees.
From an educational standpoint that seeks to better understand ways in which academic
attainments can be improved for Latino/a students, NTTF can become key social supports that
improve the likelihood of academic progression for students. An optimal approach that must take
into account the social, and cultural dimensions of Latino/a student experiences that has much to
do with how part-time NTTF facilitate time in the classroom setting. Ideally, institutional change
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

52
agents and teaching faculty in community colleges can begin to understand the vital role that
they play in contributing to Latino/a students’ attitudes about their education. To counteract such
maladaptive conditions scholars have argued that culturally responsive teaching models are
needed that permit cultural congruity and recognize the importance of the instructional strategies
faculty use in the classroom environment.
Culturally Responsive Teaching
There is an urgent need to recognize that culture and experiential knowledge of ethnic
minorities such as Latinos/as is legitimate, appropriate, and critical to understanding teaching
practices that may significantly affect the relationships between faculty and Latino/a students
(Yosso, 2005). Consistent with the PSC framework cultural considerations bring important
implications to teaching practices that may encourage or discourage interactions between NTTF
and Latino/a students (Castellanos & Gloria, 2007). Gay (2000) suggests that a culturally
responsive teaching (CRT) model is needed that validates ethnic/racial students intellectually,
socially and culturally by recognizing their individuality and convictions of potential success
rather than assumed failure. Gay (2001) provides a more specific explanation and states:
“Culturally Responsive Teaching is using the cultural characteristics, experiences, and
perspectives of ethnically diverse students as conduits for teaching them more effectively.
It is based on the assumption that when academic knowledge and skills are situated
within the lived experiences and frames of reference of students, they are more personally
meaningful, have higher interest appeal, and are learned more easily and thoroughly” pg.
106).
Among the consistent findings in literature on effective teaching practices, researchers support
the premise that student-faculty interactions serve as a bridge that helps Latino/a students
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

53
integrate into the academic and social climate at an educational institution (Gloria & Rodriguez,
2000; Gonzalez, 2002).
Perhaps teaching practices and student-faculty interactions that acknowledge and support
the cultural and experiential filters through which students view their academic environment may
give way to academic achievements at the community college level (Gay, 2001, 2010).
Researchers suggest that the quality of experiences for Latino/a students continue to decline as
few teachers teach from culturally integrated frameworks that take into account previous
socialization that they bring to the classroom (Arellano & Padilla, 1996; Gloria & Castellanos,
2003; Hurtado & Carter, 1997). CRT recogni es the significance of taking into account students’
cultural identities in aspects that may affect their interactions with teachers (Gay, 2010). Such
culturally responsive teaching practices may be a significant tool for all teaching faculty, but
particular NTTF who are the majority at most urban community colleges that serve high
concentrations of Latino/a students.
Culturally responsive practices can potentially mediate relational aspects of learning
between NTTF and Latino/a students (Gloria & Rodriguez, 2000). Culturally responsive teachers
are more likely to be reflective of their own preconceptions and work toward requiring that
students play an active role in the classroom to obtain more accurate judgments of their students’
academic performance. In the process purposeful student-faculty relationships are more likely to
develop. Gallimore and Goldenberg (2001) suggest that the main goal is for institutional change
agents such as NTTF to “develop norms, exp ectations, behaviors, and patterns of interaction that
promote collaborative work focused on student learning” p. 54). This may prevent initial
perceptions of Latino/a students that lack the capacity to see themselves as college bound beyond
the community college. Instead, Latino/a students can begin to understand the relevancy and
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

54
importance of concepts being taught and recognize that these concepts are the building blocks for
future university courses (Pappamihiel & Moreno, 2011).
Being culturally responsive means getting to know students who seek such interactions.
However, NTTF may have a harder time getting to know their students due to limited space,
office hours, and time available to get involved with departmental activities (Conley & Leslie,
2002; Gappa & Leslie, 1993; Outcalt, 2002). Lack of collaborations with fellow colleagues due
to limited time of on campus may prevent NTTF from becoming more skillful in developing
effective or diverse instructional strategies such as those that involve culturally responsive
teaching practices (Shuetz, 2002; Umbach, 2007). Most often collaborative work requires time
that NTTF may not have and time that they are not compensated for when compared to tenure
track faculty (Conley & Leslie, 2002; Hollenshead et al., 2007). For these reasons, it is unlikely
that part-time NTTF can take part in research projects, conferences, symposiums and other
academic activities that foster positive student-faculty interactions due to their temporary
teaching appointments and their lack of time on one campus (Gappa & Leslie, 1993; Outcalt,
2002).
Lack of time devoted to one campus for NTTF may also mean less access to mentoring
and advising opportunities for students as well (Umbach, 2007). Perhaps such working
conditions may also adversely contribute to studies that have found that students who have
NTTF with part-time statuses are less likely to transfer to a four-year institution (Jaeger and
Eagan, 2009). Often times part-time NTTF have no assurances that they will have a teaching
appointment the following semester (Conley & Leslie, 2002). Indeed, while CRT practices may
help mediate the many challenges that Latino/a students face, the challenging work conditions
that NTTF face may prevent them from designing and facilitating a classroom environment that
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

55
encourages CRT practices and student-faculty interactions.
Although work conditions create obstacles for part-time NTTF, some research suggests
that they find enjoyment in their work (Gappa & Leslie, 1993). Along similar lines, other
research findings suggest that part-time NTTF in community colleges report being satisfied with
their positions despite feeling underpaid and limited resources (Outcalt, 2002). Such reports of
satisfaction in the midst of challenging working conditions may speak highly about their
commitment to teaching and their students. Perhaps, some NTTF may simply focus on
controllable influences inside the classroom. For example, NTTF can actively integrate
multicultural course curriculum that allows students to access their own prior knowledge and
relate to the new material being presented in class (Pappamihiel & Moreno, 2011). CRT
practices provide students with the freedom to choose “assignment topics that are culturally
resonant and then asking them to look at a topic from social, political, economic, and/or personal
aspects” p.335). These controllable instructional strategies may be an entry point through which
NTTF can facilitate an academic environment where Latino/a students thrive in community
colleges.
A Holistic Framework
Better understanding the nature of student-faculty interactions may require a novel
perspective that highlights the context in which their relationships are formed. Figure 3.0
illustrates a theorized framework that combines SLT and PSC as integrated working models that
strengthen one another to produce a more holistic view of the personal, behavioral,
environmental and sociocultural factors that may influence student-faculty interactions. The
integration of both models suggest that the dynamics and bidirectional elements of the social
learning framework never change, rather it is strengthened when consideration is given to
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

56
Behavior
Actions & Existing Skills

Sociocultural Sociocultural
Congruity Congruity

Person Sociocultural Environment
Internal Competencies: Congruity External Influences:
Cognitive, Affective Professors & Classroom

sociocultural experiences that are believed to be important to Latino/a students. Therefore, it is
plausible that taking into consideration sociocultural experiences or sociocultural congruity
increases the likelihood of meaningful interactions between NTTF and Latino/a students. In this
way, behavior is not only influenced by the environment and personal factors, but also by
sociocultural experiences derived from environment and personal factors.

Figure 3.0
Conclusion
Better understanding the nature and impact of student-faculty interactions is the central
focal point for this study. The literature review introduced the social learning theory framework
as it holds great potential to gain new insights into the reciprocating personal, environmental, and
behavioral factors that influence student-faculty relationships in the classroom setting. However
this framework does not account for the cultural aspects students bring to the classroom.
Therefore, a psychosociocultural framework was also introduced that emphasizes the importance
of culture. This PSC perspective is consistent with the notion that knowledge and skills brought
to the classroom begin to take form through sociocultural values and practices that begin as part
of family and community members (Gloria, Castellanos & Orozco, 2005; Gloria & Rodriguez,
2000).
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

57
If community colleges are to fully capture the range and nature of the relational aspects
of student-faculty interactions, it will mean that current and future research agendas will need to
be broadened to include cultural elements that may encourage academic progress for ethnic
minority students. Academic improvements must be a collaborative effort that involves
understanding both, NTTF and Latino/a students as interdependent social interactions that affect
one another. Consistent with the PSC framework culturally responsive teaching was presented as
tools that can help NTTF validate Latino/a students in intellectual, social, and cultural ways
(Gloria & Rodriguez, 2000). For this reason, the role and significance of NTTF was also
immersed throughout the literature review to demonstrate the need to further examine the
environmental factors that result in work conditions that may hinder performance and their
ability to meet their students’ needs.
Insights gained from this study may help researchers, educators and practitioners better
understand ways in which positive student-faculty interactions initiate and endure, while
examining outcomes for both groups. Currently, no research specifically examines Latino/a
students and NTTF through a social learning lens in conjunction with a psychosociocultural
framework that emphasizes the importance of culture. Both Latino/a students and part-time
NTTF are vulnerable groups that need much attention. Considering that NTTF are the majority at
community colleges and the alarming numbers of Latino/a students that are entering but not
successfully transferring out to universities suggests that the current educational climate is not
working. The relational aspects of student-faculty interactions have been often overlooked by
previous research. Therefore, this study attempted to contribute to the literature in hopes of
adding useful knowledge to enhance the educational experiences of part-time NTTF and Latino/a
students. Moving in this direction can certainly provide added support and tools for NTTF and
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

58
create a rich environment where Latino/a students can experience meaningful learning, academic
progression and degree attainment.
Chapter Three: Methodology

The current study argued that NTTF play a significant role in the progression of Latino/a
students through the community college pipeline. Specifically, this study suggests that the
interactions between NTTF and Latino/a students are a significant factor that can help mediate
academic challenges. Researchers contend that Latino/a students bring sociocultural values to the
classroom that may favor student-faculty interactions (Gloria, Castellanos & Orozco, 2005;
Gloria & Rodriguez, 2000). Such student-faculty interactions have been found to foster social
support and academic achievements for Latinos/as in higher education (Anaya & Cole, 2001).
However, a major concern is that researchers suggest that NTTF working conditions may
adversely affect interactions with their students (Gappa, Leslie & Trice, 2007; Levin, Kater, &
Wagoner, 2006). Such factors may undermine opportunities for NTTF faculty who may want to
develop supportive relationships for Latino/a students. Particularly within community colleges
where NTTF are now the majority, such lack of opportunities can significantly affect the
trajectory of Latino/a students pursuing higher education (Jacoby, 2006). As such, better
understanding the context in which student-faculty relationships take form can potentially bring
insights into best practices for NTTF and increased academic achievements for Latino/a students.
To fully understand the context in which these relationships are formed and sustained,
two important factors were examined. First, for Latino/a students, what sociocultural factors
contribute to these relationships in the classroom setting? Second, for NTTF, how may working
conditions affect their ability to develop relationships with Latino/a students? However, the
primary research question that this study examined was:
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

59
How do part-time NTTF interact with Latino/a students in gatekeeper math courses at an
urban community college?
This chapter will provide detailed descriptions that discuss the research design and methodology
of the study, site selection, sampling, procedures for data collection and analysis procedures. In
addition, this chapter will discuss trustworthiness and ethical considerations of the study to
ensure that scientific rigor and authenticity is established.
Research Design
Consistent with social learning theory and the psychosociocultural framework presented
in the literature review, a qualitative approach is best suited for this study because it can examine
the social context in which interactions take place between NTTF and Latino/a students.
Currently, little is known about the interactions between Latino/a students and NTTF in the
community college sector. The lack of previous empirical work on this particular topic warrants
a qualitative, exploratory form of inquiry that may provide new knowledge that leads to a better
understanding of work conditions for NTTF and improved academic progression toward higher
education for Latino/a students (Merriam, 2009). More importantly, the exploratory aspect of a
qualitative methodology can help to better understand the nature of the classroom setting and
offer new insights about how NTTF and Latino/a students construct their experiences. Such
potential relationships have been found to lead to positive academic achievements for Latino/a
students (Cox & Orehovec, 2007; Gloria, Castellanos, & Orozco, 2005; Lamport, 1993). A
qualitative approach permits a detail and descriptive analysis of NTTF and Latino/a student
relationships in the community college sector (Maxwell, 2013). The use of this methodology
helps enhance a peripheral view to better understand the many factors that may affect student-
faculty interactions, which is especially important at early stages of inquiry (Merriam, 2009).
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

60
A qualitative methodology is ideal for this study because it can help explain how a
multitude of factors such as individual experience, culture, or educational aspirations interact to
form perspectives that guide behaviors in Latino/a students (Maxwell, 2013). In addition, the
nature of a qualitative methodology enables a holistic orientation that permits this study to
examine different features of a natural environment. Specifically, for Latino/a students, effective
learning, degree attainment, and progression toward higher education are affected by
sociocultural, psychological, economic, and environmental factors (Castellanos & Gloria, 2010;
Gloria, Castellanos, & Orozco, 2005). The qualitative lens can also explore NTTF personal and
organizational influences that contribute to the development of student-faculty interactions that
potentially lead to relationships. For NTTF effective instruction is affected by expertise, working
conditions and organizational integration factors (Baldwin & Wawrzynski, 2011; Gappa et al.,
2007). Such complex factors meet within the classroom setting where NTTF and Latino/a
students interact. The multitudes of these factors can only be investigated by taking an inside out
perspective where a qualitative researcher can take into account life experiences, beliefs and
motivations specific to each individual (Merriam, 2009). Moreover, qualitative inquiry can offer
detailed insight into why or how student-faculty relationships begin, are sustained, and produce
positive outcomes.
In addition to a holistic and field based approach to this study, a qualitative methodology
can advance meaningful descriptions and understandings to student-faculty interactions that a
quantitative approach cannot provide (Maxwell, 2013). A qualitative methodology allows the
researcher to investigate the meaning of participant experience informed by discovering
variables rather than testing variables (Corbin & Strauss, 2008). As such, qualitative
methodology captures expressive information not conveyed in quantitative data about specific
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

61
experiences, beliefs, values, feelings, and motivations that may contribute to relationship
development and academic progress within a classroom setting (Merriam, 2009). Quantitative
methods typically involve numerical data that focus on frequencies and statistical associations,
but may lack the ability to thoroughly examine narratives, meanings, and behaviors in a social
context (Maxwell, 2013). While quantitative techniques can provide important data about the
incidence and prevalence of a phenomenon such as student-faculty interactions, it cannot answer
how these relationships are formed and how these relationships personally affect Latino/a
students.
By taking an inductive rather than deductive approach, a qualitative design can study a
particular group, or behavior in depth to reach a better understanding of a given phenomenon
(Merriam, 2009). In addition, quantitative inquiry may lack the capacity to examine complex
interactions among factors that produce individual choice and behaviors (Maxwell, 2013). This
particular study does exactly that; examine complex interactions between NTTF and Latino/a
students in the classroom setting. For these reasons, a quantitative approach was deemed
inappropriate for this study. This qualitative study employed observations in the field,
interviews, and evaluation of narratives to cross-examine data and minimize inherent biases. For
a rich and descriptive approach within the realm of a qualitative methodology that encompasses
the ability to examine meaning, this study utilized ethnographic research to examine part-time
NTTF and Latino/a students in the classroom setting.
Ethnographic Approach
The current study argues that a significant factor that may help Latino/a students progress
successfully through the community college pipeline is their interactions with part-time NTTF.
The ethnographic lens is well positioned to examine such relationships between NTTF and
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

62
Latino/a students. A significant strength of an ethnographic research approach is that people’s
behavior can be closely examined in the natural context in which it occurs, rather than the
conditions created by the researcher (Hammersley & Atkinson, 2007). Thus, ethnographic
research takes into account the meaning behind the social context of people’s interactions. In
addition, the ethnographic approach is better situated not only to describe, but advance scientific
inquiry toward more meaningful explanations about student-faculty interactions.
The context and culture in which NTTF and Latino/a students experience the presence of
one another in the classroom is the focal point of this study. The framework of this study is
guided from sociocultural factors that influence Latino/a students inside the classroom.
Educational psychologists support the notion that students bring unique beliefs, attitudes, values,
and behavioral patterns that derive from their culture (Cox & Orehovec, 2007; Gloria,
Castellanos, & Orozco, 2005; Lamport, 1993). Such notions are important to an ethnographic
study that seeks to better understand social behaviors of a collective group. Wolcott (2008)
makes a noteworthy point by suggesting that an ethnographic study does not study culture, rather
the focal point is on studying the social behaviors within shared groups. Thus, rich descriptions
can result in a far more holistic and compelling articulation of interactions between NTTF and
Latino/a students. In addition, examining student-faculty interactions can be useful in explaining
potential outcomes for Latino/a students and encouraging the adoption of promising practices for
part-time NTTF.
Site Selection

This study views Latino/a students and part-time NTTF as social agents that co-construct
interactions in a classroom environment with the potential to create positive and negative
outcomes. Most student-faculty interactions begin in the classroom setting. However, such
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

63
interactions have the potential to develop into sustained relationships that produce important
outcomes with the community college sector. Currently, no empirical studies are applying social
learning and psychosociocultural frameworks to better understand relationships between Latino/a
students and NTTF in a community college setting. Therefore, I conducted classroom
observations and interviews of part-time non-tenured track faculty and Latino/a students at
Discovery Community College (DCC). DCC is an urban public, accredited two-year community
college considered to be a Hispanic Serving Institution. This site was selected to be the focal
point for this study for three reasons.
First, as noted in chapter one, HSIs play a critical role in providing Latino/a students
access to higher education. In fact, five of the nine community colleges that are part of the Los
Angeles Community College District are HSIs, which serve high numbers of Latino/a students.
Community colleges, particularly those that are HSIs, are largely responsible for preparing
Latino/a students for the workforce or as scholars looking to move forward into four-year
universities (Nora and Crisp, 2009; Perrakis & Hagedorn, 2010). Considering the rising numbers
of the Latino/a population in southern California, it is likely that more HSIs will need to develop
in the near future. Most importantly, little is known about the ways in which NTTF within the
urban HSI spectrum address the needs of Latino/a students. Therefore, DCC is a good
representative of community colleges in southern California that may help understand the
dynamics that prohibit or encourage interactions that may foster positive academic outcomes for
Latino/a students and promising practices for part-time NTTF.
The rationale behind choosing one location was to ensure that I, as the researcher, could
immerse myself in the classroom culture and spend adequate time understanding and interpreting
experiences as they relate to the relationships that Latino/a students develop with NTTF. In
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

64
addition, DCC does not vary greatly from other surrounding community colleges and is
representative of other surrounding community colleges. For instance, this community college
serves approximately 70% of Latinos/as of the total annual student population (California
Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, 1 ). Neigh boring colleges within a 20 radius
average a 57% Latino/a enrollment rate California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office,
2012). Thus, the experiences at DCC are likely to be similar to other community colleges with
high concentrations of Latino/a students.
A second reason for choosing DCC is that there is a large proportion of NTTF at
iscovery Community College. In fact, the California Community College Chancellor’s Office
reports that in 2012, DCC was comprised of 537 non-tenured and 227 tenured track faculty
appointments. These numbers suggest that part-time NTTF teach and prepare the majority of
Latino/a students at the community college sector. Kezar and Sam (2010) further the point and
state:
The most important reason for understanding and examining non- tenure-track faculty,
however, is that they teach the majority of students in higher education; thus, they are key
to creating the teaching and learning environment. They are in large measure the
individuals responsible for meeting the primary mission of postsecondary institutions,
and to know so little about who these faculty are (and how to support them) is at best
reckless and at worst unethical (pg. 3).
Considering that NTTF teaching appointments will continue to rise, more empirical work
is needed to better understand similarities and differences between their tenure track
counterparts, and working conditions that may contribute to the capacity to build relationships
with students. Understanding the experiences that impact NTTF are important to further develop
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

65
promising practices that help the progression of Latino/a students along the community colleges
pipeline.
Third, math courses in community colleges seem to be a considerable obstruction that
prohibits Latino/a students from moving onto higher education. DCC is similar to other
community colleges demonstrated by a large proportion of Latino/a students that do not move on
to take advanced courses in math that are important to pursing STEM majors. This particular
discipline that encompass math as gatekeeper courses, create a significant attrition and dropout
rates for Latino/a students (Mendoza, 2009). The end result also prohibits Latino/a students from
taking part in a national agenda that aims to “increase the proportion of 5 - to 34-year-olds who
hold an associate degree or higher to 55 percent by the year 2025 in order to make America the
leader in education attainment in the world” (College Board, July, 2013). Therefore, DCC was
chosen because current math entrance assessments place over 60% of Latino/a students in
remedial courses that require them on average to take at least 3 or 4 semesters of math courses to
graduate or transfer out. Hence, the trajectory of a large proportion of Latino/a students is rooted
in math gatekeeper courses.
Participants
Purposeful sampling was used to identify the participants for this study. Consistent with
the methodology of this study, “purposeful sampling focuses on selecting information -rich cases
whose study will illuminate the questions under the study” atton, , pg. 230). Merriam
(2008) echoes this point of view by suggesting that purposeful sampling can help researchers
gain new insights, uncover meanings behind described experiences from selecting participants
from which the most can be learned. Specifically, participants in this study included part-time
non-tenured track faculty and Latino/a students. From a professorate point of view the goal is to
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

66
capture part-time working conditions that influence classroom experiences, which may also
affect student-faculty interactions that begin to take form in the classroom. From a student point
of view, the goal is to examine Latino/a student experiences and better understand how these
experiences affect the potential development of relationships with their professors.
Consistent with an ethnographic approach, classroom observations granted access to part-
time NTTF and Latino/a students as participants. The kind of culture that is formed in the
classroom may significantly contribute to how student-faculty interactions are formed and the
kind of learning that takes place. The primary goal is to record, describe, analyze and better
understand the cultures that are being constructed in the classroom environment (Hammersley,
1990). Observing the classroom setting can capture both student and faculty perspectives. Such
dual perspectives can provide the context in which social interactions, formal or informal
conversations, and patterns of behaviors or practices can have important implications for how
relationships are developed. Multiple classroom observations can provide access to these critical
interactions that all contribute to a larger culture that can help better understand the nature of
student-faculty interactions from their point of view and within a natural setting.
Data Collection
The data collection for this study took place over the course of the fall 2013. These
particular courses were 5-week introductory math courses and the community college is
identified as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). The main data collection techniques were:
survey, observations and interviews to provide a holistic understanding of real-life interactions of
Latino/a students and part-time NTTF. The primary source of data collection came from
classroom observations. The interviews were utilized as a secondary source to cross-examine
observed findings. In addition, all students within each classroom were asked to complete a
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

67
survey to identify Latino/a students and their desire to participate in interviews. The goal is to
observe three classrooms that include part-time NTTF and Latino/a student. The aim is to
observe a total of three classrooms where observations can be made to explore the conditions or
processes by which student-faculty interactions take place. The goal is to observe the first week
of class meetings, meetings toward the midpoint of the class sessions, and during the final week
to capture the initiation and progressions of student-faculty interactions.
To gain entry into the classroom part-time non-tenure track faculty were approached and
informed of the intended study and were asked if they were interested in allowing the researcher
to observe their classroom and allow their students to participate in informal interviews. Faculty
was informed that the study was intended to study the social interactions between Latino/a
students. Considering that classroom observations were taken throughout the duration of the
course, social interactions were further described as interactions between students that occur as
they walk into the classroom, during class, and after the class session ended. Informing all parties
involved allowed this study to obtain a sense of credibility and opportunity to develop rapport
with those involved in the process (Merriam, 2009). Part-time NTTF were provided with a copy
of the student survey and basic description of the study (see Appendix A). After receiving
permission from faculty, the researcher approached the classes, shared academic history, and
significance of their participation to establish rapport with students. Students were told that my
presence in the classroom setting was intended to study classroom-teaching strategies as a novice
teacher in higher education. All students within each classroom were asked to complete a survey.
Students were informed and reminded that their participation was strictly voluntary and that
information would be kept confidential.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

68
Survey. The primary reason that the survey was administered was to appropriately
identify Latino/a students. This study observed classroom experiences. However, initially the
researcher would not know which students were Latino/a students and which are not. Therefore,
the survey allowed students to self-identify as Latino or Latina. However, those who participated
needed to meet the following criterion. The required criteria was a) self-identified Latino/a
student, b) students that had taken at least one course with a NTTF, and c) students who
expressed interest and availability to volunteer to possibly take part in informal interviews. In
this way, students had an opportunity to self-identify their race/ethnicity without needing to
make assumptions by faculty or the researcher. Survey items consisted of a series of forced-
choice and open-ended questions aimed at gathering information from Latino/a students
(Merriam, 2009). Importantly, the survey also gathered information about participant
demographics, community college history and history of interactions with tenure track and non-
tenure track professors. Completions of the surveys took approximately 5 minutes (See
APPENDIX A).
Observations & Interviews
The actual process and value of an ethnography is embedded in field experiences
(Hammersley & Atkinson, 2007). Therefore, observations and interviews were conducted at
DCC to examine the nature of part-time non-tenure track faculty and Latino/a student
interactions (see Appendices B and C). Observations allowed researchers to learn directly from
individuals in their natural settings and understand the context from which they interpret their
experiences (Maxwell, 2013). Such understanding can come from observations. Considering that
writing or recording everything is impossible to do, Merriam (2009) recommends that
observations may be focused on the physical setting, the activities and interactions between
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

69
participants, conversations, and subtle factors that may render important information about
teachers and students.
Physical Setting. While all classrooms have a basic structure containing writing boards,
chairs, desks, students and teachers that makeup the learning environment, it is equally, if not
more important, that they function effectively. Within the context of this study the classroom is
viewed as a social space in which teachers and students interact. Because professors often move
from classroom to classroom, they may rarely alter the physical space in which they work.
However, observing how professors manage the space in which they teach or hold office hours
may shed light on influences that prevent or encourage interactions with students. Importantly,
how professors utilize their physical space may stimulate involvement from student or deter their
participation. For example, a large classroom may prevent professors from interacting with the
majorly of students, while small or overcrowded classrooms may decrease the likelihood of one-
on-one interactions with students. For students who work, the classroom may be the only setting
in which they can interact with their professor. Therefore, observing how professors utilize and
manage the classroom may immensely influence student-faculty interactions.
Activities & Interactions Between Participants. Classroom activities are critical to the
social and interactive processes of learning (Tinto, 1997). Alongside traditional lectured
instruction, corresponding activities allow learners to evaluate ideas from different perspectives
and turn concepts in actionable steps. While professors play a leading role in planning and
directing learning activities, students must also do their part through participation. In this way,
classroom activities can serve as a foundation that allows teachers and students to interact with
one another while simultaneously sharing responsibility for learning. Consistent with social
learning theory presented in the literature review, behavior results from the interaction between
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

70
the individual and situation rather than from either factor alone (Bandura, 1986). Therefore,
observing the nature and context in which these activities occur may serve as opportunities to
examine interactions that may provide new understanding of student-faculty interactions.
Conversations. The transmission of knowledge requires ongoing communication between
teachers and students (Palincsar, 1998). Such communication can be characterized as
conversations that serve as indispensable information that permits access to external expressions
of internal points of view. Conversations are seen as formal and informal social interactions that
may take place before, during or after class sessions. Formal conversations may pertain to past or
future assignments, academic progress, or questions pertaining to content presented during class
(Colton & Wilson, 2006). Informal conversations may pertain to personal or professional
aspirations, events that occur on or outside campus grounds, or personal matters such as family
history (Colton & Wilson, 2006). Both formal and informal conversations also have great
functional value. For example, through interactive conversation students may have added
opportunities to recollect and reflect upon concepts presented in class and professors may be able
to assess how well the student understood the material. Most importantly, observing and
recording conversations between teachers and students may help to better understand the
meaning they attribute to their experiences.
Subtle Factors. During observations the researcher needed a sense of adaptability to shift
from wide lenses to narrow lenses to capture seemingly small details that may have tremendous
influence over the culture of the classroom environment (Merriam, 2009). For example, verbal
and nonverbal accessibility cues may be seen as subtle factors that influence interactions
between teachers and students (Cole, 2007; Cox, et al. 2010). Professors may send subtle, but
important cues about being accessible before or after class to address concerns or provide clarity
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

71
to the material presented. Conversely, professors may provide unclear cues about their desire to
be approached for questions or interactions (Umbach & Wawrzynski, 2005). Clear cues may
encourage students to seek further interactions that serve as opportunities to improve academic
achievements, while unclear cues from faculty may be academically detrimental for students
who need additional guidance. Subsequently, students may become disengaged and become less
likely to seek future interactions due to subtleties that have significant meaning.
Interviews. Considering that behaviors are driven by internal beliefs, perceptions and
motives, participant interviews were important to the present study. However, in this study
interviews were secondary to observations. In other words, interviews took place as faculty
provided consent and students expressed interest on surveys. The interviews were semi-
structured and open-ended question format. The purpose of selecting this format was to allow
students to frame their experiences as they viewed them, leave room for follow-up questions, and
gather rich detail (Merriam, 2009). The interviews were conducted casually as opportunities
were seen fit to enhance the purpose of the study. Interviews served to confirm interpretations of
how teacher cues may shape student-faculty interactions. Interviews were conducted individually
or in small groups of two or three students on campus in an available classroom or office space.
For further analysis, conversations were recorded. Dialogue between NTTF, Latino/a students
and the researcher was critical to this study. Through an ethnographic lens and a carefully crafted
interview protocol, the present study examined NTTF and Latino/a students’ internal beliefs,
perceptions and motives that may prohibit or encourage interactions that have the potential to
develop into advantageous relationships for both faculty and students. Actively listening and
learning from the participants themselves is an effective way to gain insights into personal and
unique perspectives that direct behavior (Patton, 2002). In addition, such interviews can add
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

72
support to observations and enhance the credibility of this study.
Data Analysis
The purpose of analyzing data was to better understand the underlying issues and
meanings of the data collection (Merriam, 2009). An ethnographic lens guided the data analysis
in efforts to effectively describe, interpret and make sense of the data gathered in the field.
Rather than allowing field notes and transcripts to pile up, I reread through field notes or listen to
interview transcripts after each session occurred. In this way, the data collection and data
analysis was a simultaneous process that was designed to direct focus to relevant issues and align
attention to the purpose of the study to better understand meaningful patterns of behaviors as
they emerge (Maxwell, 2012). Such preliminary reviews of the data allowed reflection upon
interactions with participants and permitted goal development or adjustments for ensuing
observations or interviews. In addition, this strategy helped pursue more insights from emerging
issues or from previous observation.
Another strategy that was employ to analyze data was writing observer comments
throughout observations or as needed to think critically about what was observed and to begin to
develop categories that may emerge as data is collected (Merriam, 2009). These notations
become important bits of data that can potentially begin to answer this study’s research question
and construct meaningful categories. The construction of categories permits codes to be assigned
to data (Merriam, 2009). Categories can be viewed as “an outcome of coding, categori ation, and
analytic reflection” Saldaña, , pgs. 1 -183). The overall goal is to interpret data that is
relevant to answer my research question. The approach to coding emerged with the need to better
understand the meaning of conducting field investigations and the strategy behind understanding
ways to organize and examine field experiences. As such, the researcher was responsible for
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

73
transforming field observations and interviews into meaningful experiences that provide better
understanding of the relationship between teachers and students (Bogdan & Biklen, 2003).
Trustworthiness
Within a qualitative methodology that guides this study the researcher serves as the
primary instrument for data collection and data analysis (Merriam, 2009). Important
consideration is given to an ethnographic approach requiring that the researcher is able to
accurately explain behavior from the native’s point of view erriam, ). Significant
attention was placed on ensuring that data collection, interpretations and overall findings are
done in an ethical manner. The overarching goal of this study was to provide evidence to support
the theoretical frameworks presented or find opposing ideologies that represent the experiences
of participants in this study in an objective and fair manner (Creswell, 2012). To achieve these
aims member checks, triangulation, and rich, thick descriptions were used as strategies to help
bring valid and reliable standards to this study.
Member checks were the first process that established internal validity to the present
study. Researchers call this method “respondent validati on” because the process involved sharing
preliminary findings with participants and requesting feedback (Merriam, 2009). Member checks
had two important strengths. First, the transparency member checks prevented the researcher
from misinterpreting what the participants are saying or doing. Second, the process of member
checks helped identify the possibility of researcher bias. In addition to member checks,
triangulation was utilized to strengthen the credibility of the study. Triangulation involved using
multiple sources of data to test and confirm emerging findings (Merriam, 2009). This process
involved crosschecking data from different sources, which permitted the researcher to better
represent the participants within their natural setting. This study used observations as the primary
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

74
form of collecting data alongside interviews as a secondary source to support interpretations and
overall findings. Therefore, providing purposeful detail was important throughout the data
collection and data analysis process to render in-depth understanding of each phase of the
process.
Capturing and describing rich, thick descriptions of the setting, participants and their
sociocultural experiences is another way in which credibility was established for this study
(Creswell, 2012). Particularly in the findings, rich, thick descriptions allow the researcher a way
to determine whether discoveries or conclusions can be generalized and transferred to other
settings (Merriam, 2009). Rather than simply providing abundant detail, a rich, thick description
refers to purposeful detail that captures important contextual elements of the setting such as
meanings, intentions, motivations and values that may be shared in the classroom. The goal is to
shed light on the symbolic interconnections between part-time NTTF and Latino/a students to
better understand the process involved in forming their relationships.
Another important aspect of trustworthiness is the ability to capture, describe and analyze
data collected while minimi ing the intrusion of the researcher’s bias. Although it impossible to
completely eliminate bias, it is the researcher’s duty to incorporate measures that deal with these
issues and approach all aspects of the study with integrity. Aside from member checks,
triangulation, and providing a rich description of the data mentioned above, minimizing bias was
derived from recognizing personal predispositions, beliefs, and expectations that hinder
objectivity. Considering that the exploratory and ethnographic aspects of this study requires
close interactions between the culture sharing group and the researcher, such recognition would
ensure that findings were the result of the experiences and ideas of the participants, rather than
unexamined predispositions of the researcher. The following section will acknowledge
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

75
considerations for bias by explicitly sharing more about the researcher in order to mitigate
researcher bias.
Consideration of Researcher Bias
Critical self-reflection about personal assumptions, biases, and worldviews was
paramount to conducting a study that met and exceeded ethical standards (Merriam, 2009).
Therefore, as the central researcher of this study I must acknowledge that my values,
perceptions, personal background, and professional experiences may influence the investigations
of this study. I am both Latino and a NTTF in a community college setting. My emersion into my
doctoral work and this research project has exposed me to the many challenges that Latino and
Latina students face as they pursue higher education. My interest in this study stems from being
a Latino student who started at the community college and was able to work through the higher
education pipeline. Many of my challenges were reflective of what the literature suggests.
However, I’ve overcome many obstacles that came my way as a student. Although my family
and friends have been my greatest supporters, I must admit that the few great teachers that have
crossed my path have also significantly contributed to my successes. For this reason, I’ve
dedicated my professional and academic career to better understanding student-faculty
interactions so that other students may also have an opportunity to reach their academic
aspirations. It is through my cultural and professional history that I strived to bring unique, but
useful insights that may have otherwise gone unnoticed.
My goal is to work in the field as a researcher and practitioner to increase the access,
persistence, and educational attainment of all students, but especially underrepresented students
such as Latinos that often face additional challenges in higher education. Better understanding
the interactions that faculty and students experienced was key to pursuing and realizing this goal.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

76
As an educator I am passionate about contributing to the education field by investigating ways in
which Latino/a students can obtain an education and give back to their communities. In this
regard, qualitative research demands personal involvement rather than detached engagement
from the phenomena in question (Meloy, 2002). My technical skills as a researcher and
educational training addressed the rigor that is required to acknowledge and address ethical
concerns, but my cultural and professional experiences guided my passion to empower the
current and next generation of Latinos/as to pursue higher education.
Conclusion
This chapter described the design and rationale for this study. In summary, the context in
which student-faculty interactions took form was examined through a qualitative methodology.
An ethnographic approach was used to closely examine the sociocultural experiences of NTTF
and Latino/a students in the classroom setting. Data collection began by administering a survey
to appropriately identify Latino/a student. Fieldwork was conducted in the form of observations
and informal interviews to capture and describe the classroom experiences that may influence
interactions between teachers and students. Field experiences allow the researcher to learn
directly from teachers and students and convey meaning to their social interactions. Ethical
concerns were addressed to ensure that all aspects of the study are conducted with valid and
reliable standards. The overall goal is to add a new layer of knowledge to the field of education
and enhance current conditions that affect Latino/a students and NTTF in a community setting.
Chapter Four: Findings
The purpose of this study was to better understand how part-time non-tenure track faculty
interact with Latino/a students in gatekeeper math courses within an urban community college.
More specifically the study examined how NTTF part-time status and working conditions may
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

77
affect student-faculty classroom interactions. Data collection focused on interviews and
classroom observations, which achieved two goals. First, interviews provided current and first-
hand narratives of NTTF that capture their perspectives of part-time status and working
conditions. Second, the goal was to understand how their conceptualizations influence and
facilitate a classroom environment where student-faculty interactions take place. In addition, a
questionnaire was used to identify Latino/a students and to collect demographic information. As
such, the objective was to examine the link between part-time NTTF interviews and classroom
observations to better understand student-faculty interactions.
Given the complexity of such interactions, two complimenting frameworks were offered
that encompassed socially reciprocating factors that influence student-faculty interactions.
andura’s Social Learning theory was used to understand the relationship between person
(NTTF), environment (classroom) and behaviors such as student-faculty interactions.
Considering that this study focused on Latino and Latina students rather than general student
populations, understanding the sociocultural influences that surround Latino/a students was
imperative. Therefore, the Psychosociocultural (PSC) framework was also used to suggest that
the cultural influences that Latino/a students bring to the classroom and the environment
facilitated by NTTF are important to the development of student-faculty relationships. This
chapter will answer the research question that has guided this study: How do part-time non-
tenure track faculty interact with Latino/a students in gatekeeper math courses within an urban
community college setting?
Chapter Overview
This chapter will first provide a description of Discovery Community College (DCC) to
offer a clear picture of the college, their math department, and the classrooms where NTTF and
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

78
Latino/a students were studied. Then, I will introduce and provide thorough descriptions of each
of the three NTTF from data derived from classroom observations and interviews. The nature of
this ethnographic study was rooted in capturing social field experiences that captured the unique
culture of each classroom environment. Therefore, each of the three classrooms includes a
description of its culture and narratives that paint a holistic working landscape where student-
faculty interactions take form. Next, three themes will be presented within each classroom
description that were found to be apparent across data analysis. The three themes that emerged
from the data were Classroom Readiness, Classroom Opportunities to Connect, and Personal
Commitments. A cross-classroom analysis will follow that will synthesize critical findings and
lasting impressions from each classroom. A complete table summarizing all three themes as they
relate to NTTF and classroom observations can be seen in appendix D. Finally, a brief summary
will conclude the chapter.
Discovery Community College
Discovery Community College (DCC) is an urban public, accredited two-year
community college in the Los Angeles area. This site was selected to be the focal point for this
study for two primary reasons. First, DCC is a Hispanic Serving Institution, which serves a key
role in granting Latino/a students access to higher education. In fact, more than 75% percent of
the population is Latino/a. Second, more than 70% of faculty are considered adjunct, non-tenured
faculty, indicating that a large proportion of part-time faculty are responsible for preparing a
majority of Latino/a students for higher education. What is also noteworthy is that the college
has consistently experienced an increase in student population over the last two decades,
suggesting that DCC will continue to be a vital starting point for Latino/a preparing for higher
education. The demographics of the student body at DCC is made up of as follows: 3% White,
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

79
77% Hispanic, 15% Asian/Pacific Islander, 2 % Black, and 5% other.
DCC offers a large range of A.A and A.S degree programs, career certificate programs,
and transfer curriculum all designed to help all students achieve their educational goals. DCC has
often ranked among the top ten community colleges that produce Latino/a students that earn
degree programs and transfer on to four-year university systems. This suggests that DCC plays a
significant role in the Latino/a community in the southern California area. Students entering the
college go through a matriculation process, which includes admission documents, assessment for
English and math courses placement, orientation, advising, and follow-up advising. The
matriculation process ensures that all students have a consistent structure that will guide the
beginning stages of their academic careers at DCC. Through advisement sessions students have
an opportunity to better understand the enrollment process, course planning, transfer options and
financial aid. To accommodate growing enrollment the college has opened another two
campuses in nearby cities within recent years becoming one of the largest community colleges
within the Los Angeles Community College District. All of the fieldwork for this study took
place on the main campus.
Upon arrival, the main corridor greets guests with ten-foot walls that stand alone and
bear a single letter that contain the initials of the college. The main passage led to an area that
was in complete disarray because of extensive construction. Some buildings are going through a
modernization process, while other structures are replacing old classroom buildings. The area
was filled with numerous detour signs stating, “ Hard hats required beyond this point” that
provide safety precautions or new routes for students. Two ten-story soaring cranes hoist steel
beams across an unfinished fourth floor, while the construction crew guides them to their
permanent location. My eyes have a hard time adjusting to the radiating bright light as
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

80
ironworkers weld. The cranes engines are in full motion, loud hammering and sawing noises
permeate from the distance, but students passing by seem completely oblivious to the organized
chaos, as they may have gotten use to their ongoing campus makeover. Each unfinished
construction site displays a ten-by-ten feet poster exhibiting what the finished project will look
like. One sign in particular highlights a soon to come “Student Success Center”.
Another walkway leads to a recently built contemporary designed stunning structure.
This new building houses student organizations, a computer center and additional student
resources such as counseling services. In addition, the library seems to be featured as inviting,
colorful, and alluring signs state, “Get to Know Your Newly Renovated Library” near the
entrance. The entrance into the library contains a floor-to-ceiling mural depicting an old, but
lively Spanish community with people walking and standing on dirt roads; faint faces painted in
the light-blue sky, and assortments of lush green plants. Features of an Aztec calendar are woven
within the sun and steep mountains seem to look over the town below. The opposing side of the
mural contains a sea of about forty computers spanning the entire first floor. Desktop wallpapers
show upcoming events and deadlines for students. Other Latin inspired artifacts are showcased
throughout the library.
After further exploring the library, I began to walk further across the campus to find and
become better acquainted with the campus and math department. Other parts of the campus
encompassed open spaces where students can sit or socialize. Students walked down long
walkways alongside hills and a food truck where some stood in line to grab breakfast before their
a.m. classes. School spirit was apparent judging by the occasional students who wore t-shirts and
sweaters with graphics of the college’s initials. In addition, posters promoting student events and
upcoming fundraisers flooded walls and outside information boards. My search for the math
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

81
department was met by an unexpected surprise. The ongoing improvements in infrastructure on
the other side of the campus required that the math department be housed in series of bungalows
for approximately one year. There was no building, but there were about fourteen bungalows that
make up the math department. The bungalows are situated in what used to be a parking lot. The
area is paved with cement and some ground areas still contained fainted white paint that directed
cars through the once parking lot. The actual bungalows are plain only containing large, single
letters or two digit numbers. There are no plants, grass areas or trees that surround the immediate
vicinity of the bungalows. The area simply contained a few scattered benches, tables, trashcans,
vending machines and simple newsstands that hold a stack of their campus newsletter.
The campus newsletter became of particular interest because it profiled three former
students that began their academic careers at DCC. The piece discussed their interest in math and
their decision to take the STEM pathway. The alumni recognized their decisions as the beginning
steps that would ultimately propel them into successful careers in engineering at renowned
companies that most would aspire to work for. In the profile, the alumni expressed gratitude to
the college and provided some encouraging words for current students. The newsletter also wrote
articles titled, “Education Transforms Lives”, “Our Communit y” and “Latino Legislators”. The
campus newsletter also contained other notable pieces that mapped student success rates, faculty
profiles, construction information and accreditation updates.
Reading through the literature provided a small glimpse into the culture of the campus.
The newsletter seemed to consider what was relevant and important to the campus as a collective
community. The description of the campus was meant to provide a context that would surround
NTTF and Latino/a students that are the focal point in this study. What do they see everyday as
they walk to their classroom? The grounds that they walk and the newsletters that they read may
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

82
have lasting impressions that may influence social integration for both NTTF and Latino/a
students. Hence, such descriptions of the campus provide a lens through which NTTF and
Latino/a students may view DCC. Moreover, such views may also shape the way NTTF and
Latino/a students experience the campus.
What was left was to become better acquainted with the cultures that uniquely existed
within the three classrooms that were the focal point of this study. The three part-time NTTF that
took part in this study were Ms. V, Ms. Antonia, and Mrs. Lee. All three classrooms were
observed throughout a five-week period. The following sections will introduce each DCC faculty
member, their classroom and the noticeable and relevant experiences that shape student-faculty
interactions. Along with each section, narratives of Latino/a and faculty members will be shared
that discuss how they view their roles and members of the campus and classroom setting. Each
section is subsequently divided into three themes that emerged from data analysis. Each
classroom will reflect a unique culture, the work experience of faculty members and a unique
group of students that all holistically make-up the classroom environment.
Ms. V
Ms. V is a first-generation Asian-American college graduate with a degree in
Mathematics Education and a Multiple Subject teaching credential. Her teaching experience
began at the high school level where she taught for five years. Ms. V recalls why she decided to
become a teacher:
Math was a way to build my confidence when I was in high school. While many students
around me struggled, math made sense to me. I had to still practice with more complex
material, but I felt good understanding how to work through a problem. Meanwhile I saw
how other kids gave up and saw what it did to their confidence.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

83
Ms. V stated that she decided to teach at the community college level for two reasons. The
primary reason was to gain a flexible schedule that would allow her to spend quality time with
her five-year-old daughter. The second reason was to work with young men and women that
were closer to the application of math skills to their careers. Ms. V is classified as a part-time
adjunct faculty and has worked for DCC since 2011. She is currently teaching two introductory
courses at DCC and another two courses at another local community college. Although Ms. V
may appear to be a voluntary adjunct faculty member that prefers a part-time status, narratives
suggest that she struggles with part-time working conditions and would prefer a full-time
position.
Ms. V. and I made prior arrangements and agreed that I would introduce myself after the
first break as a new faculty member at a nearby community college looking to better understand
teaching strategies. However, I communicated to Ms. V that the intent of the study was to better
understand how students formed social relationships within the classroom setting. Such
deception was absolutely necessary to ensure that I was able to immerse myself into their culture
and avoid capturing altered or unnatural behaviors. I introduced myself, shared that I am a new
faculty at a local community college and that I was interesting in learning new teaching
strategies. I also shared that I am a product of a community college and I am a current doctoral
student at a local university. I provided a brief description of the purpose of my study as
described above and asked if they had any questions. I described the purpose of the survey and
distributed the survey. After the study, participates were informed of the true nature of the study
and steps were taken ensure well-being.

STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

84
Classroom Culture
One element of Social Learning Theory described in chapter two posits that personal and
behavioral factors are influenced and impacted by environmental settings (Bandura, 1986). In
this study, the classroom served as the primary setting where part-time NTTF and Latino/a
students were observed. Although the classroom is a vital component of college experiences, it
became quickly apparent that how Ms. V utilizes, manages, and influences the classroom
environment would have much more affect in shaping the culture of the classroom than the
physical setup. Although the classroom is well kept and clean, it is extremely plain. There are
two small windows next to the doorway on one side of the room and one large window on the
opposite end of the classroom that brings in natural sunlight. All four walls are a light grey color
and are exceedingly mute. One wall simply contains emergency route exists and directions to a
fire extinguisher outside. The room is simple as it contains forty-five student desk chairs, one
main desk that contains a computer and access to a projector hanging from the ceiling, a plain
metal cabinet in the back of the room and a pin board that contains flyers for campus and student
events.
On day one of classroom observations I arrived twenty minutes early to choose a seat that
would allow me to have a complete view of the classroom layout. Seats began to fill about ten
minutes prior to the start of class. Ms. V walks in two minutes prior to the start of class and
without saying anything else states, “we’ll begin in about five minutes to account for any
latecomers, this way we don’t have to repeat things over and over”. The overall mood of the
classroom was dull as the entire class remained in silence. Most of the students seem to occupy
their time and attention by looking at their cell phones. Ten minutes after her arrival Ms. V
begins class by passing out the syllabus. At this point, the class was made up of 23 young men
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

85
and 20 young women. The review of the syllabus was brief and contained very basic information
about the course. The syllabus was two pages and appeared to miss important information that
would have provided more clarity to students. Questions were initiated by students, which
revolved around exams, book sections, and opportunities for extra credit. Regarding extra credit,
Ms. V did not offer opportunities to make up any exams. Also, the section that described office
hours stated “by appointment only”, which students also inquired about.
Ms. V emphasized the importance of purchasing the book, attendance, and knowing math
lab hours. She stated “they [math lab] can help to stay on track and they can help you with any
issues that you may have with the material”. Within fifteen minutes of the initiation of class on
day one, Ms. V began with the first section of the book. Students that arrived beyond this point
were not acknowledged. Some walked in, sat, and began to take notes, while others stopped to
ask if she was adding. Her response was, “only if you’re on my roll or waiting list”. These initial
interactions between faculty and students seem to lack an inviting rapport. s. V’s facial
expressions were bland and her vocal tone was unvarying. Students remained silent throughout
the class meeting as Ms. V followed through with the content planned for the day.
Such first impressions are significant for some students that, for the very first time, are
developing potentially lasting schemas of what it means to be a college student (Gallimore &
Goldenberg, 2001; Gloria & Rodriguez, 2000). Furthermore, students may internalize such
impressions that influence how learners view future teachers and unwritten customs in the
classrooms setting. There is growing recognition that teachers may serve as key contributors to
the social development of their students, affecting their lives well into their academic careers
(Castellanos & Gloria, 2007; Gonzalez, 2002; Jones, Castellanos & Cole, 2002; Yosso, 2005).
Beyond the traditional role of lecturing geared toward intellectual stimulation, teachers serve as
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

86
models that are responsible for regulating activity level, communication, and peer interaction that
stimulates meaningful social exchanges andura, 1 ). Continued observations of s. V’s
classroom suggest that her focus is primarily on presenting the required content. Although such a
focus may serve well for students that are able to successfully comprehend the material, such
approach may not serve well for any students that are struggling.
Creating a culture that does not encourage students to feel free to ask questions may
unintentionally permit some students to fall behind. Evidence of such a culture was detected by
continuously observing students asking each other for help during breaks rather than asking Ms.
V for added explanations or better clarity. It was immediately evident that for some reason Ms. V
did not make eye contact with the class. Her visual attention transitioned for the board to
documents that she held in her hand. Ms. V made very brief statements that stressed the need to
“use the book to practice” for weekly exams that took place at the end of the week or comments
such as “make sure not to skip this step” to guide students. Within the first few days of
observations, repeated puzzled facial expressions and sighs of frustration were seen and heard
that suggest that some students are already having trouble. The culture of the classroom was
quiet and ordinary. Most students simply came to class and raced to write down what Ms. V is
writing on the board. Students who were late unobtrusive walked in sat down and began taking
notes as well. Interaction between Ms. V and students were rare and brief.
As I emerged myself into the classroom’s culture, it became apparent that a deeper
analysis that included narratives from Ms. V and her students would be needed to help examine
and explain unseen factors that influence their interactions. This holistic analysis particularly
focused on relevant working conditions for Ms. V as a part-time NTTF and the sociocultural
values that are believed to significantly shape Latino/a students. After a comprehensive analysis
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

87
of classroom experiences in conjunction with narratives derived from part-time NTTF and
Latino/a student interviews a clearer picture began to appear that helped link the underlying
frameworks described in the literature review. The following are the themes that emerged from
the data collected.
Classroom Readiness
The success of teachers will not only depend on what occurs within the classroom, but
also on the preparation that takes place before a given class begins (Umbach, 2008) Particularly
for part-time NTTF, researchers argue that work conditions outside the classroom may affect
student-learning conditions that take place within the classroom environment (Benjamin, 2002,
2003; Curtis & Jacobe, 2006; Umbach, 2007). Therefore, teaching performance may not only be
a reflection of educational background, previous experience, preparation and other personal
qualities, but also a reflection of working conditions. Such working conditions may play a key
role in classroom readiness. In this study, classroom readiness is defined as the nature and
quality of preparation that occurs outside the classroom intended to increase proficiencies within
the classroom setting.
After careful analysis of classroom observations and an in depth interview with Ms. V,
findings suggest that Ms. V struggled with classroom readiness. When asked about her
collaborative work with other faculty members, Ms. V explained:
We really don't do collaborative work around here. The department is good and helpful,
and everyone is cordial, but we are on our own when it comes to getting things done for
class. I don't have time to plan or connect with other faculty members because I’m in and
out. I wish I did, but I simply do what I can on my own.
Teachers possess a significant amount of influence over how they shape the classroom by
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

88
adjusting instructional tempo, anticipating areas of difficulty for students, and strategizing for
activities that enhance the comprehension of the material presented (Umbach, 2006, 2007). In
addition, teachers can ask their students questions to encourage higher order thinking that
increases the likelihood of their students remaining attentive and engaged. However, the ability
to perform these tasks within the classroom does not come naturally. Such notions are consistent
with increasing research suggesting that NTTF use less engaging and student-centered teaching
methods due to less time available for class preparations (Baldwin & Mywrwinksi, 2011;
Ehrenberg & Zhang, 2005).
Strategies designed to increase classroom readiness requires time for ongoing
preparations and collaborative work that may encompass ongoing conversations with other
faculty members about techniques to develop and improve such skills. Observations are
consistent with s. V’s comments regarding time restraints and collaborative work as she
explained,
When I first started teaching at the community college level I spend lots of time
preparing for class, but I realized that I was spending way too much time at home that did
not make sense financially and did not make sense as far as spending time with my
daughter. It's very different here at this level. When I taught in high school, working with
colleagues was not only expected but part of the culture. Here, the system does not seem
to encourage such teamwork.
Ongoing classroom observations suggest that lack of preparation may become evident through an
inability to answer student’s questions with sufficient detail. On rare occasions when students
ask questions, she responds by stating, “just go back to step one to catch your mistake”, or she
was also observed stating, “the section in your book will provide more detail that will help you”.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

89
Rather than providing further elaboration or explaining the concept in a new way, Ms. V resorts
to deflecting questions that do not encourage future inquiry or student-faculty interactions.
Confusion from students was evident as they often flipped pages back and forth from
their books attempting to follow along with what Ms. V wrote and discussed. During break I
asked a group of three students if the book was helping with the material being presented. One
student, a 20- year-old Latino described his frustration with the book. Leo stated,
She [Ms. V] explains things different from the book so it’s confusing because you have to
learn her way, but when we get stuck we have to learn the book’s way. Sometimes it’s
hard to keep up because she keeps going and going. I mean, I like math, but she never
slows down and she only goes over things once.
Other students nod their heads up and down signaling that they agree with Leo’s assessment of
Ms. V. The degree of classroom readiness for Ms. V also became apparent as she describes lack
of encouragements and opportunities for professional development. Mounting research suggests
that the capacity to increase proficiencies within the classroom can also impact by professional
development opportunities (Gappa & Leslie, 1993, Gappa, Leslie & Trice, 2007; Umbach,
2008). Ms. V described her challenges:
I use to attend professional development trainings because I wanted to adjust to the
community culture, but doing so didn't really seem to matter. The trainings were helpful
in that they provided interesting strategies, but I had to plan for them ahead of time
because they did not fit my schedule. So driving back and forth was a hassle and again, it
didn't make sense financially.
I probed further and asked what she meant by “didn't make sense financially”. She replied, “Our
contracts make no mention of attending these trainings and getting paid for them. I’ve even
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

90
asked, if we attend our own, would we be compensated and my chair stated that those expenses
are not part of the budget. We receive emails of trainings, but they are simply not worth
attending. Our chair is sympathetic with us, it looks like there is nothing she can do.
Particularly for part-timers like Ms. V. who experience minimal contact with colleagues
within the department due lack of time on campus, feelings of exclusion may emerge and lead to
decreased opportunities for professional growth. I asked Ms. V if she believed that such
circumstances regarding her inability to attend professional development trainings affects her
relationships with colleagues in any way. s. V explained, “I only see them and chat for a few
minutes when I have a chance to attend department meetings, this is the only time I can co-exist
with them”. I probed further and asked how these departmental meetings were helpful in any
way. She explained, “they [the departme nt] help in that I can stay informed and in the loop with
what’s going on. I need to know what will happen next seme ster and if that will affect me”.
Therefore, attending departmental meetings for Ms. V seems to be a strategy to remain visible,
anticipate future opportunities or a need to adjust else for financial security.
Two important points are noted. First, although such strategy may help her foresee
professional opportunities, such strategies do not contribute proficiencies that make classroom
readiness such important characteristics for developing instructional methodologies that may
foster effective learning for students. For example, Ms. V. may not have the skill-sets needed to
respond to questions from students with an arsenal of instructional tools needed to express
difficult concepts in easy ways, which weakens the likelihood of comprehension from students.
Second, Ms. V reports having a positive relationship with her department chair and colleagues,
but such positive relationships do not seem to render alternatives or solutions that actively seeks
to improve feelings of insecurity and working conditions.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

91
I would love to stay here because the people are kind, I also have to make an effort for
time to time to see what else is out there. I keep up with websites that post other teaching
opportunities. I would like to do full-time because I would have an opportunity to not feel
rushed all the time. The problem is that these sites are obviously public and so many
people apply. I have a friend that is trying to get into teaching but can’t.
The inability to obtain job security may create added stress that hinders s. V’s commitment to
the college and performance within the classroom. Moreover, feelings of uncertainty and lack of
alternatives for professional growth may also detract from classroom opportunities to connect
with students.
Classroom Opportunities to Connect
In this study, classroom opportunities to connect are defined by any circumstances that
make meaningful interactions between faculty and students possible. Consistent with social
learning theory, student-faculty interactions are viewed as interdependent and social processes
that foster the development of academic relationships (Bandura, 1996). To achieve such
relationships or mentorship, ongoing meaningful interactions are needed to build mutual respect
and rapport with one another. One of the most significant findings from analyzing classroom
observations and interviews was the lack of meaningful interactions that existed between Ms. V.
and her students.
Opportunities to connect require the presence of others and the desire or need to initiate
contact with one another. In addition, time is an important element needed to initiate and
experience interactions. For Ms. V, lack of time did appear to be an important factor. Two
important observations were made. First, there were minimal interactions between Ms. V and
students. For example, she consistently arrived approximately two minutes before class for every
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

92
class meeting observed. In addition, she did not call roll and began most classes by simply
stating what sections were going to be covered for the day. During breaks, Ms. V checked her
phone, stepped outside, or looked through her book while students conversed among themselves.
In sum, neither Ms. V nor students made efforts to talk to one another. Second, by the mid-point
of this particular course, twenty-one students dropped and only twenty-two remained, meaning
that nearly half of students dropped the class. The room felt large because half of all seats were
empty. Such emptiness became even more apparent because students had gotten into a habit of
leaving the first two rows unoccupied.
It is hard to know exactly why such a large number of students dropped the course. First,
the students who dropped are no longer present and personal reasons cannot be verified.
Secondly, an array of reasons may also contribute to dropping out such as economic hardship,
work schedules, familial and personal difficulties. A number of potential explanations may
contribute to such lack of initiative from the part of Ms. V and her students, but the overall
culture of the classroom fostered by Ms. V appeared to play a key role. Personal characteristics
and work related circumstances were two important topics that were noted by observations and
narratives. It was important to consider personal characteristics and work related circumstances
to capture a holistic point of view to better understand the influence that Ms. V fosters within the
classroom setting that deters classroom opportunities to connect.
Work Related Circumstance. Ample empirical evidence is mounting suggesting that
working conditions for part-time NTTF produce unjust working environments that affect
performance (Gappa & Leslie, 1993, Gappa, Leslie & Trice, 2007; Jaeger & Eagan, 2008). One
particular work related circumstance that was found to be significant was s. V’s descriptions of
efficiency. Examining her remarks pointed toward time occupied on campus, but not within the
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

93
classroom, which appeared to deter classroom opportunities to connect. Ms. V reported that she
needed to become efficient to ensure that her time was being well spent. Ms. V explained,
It doesn't make sense for me to grade students’ grades, attend to emails, and work on
reviewing what I will go over tomorrow at home. I’ve learned to be efficient by dealing
with all these obligations here. I limit myself to a few minutes right before class begins
and a half an hour after class ends. That way, I’m not spending hours and hours doing
that at home. This is the only way being part-time works for me. I can’t make it about
students here and home so I’ve learned to do the work here .
Although Ms. V attended to work responsibilities, these exact same responsibilities that come
along with teaching were also creating circumstances that made her less available for students
during class time. Consequently, student-faculty interactions remained absent.
All observations that took place initially, at midpoints, and during the last week of the course
were consistent in noting that Ms. V ended class approximately fifteen minutes early. In
addition, she immediately gathered her belongings and walked out quickly.
One student noticed the issue of availability, but perceived her immediate departure after
class differently. I asked Brenda and Cindy, two Latina students if they ever stayed after class to
ask questions as I witnessed them unsuccessfully attempt to finish the last problem that Ms. V
covered before she left. Cindy described her thoughts about s. V’s availability.
“She’s told us that she can help after class, but we have to email her before and make an
appointment so she can make time. I think that she has to leave somewhere else because
she always leaves. I should email her but I always forget.”
Brenda adds by stating,
“I forget too so we just try to help each other out. ut still, I heard that when you email
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

94
her to set up an appointment, she sets the day and time, not you, so it’s like no even worth
asking because she might be open to meet on a day that you’re not so its messed up”
From a practical perspective, Ms. V utilizes her time on campus to teach and address
responsibilities that concern students, but without noting that doing so is also prohibiting face-to
face contact with students. Such work related circumstances not only influences meaningful
opportunities to connect with students, but also signals that serve as cues that students perceive
as unavailable. The value of even minor interactions are significant because such seemingly
insignificant interactions may lead to more purposeful subsequent interactions that relate to
academic progress for students.
Interpersonal Characteristics. The underlying frameworks for this study view NTTF as
socialization agents that model subtle, but important behaviors that convey observable skills,
norms, habits and values that impact student-faculty interactions. Based on this notion,
interpersonal characteristic involve the communicative and relational side of working with
students (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005). Although social aptitude, temperament or backgrounds
play a role in such characteristics, social skills are indeed skills that do not come natural.
Therefore, interpersonal characteristic were viewed as derived from the development of skills
that are learned, refined, and utilized, as any other set of skills require. Examples of interpersonal
skills in the classroom may include, but are not limited to the ability to initiate and maintain
conversations, greeting others upon arrival, encouraging inquiry, calling students by name,
providing feedback, and acknowledging progress or achievements. An all-inclusive analysis of
the data revealed that interpersonal characteristics were key in establishing social interactions
that served as signals that conveyed to accessibility cues that shaped the culture of the classroom
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

95
environment. Subsequently, these accessibility cues are foundational obstruct or encourage
mentorship (Johnson, 2007; McDowall–Long, 2004).
In s. V’s classroom opportunities to connec t were hindered by interpersonal
characteristics. Affirming an environment where Latino/a students have a sense of inclusion and
that they belong is key to academic and social integration (Hernandez, 2000; Hurtado & Ponjuan,
2005). However, such academic and social integration were not apparent in s. V’s class. Her
unwavering vocal tones and mute facial expressions remained constant throughout observations.
In addition, she very rarely made eye contact with students. Instead, she typically directed her
attention to what she wrote on the board and at the book that she placed on an empty desk in the
first row. Students did appear to struggle with boredom and attentiveness.
Students acquire these modeled cues and create psychosocial representations or schemas
that guide how they will respond to environmental conditions (Gloria & Rodriguez, 2000;
Castellanos & Gloria, 2007). Some students noticed these subtle cues and reported a sense of
indifference. I asked a student about his progress in the class. Leo stated, “I’m doing ok, the class
is hard so I have to stay on it. s. V makes the class even more hard because she is so serious”. I
probed further, asking him how he is adjusting to her teaching style. He replied,
She’s [ s. V] like whatever. I don't even worr y about her because she’s just in her own
world. Some teachers don't really care about teaching us, so I just practice a lot so that I
am ready for the test. She covers things right for the easy parts, but she doesn't really
cover stuff in detail with the harder stuff that she puts on the test. That's why I try not to
miss [class].
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

96
Although perceiving the class as challenging may heighten personal commitment and
expectations, to do so without a sense of support may create additional challenges that students
must overcome.
As noted earlier almost half of the students dropped the course by its midpoint. This issue
points to the growing number of research suggesting that Latino/a student’s decisions to
withdraw from college are not merely contingent on pre-college variables such as academic
preparedness, but also on an array of support cues and experiences within the classroom that
occur as they attend a community college (Hurtado & Kamimura, 2003; Nora, 2003).
Observations indicate that Ms. V. teaching style did not include providing feedback, encouraging
questions, nor taking part in conversation that elicited further academic stimulation. In fact, Ms.
V did not provide homework, which helps students reinforce course content. Early on Ms. V
made an announcement to the class to address her decision not to provide or assign homework,
I will provide you with autonomy so that whether you do well or not will depend on how
much work you are willing to put in on your own. If you find yourself struggling or
failing, ask yourself if you’ve been practicing the review section at the end of each
section. Since homework is optional, it’s up t o you to put in the work or not.
Although s. V’s message to the class points toward the importance of independence and
practice, the message may also provide unintended cues to students that convey progress as an
entirely individual effort that does not include Ms. V. Being perceived as social, friendly, kind
or approachable has been linked to reciprocated responses and increased student-faculty
interactions (Cox, et al., 2010; Hurtado, et al., 2011). Then, it is conceivable that the opposite is
true. Being perceived as unfriendly, and unapproachable can decrease the likelihood of student-
faculty interactions.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

97
Ms. V seems to have developed a straightforward approach to teaching that primarily
focuses on presenting required curriculum and assessing through examination. However, the lack
of interpersonal characteristics and minor social interactions has prevented ongoing
communication that is needed to establish rapport with students. Although both Ms. V and her
student have some level of agency toward initiating rapport with one another, Ms. V serves as a
primary socialization agent that facilitates an environment that encourages or hinders purposeful
interactions. The lack of meaningful interactions between Ms. V and her students was apparent
through observations. It appears that s. V’s uncertainty of future employment, nonexistent
collaborative work with colleagues, work related circumstances, and the deficient interpersonal
skills with students mentioned above appeared to impact student-faculty interactions her personal
commitments to DCC and her students.
Personal & Work Commitments
Personal Commitments to Students. After analyzing and reviewing all of s. V’s
narratives and field notes that pertained to her class, an important finding was made. An
overarching pattern emerged that suggested that she appeared to be unwilling to go beyond her
formal role of teaching. Interestingly, Ms. V did not express satisfaction from her position at
DCC or satisfaction related to working with students. Although omission does not alone suggest
that she is dissatisfied, key insights emerged about personal commitments when learning more
about her teaching philosophy. I shared with Ms. V that I was in the process of developing my
own teaching philosophy and asked if she can provide some advice. Ms. V. stated,
I would say that you have to challenge your students so that they are more inclined to
work hard. I teach Math, but not all students will become engineers and accountants so
challenging course work will allow students to create their own destiny wherever they go.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

98
The ones that want it bad enough will work hard and the ones who don't will weave
themselves out. Offer to help, but I have found that the more you do for them, the less
they will do for themselves.
s. V’s seems to minimi e potential success and focus on assumed failure. Also , such advice
seems to neglect the importance of considering young, first time, or first- generation college
students who are ready and willing to do the work. Questionnaires that were utilized to collect
demographic information indicate that nearly 28% of all students who began the course were
first-generation Latino/a college students.
It is important to note that substantial research suggests that first-generation college
students tend to be at distinct and considerable disadvantage that include cultural as well as
social and academic transitions into college (Nora and Crisp 2009; Pascarella, Pierson, Wolniak
& Terenzini, 2005; Soria & Stebleton, 2012). I mentioned that I noticed that most of her students
were Latino/a and wondered if that made a difference in her teaching style. Ms. V explained,
“Yes I’ve noticed. ecau se of the communities that surround the college, most students around
here are Hispanic, but nothing changes. I am impartial and treat all students the same”. It appears
that Ms. V does not recognize the cultural and experiential knowledge that has been found to be
important to Latinos/as students (Yosso, 2005). Although there are endless similarities that all
students have in common, there are also important differences that Ms. V appears to disregard.
The PSC framework guiding this study particularly highlights cultural considerations that
bring important implications to teaching practices that may encourage or discourage interactions
between NTTF and Latino/a students (Castellanos & Gloria, 2007; Gloria & Rodriguez, 2000).
These considerations are important at a Hispanic Serving Institution like DCC that serves high
concentrations of Latino/a students. Thus, it is imperative to treat all students fairly, but fairly is
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

99
not synonymous with “the same” as s. V described. On one particular day toward the end of
the course, I noticed that a Latino student was thrilled to share with his peer his latest exam
results. He told a nearby student, “See I told you it would be an A”. As class ended, I approached
him and told him that I noticed that he was doing well in class and was wondering why he felt he
was doing well. Omar smiled and explained,
I’m not sure, the last weeks got hard, but I think I’m doing ok because I keep going to the
math lab. They’re pretty cool out there. They know me out there, I practice there but I
also ask them a lot of questions. They always walk around and help us figure out the
problem and me; I ask a lot so they know me.
Notably Omar was not observed asking questions in class and did not make any mention of Ms.
V. I mentioned that I realized that I never spotted him asking questions in class and he
responded, “It’s kind of different here, sometime you just don't feel comfortable asking questions
in certain places”.
Indeed, a culture of comfort did not appear to be present in s. V’s classr oom. Ms. V
appeared committed to teaching, but not connecting with students to focus on social and cultural
integration. When asked about how her own teaching philosophy affects interactions with
students, she replied,
I think that I try to be, I think more reserved with them because they are so young. I want
to let them know that college is different from high school and that they have to work
hard to make it in life. I teach them what I can to prepare them for that next class, hoping
that they will learn to be more capable as time goes on.
I began to understand her intentions and the way she managed her relationships with students.
Although the class was exceedingly quiet and interactions were minimal, Ms. V was looking to
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

100
instill a need to recognize that college will be difficult. However, this same teaching philosophy
may have also built unintended barriers between she and her students. In an attempt to capture
more detail regarding interactions with students I ask her for her perspective on mentoring
students. She commented,
“It is hard to do that at this stage in their academic careers. They are so young and I don't
think they are ready for that yet. I see them for a single class, which already makes
getting to know them very difficult, but the college does an exceptional job in providing
additional resources, including short-term and long-term mentors for students”.
s. V’s response does not take into account that many students, particularly Latino /a students
that do not have an opportunity to explore campus life and resources because many struggle to
manage work related and familial obligations (Dougherty & Townsend, 2006; Nora & Crisp
2009; Soria & Stebleton, 2012). In addition, the lack of student-faculty interaction within the
classroom makes cultural congruity or the ability to “fit” into an academic environment harder to
achieve for Latino/a students (Gloria & Robinson Kurpius, 1996). Therefore, Ms. V. appeared to
lack a personal commitment to get to know her students.
Personal Commitments to Work. The focal point of most, if not all of s. V’s personal
descriptions focused on seeking professional stability. It is difficult to experience satisfaction
beneath a shadow of professional uncertainty and disinterested interactions with students. Ms. V
described her attempts to adjust to her current work related circumstances that appears to affect
her commitment to the college. Ms. V shared,
I am still trying to work out how all of this will work for me and my family. I’ve only
been able to do better because I had to force myself to stop taking work home. Now I do
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

101
all of that when I am here on campus, but still I have to find more ways to cut off time
that is not honored by our contracts.
Her remarks hint at having to struggle with commitments that conflict with her personal and
professional obligations. I asked if she has found that other part-timers experience similar
circumstances. She stated, “I don't know, they don't attend departmental meetings as I do and I
don't get a chance to talk with them otherwise, I wish I did though”.
s. V’s active search to find other more secure professional opportunities in conjunction
with her struggle to reconcile personal and work related obligations appears to affect with
commitment to DCC. More indications were found when asking Ms. V to describe her future
aspirations at DCC.
My hope is to be able to teach upper division courses that contain students that have
already proven that they are willing to put in the work to succeed, but that is hard to do
around here. These introductory contain many students that are straight out of high school
who are not yet willing to let go of bad habits and develop a college mentality. Where I
teach doesn't really matter as long as it’s close to home, but teaching upper division
courses means older and wiser students who understand the value of math and would also
mean I am finally more established.
s. V has been teaching at CC for three years and still does not report feeling “established”
within the college. Researchers have increasingly documented how feelings of inequity and
exclusion, and lack of opportunities for professional growth affects willingness to perform and
work satisfaction (Blumberg & Pringle, 1982; Gappa, Austin & Trice, 2007; Gappa & Leslie,
1993; Kezar & Sam; Schuster & Finkelstein, 2006;). Although Ms. V did not specifically state
that she is dissatisfied with her current role as an adjunct part-time faculty member, her remarks
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

102
may suggest that she would prefer to teach upper division courses and work with older students
at any college. Ms. V appears committed to further establish her professional career, but the data
suggests that she is not committed to go beyond contractual obligations that pertain to
professional growth that may affect student-faculty interactions.
Ms. Antonia
Ms. Antonia received a BS in Mathematics with a specialization in Programming in
Computing and a MS in Mathematics from a local public university. She is currently classified as
an adjunct, non-tenured faculty at Discovery Community College. Ms. Antonia has been
teaching at DCC for two years, but has a total of five years teaching experience in the
community college system. Currently she teaches between two and three introductory math
courses at DCC, while also teaching one or two courses part-time at a local university. Ms.
Antonia identified herself as a first generation college student that migrated from Central
America when she was ten. She also shared that she is a product of the community college
system and that her interest in education began as a math tutor throughout her education.
Classroom Culture
The physical features of s. Antonia’s classroom was remarkably bare. The bulletin
board that was the size of a chalkboard only contained a few flyers of past events and a brochure
for an opportunity to study abroad. There were forty-five desks in the room and a teacher’s desk
in the front of the class, but with no chair. The three windows of this particular bungalow had
thin protection bars and the door was being held partially open with a trashcan. The protective
bars seemed to keep the brightness of the sun from entering the room. The unappealing and dull
nature of the classroom would appear to have little to do with the overall social and academic
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

103
interactions that would create the shared space and culture between Ms. Antonia and her
students.
On day one of observations, students began to arrive fifteen minutes before class began.
Ms. Antonia arrived three minutes after the time in which the class was to supposed to begin.
She walked in with a mobile briefcase with wheels and a large purse in hand. Ms. Antonia placed
her belongings on the desk in front of the class and stated “welcome to ath 115, please make
sure that you are in the right class and I’ll be right back”. s. Antonia wr ote the section number
on the board and stepped away from the class. Two minutes later she returned with a steaming
cup of coffee in hand apologized for the delay. Ms. Antonia, then, approached the desk in the
front of the room placed her coffee on the desk, sat on the desk, crossed her legs, smiled, and
said “hello everyone”. Some students responded by saying hello and other s by saying good
morning, while others smiled, but remained silent. Initial surveys collected on day one of
observations indicate that students self-identified as follows: 2 African Americans, 4
Asian/Pacific Islander, 35 Latino/a and 1 other.
Ms. Antonia followed by asking students to raise their hand if this was their first or
second semester or class session at DCC. Approximately 70% percent of the class raised their
hands. She asked them to keep their hands up if the current session was their very first semester
or class session at DCC and approximately 50% remained with their hands raised. Along with
Ms. Antonia students also began to look around to see which hands were up. Ms. Antonia
described the reason for her questions,
I ask because I want to know who you are. Being new means that you should have a lot
of questions and not being new means that you should already have some answers. So
then look around, for those of you who are here for the first time, again welcome. And for
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

104
those of you who have been here before, this class may be challenging so be kind and
assist one another.
Although the class remained completely quiet, they appeared completely attentive to Ms.
Antonia as if they did not know what to make of her remarks. Ms. Antonia continued with class
by stating, “ok, let’s begin”, walked to the main white -board and wrote, “why” in large letters
that took up half of the length of the board and asked, “Why? Why are you here? Why take this
class? Why, Why”
Ms. Antonia paused seemingly as a signal to obtain a response. Some students smiled,
others avoided eye contact, while others gazed at Ms. Antonia waiting to hear what she would
say next. Before anyone could respond Ms. Antonia vibrantly stated,
I want you all to get the whole, because my parents made me or because this class is a
prerequisite out of your minds. I want you to start figuring out why this class or math
matters. If you don't know or you’re not sure, that’s fine, but start thinking why it matters
today or why it might matter in your future, because I assure you that somehow,
somehow it will.
Every single student remained motionless and fixated on Ms. Antonia as she spoke. She finalized
the moment by asking, is that something that you can all do”, most of the class responded “yes”
and s. Antonia said, “great, let’s move forward” and she proceeded to pass out the syllabus.
The description of the syllabus was covered with general detail. Rather than reading it
word for word Ms. Antonia focused on a few areas. First, she emphasized that the syllabus
contained specific sections that would be covered in each class meeting and indicated that
staying on track with the course meant that they were aware of each section. Second, she
emphasi ed that “attendance will be one of the most, the most important thing that will
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

105
determine your success in this class”. She continued by stating, “we will move quickly and being
here will be the difference between feeling lost, or staying and doing well”. After every point,
Ms. Antonia asked the class if they had any questions. Students posed an array of questions that
pertained exams, homework, and extra credit opportunities.
The last emphasis that Ms. Antonia made was on those who worked. Ms. Antonia stated,
“For those of you who work, share with your employer that you are a college student. Let them
know that you are committed to your work, but that school is also an important priority”. s.
Antonia stressed the importance of exams at the end of the week and unexpected pop quizzes
would be their only opportunity to “earn extra points”. She stated that, “pop qui es will come
only, only from material presented in class. Meaning that, you have to be in class to earn those
points”. The last point that was made was that, “the ath Lab’s email and phone number is on
the syllabus just in case you need extra assistance. I can assist you here, but also use them as a
resource. They are wonderful” . Ms. Antonia brought the conversation together by asking again if
anyone had any questions and by pointing to the word “why” on the board and asked, “why
what”, some students responded by saying out loud “why does math matter”. Students were
asked to take a ten-minute break and return ready to “get started”.
Remarkably, within the first hour of class Ms. Antonia established a welcoming
environment that gave students an opportunity to reflect upon the meaningfulness of their
studies, which has the potential to increase performance with intrinsic and purposeful motives.
These initial social exchanges acknowledged the need to help one another as peers, her presence
as a primary resource and an additional resource that they could find in the math lab if needed.
She also mentioned work status that recogni ed students’ personal circumstances, but did so in a
way that emphasized the importance of being in class while simultaneously negating work as a
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

106
reason for missing class. Particularly for Latino/a students, having to work is often a contextual
reality that matters because possessing a strong work ethic and contributing to the family is a
valued attribute (Crisp & Nora, 2010; Nuñez, 2009). Ms. Antonia and her students seemed to
enter an unwritten contract that laid out expectations that would require commitment from both
sides.
Classroom Readiness
In this study, the working conditions that may affect the nature and quality of preparation
that NTTF need outside the classroom are viewed as key factors that shape classroom readiness.
Readiness implies intent to prepare students for a succeeding level of achievements that becomes
accessible and available to obtain. Students must become ready for the next chapter, the next
class or the next degree. A substantial amount of students at the community college level indicate
that their primary goal is to transfer to a four-year university (Yosso, 2006). Ms. Antonia appears
to be in-tuned with skills required for classroom readiness. When asked to describe her role at
DCC, Ms. Antonia commented, “ y role is to prepare students for [ CC], a four -year
university, and however else they will use math in their careers many years to come”. I
mentioned that her response sounded like a sizable responsibility and if she would share more
about how she achieves these endeavors. Ms. Antonia, replied,
Education is a continual process that should never end. I mean, the material that I cover
today should serve students as a foundation to the complex operations they will be doing
many years from now, whether they know it or not. Essentially, even if they don't know
it, basic math is what will allow a strong capability in advanced math or anything else
they do.
She paused and continued,
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

107
I dedicate preparing for class to anticipate any errors that they will make and know that I
will be able to explain the same operation in a different ways. Thinking ahead means
taking a look at what we will be covering for the next several days.
Her remarks painted an almost complete picture of her students’ journey that began in the
present time. She appeared to take into account her students’ academic and professional paths
well into the future. I noted that Ms. Antonia mentioned preparation and asked how she prepares
for class. Ms. Antonia replied,
At this point the math content is easygoing because this class is about the basics. So aside
from that, I’m a reader, I love reading. When I was completing my masters, most of my
friends were working on theirs, but in teaching, social work and psychology, one in
anthropology. I liked the one’s on teaching mostly. They had to do a lot of papers all the
time so I always saw their papers lying around. I started casually reading the research and
found them so interesting. From there I’ve picked up good books from the s ame authors.
I started to make sense why so many teachers don't get through to their students.
I followed by asking what role DCC plays in her professional growth.
They’re great here, they offer a lot of trainings, but I don't think they play a large role . I
cannot make them [trainings]. The times they offer them would mean that I have to leave
and come back. I tried the online trainings but I didn't enjoy them and didn't feel they
were providing enough. Besides, I really had to choose between grading papers on my
own time and doing trainings online so I stopped.
Professional development is an essential element that provides tools and strategies aimed at
enhancing classroom readiness. However, Ms. Antonia points out that although the college does
provide traditional and online trainings, neither is fitting as a part-time faculty member.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

108
In s. Antonia’s case she has found a way to manage the class effectively evidenced by
her diverse instructional methods and collectivity with students. However, Ms. Antonia reports
that she has done so without the assistance of the department and college. Although the college
does provide opportunity for involvement, those opportunities do not appear well suited for part-
time faculty that are a vital part to the entire college. I mentioned to Ms. Antonia that I noticed
her students responded well to her classroom management style and asked her if she could share
about how she achieves such success. She responded by stating,
For me classroom management is about skills that show me how to teach. As a TA
[teacher assistant] for some years I realized how much teachers struggled with containing
the class. A lot of these teachers were very knowledgeable in their subject matter, but
they struggled with getting students to pay attention. Not paying attention also meant that
they were getting lost and falling behind. The more behind they fall the more they will
act up, distract other students or just give up. I heard a lot of stories from students
themselves, across time and different campuses and they all revolved around how their
teachers taught.
Importantly, s. Antonia described classroom management as “skills”, which may
suggest that such skills require an active approach to learning that enhance classroom
proficiencies that directly affect students. Consistent with the PSC framework, faculty and other
institutional personnel are seen as influential change agents that have the capacity to affect
greater persistence and enhanced psychological functioning within Latino/a students (Gloria &
Rodriguez, 2000; Castellanos & Gloria, 2007). In conjunction, social learning theory, which
describes social interactions as a central aspect to learning, seems to serve as a precursor to
greater persistence and enhanced psychological functioning in students (Bandura, 1996). It
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

109
appears that acquired proficiencies described by Ms. Antonia influence classroom readiness and
environmental conditions that encourage academic and social interaction that contribute to
classroom opportunities to connect with students.
Classroom Opportunities to Connect
Central to social learning, environmental conditions are an important element that affects
the learning process shared by faculty and students (Bandura, 1986). These conditions set the
stage where students may struggle and consequently withdraw effort and persistence without the
appropriate guidance, or struggles and still excel with fitting support and guidance. By the mid-
point of s. Antonia’s gatekeeper math course, six students dropped the class and thirty -six
remained, indicating that most students who began the course are still present. This was
significantly lower than s. V’s classroom where almost half of all students who began dropped
the course. Ms. Antonia created a learning culture where classroom opportunities to connect with
students were lively, continuous, and reciprocated. This social connectedness created in this
classroom setting made acculturation possible, which is an important element to the PSC
framework. For instance, after a lengthy sequence of steps for more complex operations Ms.
Antonia regularly asked, “ oes that make sense?” Most of the time some students responded
with head-nods or a simply “yes”.
On several occasions Ms. Antonia was observed making comments to the class that were
noteworthy. She often stated, “Ok, your faces tell me that you’re confused” indicating that she
was paying attention to students’ facial expressions. Such attention to students became routine
for Ms. Antonia. Subsequently students appeared to be much more comfortable asking questions,
politely requesting further elaborations and approaching Ms. Antonia during breaks and after
classes. These became opportunities to connect that both, Ms. Antonia and her students,
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

110
appeared to relish. Although Ms. Antonia routinely interacted with students, she also mentioned
that, “it is not always easy to provide the right help or meet with students privately”. After
further analysis work related circumstances were found to obstruct her ability to provide
sufficient assistance and meet with students privately.
Work Related Circumstance. I asked Ms. Antonia if she would elaborate more on what she
meant regarding providing the right assistance and meeting with students privately. She
described her situation by stating,
Meeting with students before or after class is difficult to do. There is another class
coming in right after mine and using the room assigned to us is just not helpful. I try to
help students feel comfortable talking to me at breaks, but occasionally I have to set
appointments because of those students who are really shy and don't want to talk about
their concerns because their friends may hear. So it’s just hard to assist those types of
students.
I prompted further and asked about the space provided by the department. She explained,
It's a bungalow that is shared, we talk but I don't feel comfortable and they also don't
seem comfortable when my fellow colleagues are also there with other students. I can’t
ask them to leave either. Usually they [students] want to talk when they have fallen
behind. With some students I am encouraging, but with others, I have no problem letting
them know that they have to get their act together. These conversations should be private.
This exchange prompted an important finding that appeared to be a result of work related
circumstances. It appeared that lack of private office space was a frustration for Ms. Antonia.
Consistent with mounting scholarly work on part-time NTTF (Gappa & Leslie, 1993; Gappa,
Leslie & Trice, 2007; Jaeger & Eagan, 2011; Levin, Kater, & Wagoner, 2006), office space was
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

111
an issue that Ms. Antonia perceived as an impediment to better serve her students. Importantly
such impediment may also create a barrier for Ms. Antonia to develop mentoring opportunities to
connect with students. Perhaps Ms. Antonia may be open to experience mentoring interactions
that scholars have found to be mutually beneficial for both mentors and mentees (Allen, Lentz, &
Day, 2006; Ragins & Scandura, 1999). However, not having access to a consistent, comfortable
and private setting deters such academic and social interactions from taking place, which can
certainly affect additional opportunities for students to succeed.
Although she showed concern for her students, she also mentioned that no private office
space was frustrating for her as well. She explained,
I have to carry around a thousand things all over the place. I have all kinds of ditto and
practice sheets I provide for students because I can’t provide homework. Also I carry two
other books besides the one assigned for this class because they do a great job
simplifying formulas for students. Because of time restraints I sometimes let them borrow
the books during class.
I made a note about her statement regarding homework and asked what she meant. She
explained,
Imagine constantly grading homework for more than 100 students, times several
problems per student, times every single week. It’s impossible. In math the point is not
simply whether the problem is right or wrong, it’s more abou t finding a mistake in the
sequence of many rules and steps. Assigning and correcting homework would mean that I
would have to find each mistake. Instead, I teach them strategies to find their own
mistakes.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

112
This meant that autonomy is a key aspect of being a new student at DCC attempting to
successfully pass gatekeeper math courses. However, s. Antonia also pointed out, “ those
[students] that do not have the skills, habits and confidence for independent work may be at a
huge disadvantage, which goes back to the privacy issue”. oreover, this affects the quality and
nature of interactions during office hours and can decrease the likelihood of students asking for
assistance in the future. Although not all students may need or want assistance, the access and
availability of such assistance can certainly benefit those students who do need and seek added
support. I ask Ms. Antonia if maybe the construction played a role in the spaces that she found
restrictive. She replied, “From what I hear, before the construc tion, different room, same issues”.
This dialogue provided clarity to the interpersonal characteristics that were found to significantly
affect the culture of the classroom and student-faculty interactions.
Interpersonal Characteristics. Interpersonal characteristics were found to be especially impactful
for s. Antonia’s class as they provided ample classroom opportunities to connect with her
students. This relational side of working with students appeared to keep students attentive and
absorbed with performing academic tasks that were guided by Ms. Antonia. One particular
characteristic that Ms. Antonia used was self-discloser. This subtle attribute embodied self-
confidence and cues that made her approachable. Ms. Antonia made reference toward her
approach to building rapport by stating,
I’ve come to reali e that part of getting to them [students] means that you have to share
with them something about you, as a person. Always, always maintain a professional
demeanor, but they should know something about you beyond just being their teacher.
Doing so makes it possible for them to relate to you and build a rapport that encourages
them to share something about themselves, but the real hope is effort in class.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

113
Essentially, students have an opportunity to observe these communicative and behavioral cues
that serve as internalized mental scripts or schemas that may encourage student-faculty
interactions. In addition, students can replicate such communication and develop simple, yet
meaningful exchanges that build rapport with one another. For instance, in one particular
exchange Ms. Antonia mentioned that she remembers her first semester at a community college
was filled with being “unsure of everything”. She furthered, “when I first started, I had no idea at
all what would be my major. I already knew I liked numbers, but didn't think anything of it”.
Samantha, a Latina student finishing her first year at CC responded, “I’ve been here for a while
and I’m still not sure about my major, is that normal”. s. Antonia r eplied, “yes, it’s very
normal, it’s even normal to change majors sometimes, but being here and staying here in school
is the only way you will figure it out. Each class will help with that and your counselors too,
which are free by the way”.
This exchange in dialogue exemplifies how Ms. Antonia was able to self-disclose a
personal note and create a teachable moment that goes beyond course content. Most importantly,
Samantha appeared comfortable sharing something about herself, which produced a brief, but
meaningful social discussion. Also, other students have an opportunity to hear this discussion
and reduce anxiety while also gaining an actionable approach to determining their major. These
classroom opportunities to connect may represent the psychological dimension of the PSC
framework that can increase self-esteem and confidence that can gateway to increase student
persistence (Castellanos & Gloria, 2007).
A fundamental underlying premise of social learning theory is that students can learn new
information and behaviors by observing other people (Bandura, 1996). On another occasion Ms.
Antonia was observed talking with three female students in class during a break. One student
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

114
stated, “oh yeah, sorry I was late today, I had to find a book in the library t hat I so don’t want to
read. Sorry, but reading can be so boring”. s. Antonia smiled and replied,
It’s ok, I know what you mean. A big part of reading is liking to read. Honestly, you have
go through many; I mean several books before you find the one that will keep you awake
and learning something. Right know I’m reading a book that keeps me awake every
night. You just have to keep going through them though. Read the first few pages and if
it’s not for you then move on to the next. You’ll k now when you find the right one.
One of the students asked, “Which one is it”. s. Antonia responded, “it’s aring Greatly by r.
ren rown. It's pretty good”. Two of the three students rushed to right down the information
evidenced by one student asking, “How do you spell her first name”. These continued
meaningful student-faculty interactions appear to have much to do with the commitments that
Ms. Antonia holds for her students.
Personal & Work Commitments
Personal Commitments to Students. An all-encompassing pattern emerged from the data
analysis suggesting that s. Antonia’s teaching philosophy was student -centered. She appeared
to be willing to go beyond her formal role of teaching and also focus on finding clever ways to
experiential learning for it to be important within the Latino/a culture (Pugh, 2011; Teranishi,
2007). Scholars argue that experiential learning allows students to link personal, cultural, and
academic knowledge, making scholarship relevant in their lives (Eyler & Giles, 1999; Gloria &
Rodriguez, 2000). In addition, the significance of experiential learning is that “Connected
knowing treats education not as something separate from life but as part of life” Saltmarsh,
1997, p. 82). As such, social connectedness facilitates meaningful learning that was found in a
shared culture in S. Antonia’s classroom.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

115
During the last week of the course session Ms. Antonia taught the class a specific order
of operations. She then provided two examples and provided a challenging problem on the board
for each student to attempt on the own. Then she made a general question and asked, “Ok, what
did you all get”. About 5 to students responded out loud. She then worked out the problems on
the board for everyone to see. Students frantically looked at the board and their attempts to
compare. Then she stated, “Remember, if we are not getting the same answer something is
wrong if we are getting the same answer then something is right”. Toward the beginning some
students responded with the correct answer and some did not. Then they finalized the exchange
by asking the class to connect with someone next to them or around them to check and compare
answers. She reminded them several times to “you must find your mistake. Talk to your
neighbor so they can help you”.
There are a few things to note. First, Ms. Antonia was observed doing this group work
dynamics throughout the entire course, which kept students engaged. This meant that the
classroom setting also provided opportunities to learn from Ms. Antonia, independently, and
collaboratively with peers. Second, she constantly prompted students to find their mistake. This
meant that students were obtaining immediate feedback after a task, which empirical work
suggests is an important element to developing effective learning strategies (Shute, 2008). Third,
such group-work led by Ms. Antonia encouraged socialization that is believed to influence
cognitive and affective elements linked to academic persistence and the pursuit of degree
completion (Weidman, 2006; one more). In addition such socialization, may also tap into
sociocultural factors that Latino/a students value. Lastly, Ms. Antonia regularly used the word
“we” creating a culture that encourages purposeful collaboration.
A “we” mentally appeared to be a reoccurring and n atural way that Ms. Antonia used to
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

116
transition from one task to another and moments in which she wanted to get their attention.
Deeply analyzing her narratives allowed me to realize that much had to do with teaching
philosophy. During one particular exchange, Ms. Antonia explained,
I see teaching and math as a way of problem solving than turns into solution focused.
Not as rigid rules or operations that involve numbers, but problem solving within the
realm of living. I’ve developed a way of thinking and kn owing that helps take a sequence
of steps that can get me from point A to point B and I like having a strong sense of
control to getting to step B. I like to instill this in students because I am sure that it will
help them along the way.
s. Antonia’s apparent commitment to students was evident in all aspects of her approach to
instructional practices.
Students also took note of her commitments. Samantha was a 25 year-old Latina student
that expressed interest in taking part in interviews. In discussing her progress in class, Samantha
indicated,
“I think I’m doing good because I like this class. I look forward to coming to class every
day. I hate getting up so early, but it doesn't matter anymore. [Ms. Antonia] makes class
interesting and I get her way of being with us. She is always willing to help and easy to
talk to when I don't understand something. I was so scared to start taking my math
classes, but she has made me feel so much better about it”.
Such descriptions are consistent with another students that described. Lizette, a self-identified
first generation Latina college student described s. Antonia. She stated, “She’s always around
to explain and she’s always making sure that we are learning”. Lizette also mentioned, “some of
my friends were telling me take math last, I’m so glad that I didn't listen”. uring breaks
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

117
students often stayed inside and continued working on problems that Ms. Antonia wrote on the
board. In addition, students were also observed achieved tasks that ended with excitement.
Such insights were observed during a particular exchange during the last week of the
course. The class was directed to work on two practice problems and to share their work and
answers with their peers once they were done. Ms. Antonia walked around the classroom as two
students discussed their work. One student yelled out, “I got both of them right again”. s.
Antonia smiled and responded by saying, “great, you’ve been getting them all right lately, now
make sure to help your peers if they need help”. The student confidently asked the class out load,
“I got this, anyone need help”. erhaps his remarks best capture the ideas that s. Antonia
shared about her goal with students. She explained,
ost of these students are not even twenty. They’re young this i s most often the case.
My hope is not just to teach them math, but why math matters or why school matters.
Trust me, this is hard to do. Not all students will get it. This is just the way it is in
education. With them, the idea is to be friendly, but without being the friend. To get them
to like math and impart confidence that can get them to believe that they can make it at
the university level and in the real world that is often unjust.
Her remarks highlight the dynamics that were evident throughout classroom observations and the
regard that students expressed about Ms. Antonia.
I mentioned that I noticed that most of her students were Latino/a and wondered if that
made a difference in her teaching strategies. She stated,
Yes, a lot. I cannot begin tell you that this country needs more Hispanics in the STEM
fields. For all people, but of course for the Hispanic population it would mean a lot. I feel
responsible for their initiation into math, many times high school almost doesn't count in
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

118
a sense, they’ve had horrible experiences in high school and I don't want them to think
that college has to be that way. It is an undeniable foundation that many do not focus on
more for some reason so I make sure to do so even more.
She paused, and appeared to struggle with describing her thoughts. However she continued,
I’m not sure, but I think I understand them somehow. I’m not sure how, but I do. Cultures
are so different and complex among these ethnic groups so I don't understand everything
about them at all. But I think I am just open to hear them, their stories, and learn about
their unique experiences.
Although Ms. Antonia seemed to struggle with her words, her response appears consistent with a
culturally responsive approach that validates all students, but Latino/a students particularly.
Ongoing student-faculty interactions materialized through intellectual, social and culturally
responsive ways that students seem to appreciate. While her commitments to students appeared
robust, her personal commitments to DCC did appear as sturdy.
Personal Commitments to Work. Most of Ms. Antonia’s narratives focused on her ability
to manage the classroom and ways to heighten learning opportunities for her students. At some
point I realized that she rarely spoke of DCC. For instance, I asked Ms. Antonia if she could
describe any challenges that she has experienced at CC. She replied, “ y biggest challenge
here is that counselors make serious mistakes. I’ve often heard that they [students] are
encouraged to take math classes last. Rather than providing assistance or resources, they
unnecessarily delay and students end up staying here much longer because they struggle at the
end”. On another occasion I asked her how she collaborates with her department to improve
students’ experiences at CC. She stating that “I find that students learning experiences will
most often occur in the classroom. I have a few students who play sports and are a part of
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

119
campus orgs but they are very few. The best thing that can happen for most students is that they
continue to show up, learn and strive balance life as well as they can”.
Understanding the pattern in her responses only came at the very end of data analysis. I
listened deeply to her responses and focused intensely on what she was saying at the time, rather
than on what she was not saying. It appeared as if Ms. Antonia separated herself from the
college. I did not understand why until the very end. Ms. Antonia shared that she was in the
process of possibly moving to Texas. She stated that,
The students here are great, but I’m starting to think about what will become of me in the
long-term. I have friends out there that are encouraging me to go back to school to work
on my doctorate. They work in community colleges and universities out there and I
would love to say that I’m working with my friends someday. Why not, right? One of my
mentors lives out there too. I have no guarantees, but I’ve been exploring and Texas
sound like a good place to settle down. Plus, my husband can find work out there and we
have family out there and good friends.
It appeared that her family and friends were the primary decision for her pending decision to
move. However, I inquired further and asked her about her relationship with DCC or her
department. She replied,
My relationship with the department is fine. My colleagues are nice. Occasionally we run
into each other and talk but that’s about it. As far as the college, I come in do the best I
can with what I have and do the same the next day. I don’t really spend too m uch time
outside the classroom. We’re all way too busy ar ound here with so many students.
Although her responses did not particularly say that there was a lack of commitment toward the
department or DCC, it did appear that there was an implied lack of relationship that may have
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

120
played a role in her decision to move. All of her responses examined together suggest that her
commitments and work performance were more directed to her students. However, professional
stability also appears to be an important factor that is contributing to her search of other teaching
opportunities.
Ms. Mirian
Ms. Mirian is a second-generation Central-American part-time adjunct faculty that has
been working at DCC since 2009. She is currently teaching two introductory courses and one
upper division course at DCC. Ms. Mirian has an M.S. degree in Mathematics and second
master’s degree with a special interest in algebraic topology. Ms. Mirian shared that she
voluntarily works part-time because she likes teaching and primarily focuses on being at home
with her husband and two children. Prior to joining DCC she worked in a law firm where she
was responsible for statistical data analysis. Ms. Mirian lives near the college and reports
walking to campus on most days. s. irian’s teaching career began when a friend mentioned
to her that the math department needed someone to cover a class that was added last minute to
accommodate student enrollment. She described her first teaching experience, “starting here was
stress-free because my prior work at my old firm was hostile to say the least. I was use to
speaking in front of old white men that were never happy so talking with young students who
don't have too much to be mad about was a gratifying”.
Classroom Culture
The ethnographic lens that guided observations allowed me to become immersed in a
natural setting that would permit me to study social interactions between Latino/a students and
part-time NTTF. The culture of this classroom environment was particularly calm and
welcoming. However, initial impressions for both students and I were considerably unexpected.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

121
For instance, on day one of observations, once all students were settled in their seats and the
scheduled time to begin class arrived Ms. Mirian walked in without saying a word and wrote on
the board, “welcome to English 115”. Students’ eyes lit up as if their worst nightmare became
reality. The appeared confused, alarmed and afraid all at once. Some students swiftly began to
check their written schedule with others and began to gather their belongings to find the right
class. s. irian appeared amused. She smiled and stated in an urgent tone, ‘guys, guys, just
kidding. I just wanted to make sure that your awake”. With a sense of relief on their face students
began to smile and laugh as they settled back into their seats. Still smiling, Ms. Mirian began to
pass out the syllabus to review coming weeks ahead.
After their initial scare, students appeared relaxed as they began to review the syllabus
with Ms. Mirian. Particular emphasis was placed on their weekly exams that would take place
every Monday. Students were encouraged to ask questions at the end of the week to be able to
practice with clarity “during the weekend” and to prepare for their exam. She also emphasi ed
that attendance would be important for “easy points” and a way to stay on track to pass the class.
Students appeared comfortable asking questions and Ms. Mirian promptly addressed each
question. Then came my introduction to the class. s. irian described me as “The pe rson in
the back is simply there to make sure that you are not talking during class and not on your
phones during class time”. Every student looked back at me as I smiled, said hello, and my ears
and cheeks began to turn bright red.
Ms. Mirian withdrew her statement, mentioned it was my “initiation into the class” and
stated, “he will be joining us from time to time to learn new teaching techniques. He is an
unseasoned faculty that needs seasoning”. Her humor came across as unexpected, funny, and
designed to grasp attention. Presumably, Ms. Mirian uses this a personal style of commutating
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

122
and interacting with others, but in this particular context her humor with the class and I appeared
to create a comfortable culture where everyone was now adopted as a new member of a social
group. Although this initial phase of interactions turned out to involve brief shock and humor for
everyone, the slight giggling and laughter allowed a pleasant experience that students appeared
to enjoy overall.
Classroom Readiness
The time that NTTF and students spend in the classroom is plentiful. However, the
planning and preparation that NTTF engage in outside of the classroom influence the quality of
this time spent. This planning and preparation may significantly contribute to what content is
being provided, the delivery of the content provided, and how often the content is evaluated and
updated. In addition, the quality and nature of student-faculty interactions may also be linked to
the proficiencies that NTTF develop as a result of planning and preparation. The aim is to ready
the classroom for optimal performance for both, faculty and students, to create an academic
environment that efficiently fosters learning. Departmental governance plays a role in the
development of such faculty proficiencies by providing professional development trainings.
Although this is only variable that contributes to professional growth, is it particularly key to the
acquisition of new knowledge and skills intended to improve work performance (Umbach, 2007,
2008).
Ms. Mirian shared that professional development at DCC played a crucial role in helping
her enhance classroom experiences. She recounts her first year at DCC,
My first few semesters were tough. I felt confident with knowing the math and doing the
math, but not teaching it. I held on to every training offered so that I can learn the tricks
of the trade. In the beginning I didn't know anything about timing, like how long things
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

123
would take or anything about learning styles. When I was in school the teacher taught and
I learned, very simple, but then I realized that it didn't work that way.
Transitioning from one professional arena to another required a new set of skills for Ms. Mirian.
Classroom experiences appeared to reflect effective teaching strategies evidenced by students’
active participation and feedback provided by Ms. Mirian. Students appeared comfortable asking
questions and stating when they were confused. Carlos, a 23 year-old Latino student was very
vocal. For instance, he often made remarks such as, “wait, wait I didn't get that”, or “can you go
over that one more time”. s. irian responded appropriately by erasing the board and starting
all over or by pointing out key points in the process.
Readiness was also demonstrated by Ms. irian’s familiarity with the book. She often
referred students to sections in the book previously covered that would help students when they
struggled. Students often approached her during breaks and asked about specific issues they were
having. She regularly flipped a few pages and directed the student to take a look at the section,
but also stated, “take a look and if you still have questions, ask me”. ost of the time students
stepped away, reviewed the section, and appeared to find the clarity thy needed. It appeared that
Ms. Mirian presented content with ease and structured the classroom with activities that included
students doing board work, group work and independent work where students had an opportunity
to work out equations on their own. Importantly, students were also given unexpected pop
quizzes that appeared to keep students discussing the need to prepare just in case Ms. Mirian
decided to assess their learning. Students were often overheard trying to anticipate which
problems she would put on the board. s. irian often reminded students, “be ready for a pop
quiz sometime at the end of the week and remember that I will only put problems that we
covered in class”.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

124
It appeared as if Ms. Mirian was using pop quizzes as a way to keep students coming to
class. Students realized that she often chose the second to last or last problem that she covered on
the board at end of a section. One particular student was overheard saying to another a
neighboring student, “I’m pretty sure that it’s going to be this one, or this one” as she pointed to
each problem in his notes. Then he continued, “She chooses the problem s that are the hardest,
but these are also the ones she spends the most time on”. Importantly s. irian earlier made a
conscious decision to continuously take part in campus and personal opportunities to enhance her
teaching proficiencies in the classroom. Her previous experiences at a law firm were
extraordinarily different and she seemed to realize that she needed to develop effective
instructional methodologies. Ms. Mirian explained,
My first experiences here were hard, but different hard. I knew I wanted to continue
teaching, because the setting is much calmer and the work is meaningful. The firm was
filled with sharks and unreasonably demanding people, even dishonest at time. The
climate was about winners and losers, and of course, above all else, money. Teaching is
hard, but I knew I could figure things out with enough time and involvement in the
college.
Ms. Mirian showed an array of diverse teaching practices that enhanced classroom readiness and
her ability to encourage student-faculty interactions. Although s. irian’s teaching career
began in 2009 as mentioned earlier, it appears that she has actively sought after ways in which
she can acquire effective instructional methods that can enhance students’ classroom
experiences.
Classroom Opportunities to Connect
The diverse teaching practices created several opportunities for students to interact with
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

125
Ms. Mirian inside and outside of the classroom. Her humor and casual style of teaching allowed
students to approach her during breaks and after class time ended. Perhaps the abundant
classroom opportunities to connect with students may have played a role in so few students
dropping the course. Thirty-four of the forty-one students that began the course were still present
by the end of the class. The vast majority of interactions with students revolved around academic
progress. Specifically, conversations focused on providing reassurance, reminding students to
not fall behind and checking in with them after they have gotten back weekly exams. For
instance, Ms. Mirian had gotten into a habit of passing out exams and then staying in the
classroom to ask students how they performed on the exam. On one occasion she sat on the
corner of a desk and simply said, “how did you guys do”? Some students replied with “good” or
“ok” while others responded by saying “not good”, or “not good at all”. s. irian responded
by addressing the students that were in the room as a whole. She stated,
“For those of you who did well keep doing well. For those of you who did not, you
cannot allow yourself to get lost. Once you fall behind to far, it will be harder to recover.
You have to let me know in the moment when you think you’ve fallen behind. Stop me
and tell me, raise your hand, wink at me, send me a smoke signal or just stay after class
and I will help you out, but you have to say or do something”.
It is important to note that Ms. Mirian initiated this opportunity to connect with students by
staying in during the break and asking about their performed on the exam.
Some students smiled at her comments and others nodded their heads in agreement.
Kaylee, a 19-year-old Latina student described her progress by stating, “I just have to spend
more time practicing because the stuff that I really worked on I did good in. ut if I have to, I’ll
send you a smoke signal”. After careful observations, it appeared that time restraints were not an
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

126
issue for Ms. Mirian. On several occasions she was observed telling students to stay after class to
complete practice problems and so that she could review their work. Occasionally, students
stayed after class and so did Ms. Mirian to review their work. After further analysis of Ms.
Mirian’s narratives, work related circumstances were found to be a critical factor that contributed
to the opportunities to connect with her students.
Work Related Circumstance. Ms. Mirian appeared to have a positive attitude toward
staying after class to assist her students. Also, as noted earlier, she also stated that she attended
professional development opportunities that the department and campus had to offer. The
underlying reason for this trend was disclosed when asked about her role within the department.
Ms. Mirian stated,
I really don't do much within the department itself, but I know some faculty very well. I
attend meetings from time to time, but only when they are discussing fund appropriations
or anything pertaining to committees that protect the rights of non-tenures. The political
issues behind the scenes are ugly and I like to stay informed. I personally don't have to
work, but many of my colleagues do.
To clarify, s. irian also shared that her husband is a “successful real estate developer” and
that working for her is optional. Ms. Mirian also shared that her two children are in school during
the times in which she is on campus. Although s. irian’s situation is not typical, it may
demonstrate that availability of time may be an important factor that contributes to work related
circumstances and contact hours with students that may enhance students’ classroom
experiences. Important distinctions have been made between part-time NTTF that describe
voluntary and involuntary preferences (Gappa & Leslie, 1993; Tilly, 1991). Ms. Mirian can be
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

127
classified as a voluntary part-time NTTF that prefers part-time status rather than full-time
employment.
This became an important work related circumstance that contributes to her involvement
in issues that affect employee rights. With a sense of conviction Ms. Mirian stated,
It’s not the department’s fault. They are just trying to deal with what they have. The real
problem is the many systems above the departments. I used to get deep into investigating
how all that works and the wrongness that comes along with that, but the deeper I went,
the worse it got. I realized that our country talks a lot about putting education first but
behind the scenes they continue to raise tuition, APRs for students and outlandish cuts
that affect all of us down here, the departments, faculty, administrators and students.
Frustration seeped through her comments as she talked about her desire to support her colleagues
that often “pay the price for budget cuts across higher education , while the business of
constructing new buildings is booming”. She ended her expressive quarrel by stating “We can
see this in K-1 school with I ads also. Teachers who teach choose to teach and it’s really not
fair that the systems above continue to take while asking for more at the same time”.
I was hesitant, but probed further and asked her what she thought her fellow colleagues
have trouble with the most. She replied,
After taking into account everything, the money doesn't add up. Yes, it’s about m aking a
living to. Some of my coworkers have a hard time every summer and sometimes every
semester because classes are being cut left and right. I think that they do take into account
seniority because I’ve heard that new hires have it worse.
It appeared that s. irian’s involvement was geared toward advocating for her colleagues. She
expressed sentiment for her department’s head because she believed that he was also caught in a
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

128
difficult position. Perhaps Ms. Mirian was alluding to the notion that such unfair circumstances
are originated from institutional policies and practices rather than at the departmental level. She
also appeared to note that students are also affected as she stated, “At the end of the day, colleges
exist for students, but those making the big decisions at the top seem to forget that. Students end
up suffering as part of the very bottom of an degenerate ecosystem”.
It became clear why Ms. Mirian spent more time on campus to create added opportunities
to connect with students. In fact, when students asked about office hours Ms. Mirian responds,
“office hours are immediately after class. Just give me a heads up during class”. Her voluntary
status provided flexibility that contributed to student-faculty interactions that students have also
noted. Edgar, a 23 year-old Latino student described his thoughts on s. irian’s availability
after class. He stated,
We stay after class all the time so that we can ask questions about whatever she talked
about during class. A lot of it makes sense, but the last problems are always really hard
and I get confused. The best part is that we don't have to make appointments to see her at
different times.
Such student-faculty interactions can certainly provide further opportunities for students to better
understand academic content and simultaneously gain the confidence needed to persist when
courses becomes more challenging. Researchers argue that the presence of faculty as mentors or
beyond required class sessions appear to serve as a coping tool for students that simply need
more guided direction (Bordes & Arredondo, 2005; Cole, 2007; Crisp, 2010). Observing
interactions after class did provide s. irian’s students additional time to better understand
course material. There were as many as six students that lingered after class to ask questions.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

129
Often times, Ms. Mirian worked on the problems on the board so that others can also take part in
the discussion.
Interpersonal Characteristics. There was a particular interpersonal characteristic that
played a key role in how Ms. Mirian interacted with students – her humor. It appeared that her
wittiness allowed students to feel comfortable approaching her and talking to her about their
struggles and their progress. Interestingly her humor appeared natural, but she also appeared to
find a way to make it purposeful. Often times, conversations led to brief lessons about personal
well-being. For instance, Milena was a 20 year-old Latina student taking this particular course
for the second time. She often stayed behind after class to ask questions about some problems
that she had gotten wrong on an exam. On one occasion Milena told s. irian, “it’s like I get it
when we are in class but then on the test I get nervous and blank out. It happens every time”. s.
Mirian responds by saying
the way to build confidence is to practice over and over. Practice the easy ones first, and
when you can do those easy ones with one eye closed and one hand tied behind your
back, then that means that you can move on to the next harder one. Remember, that the
more you practice, the more confident you will be.
Milena appeared slightly confused but smiled and repeated the last part of s. irian’s
comment in her own words affirming, “ ractice equals confidence”. Although this social -
exchange was directed to improve academic performance, the strategy seemed to target Milena’s
self-confidence.
Her humor became a valued ingredient that often stirred up the classroom with light
chuckles that kept the class attentive and alleviated moments of brief anxiety such as exam days.
She never told jokes. Her humor came from her tone, facial expressions, animated gestures, and
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

130
from sarcastic responses to students. On one occasion, Ariana, a 23 year-old Latina student
described her strategy to be more attentive in class by stating, “I’ll be sure to have the energy to
stay awake because I have college students best friend right here” and he pointed at his Rockstar
energy drink. s. irian replied, “I’m glad you brought that up”, she smiled at the class and
made a general statement to the class. She whispered, “ Guys Rockstars, Red-bulls and Monsters
do not count as motivation strategies to keep you thinking”. Her casual demeanor was the most
noticeable characteristic that seemed to be a result of her sense of humor, which in turn,
increased social interactions and opportunities to further discuss students’ academic progress.
any discussions that revolved around academic progress were cultivated by s. irian’s
notable dedication to ensure that students comprehended content being covered in class.
Personal & Work Commitments
Personal Commitments to Students. s. irian’s commitment to students was evident
throughout class observations. However, her commitment was especially tested for several days
at a point when students were having a hard time with polynomials and polynomial functions.
Several students expressed their frustration by letting s. irian know, “we are so lost”, others
stated, “we are starting a smoke signal back here”. s. irian responded by erasi ng the board
and starting the sequence of a particular problem all over again. To ensure that students were
ready to proceed to more difficult functions, she assessed students by writing a problem on the
board and permitting time for each student to work on the problem independently. Meanwhile,
Ms. Mirian walked around the classroom to provide personal assistance. Although more and
more students began to successfully complete operations, some students still were unable to
complete the problem on their own. To address the issue, she started with an example on the
board again and proceeded to check for comprehension after each sequence of steps. She stated
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

131
“I’ll go through each step again and stop me at any point that you feel like it’s not making
sense”. A fe w students asked Ms. Mirian questions for clarification and she responded the best
she could. Interestingly, sometimes other students would respond to help in explaining the step in
a different way. In those moments, students were able to catch their mistakes and move forward
as a cohesive group.
This particular situation exemplifies a moment when personal, behavioral and
environmental factors were in sync to produce social exchanges that produced optimal
opportunities for learning. indful of andura’s so cial learning framework, these well-
orchestrated interactions validated students’ behavioral efforts, their intellectual capacity without
compromising their egos, and integrated social participation (Bandura, 1986).
As previously done, I shared with Ms. Mirian that I was in the process of developing my own
teaching philosophy and asked if she can provide any suggestions. Ms. Mirian stated,
Know when and how to challenge them. Push them enough to get them reaching to a
place where they’ve never been before , but also know to recognize when to slow down or
back off because some simply don't have the skills needed to reach beyond where they
are in the moment. From time to time you will get it wrong, but that's fine. The right
balance will come from you getting to know a little bit about them. Some won’t want or
need this, but those that do will let you know somehow, be open to listening.
Ms. Mirian paused and also shared thoughts regarding students that have not successfully passed
the course. She stated. “I’v e had to fail students from time to time” …but when I fail them I want
to genuinely know that I did everything I could to help him out”. s. irian’s heart felt response
appeared to demonstrate an understanding for students at different levels of preparedness and a
commitment to search for a balance that considers their unique differences. Understanding such
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

132
differences is essential to understanding students’ values, potentials, and a way to validate their
ethnic identity.
The cultural dimension of the Psychosociocultural framework encompasses socially
reciprocating factors seen in s. irian’s classroom that fostered cultural congruity described
by how well ethnic minorities can culturally “fit” into their academic environment Gloria &
Robinson, Kurpius, 1996; Gloria & Rodriguez, 2000;). In a one-on-one conversation, Milena
described her relationship with Ms. Mirian by stating,
We get along very well. She doesn’t really know me but she gets me. There is no way I
can mess up in this class because I know I can ask her to review stuff with me that I don't
get. Every time I’ve asked she’s helped me and I appreciate that a lot bec ause not
everybody is like that.
Toward that end, Latino/a students that take part in an academic environment where culturally
responsive teaching takes place supports an increased likelihood of asking for guidance when
needed, which in turn, can increase academic persistence.
Personal Commitments to Work. Perspectives about the current educational policies and
practices that affect fellow colleagues and students within the math department appeared to be
very personal to s. irian. s. irian’s commitment to the department appears to be
decisively positive. However, her commitment toward the college as a whole was not as
constructive. She expressed her thoughts with deep sentiment with a mixture of frustration and
anger, but genuine concern for faculty members and students. I asked Ms. Mirian about her role
within the math department at DCC. She responded,
I have taken on a role of supporter for those faculty members and students who are last to
be thought of. I’m active at meetings and other community proceedings that protect the
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

133
rights of faculty and students. Student loan rates have become an atrocity, measures to
increase tuition are always on the table, and have you seen the markups for books? The
department has good people trying to do good things but somehow students and faculty
end up losing at the very bottom of many of the things that really matter.
s. irian’s loyalty to the department appears to come from being aware of difficult positions
that other faculty members have experienced. She spoke highly of her department chair and other
personnel by emphasi ing, “The real issues go well above the department”.
The focal points of many of s. irian’s narratives where this particular subject matter
arose were fixated on issues that appeared to come from budget cuts and “avoidable harmful
decisions being made at the management level”. According to s. irian, “There is much talk
about the importance of education but somehow opportunities keep disappearing somewhere.
Recently some classes were given back, but this only gave back what was originally taken with
no good reason”. She paused and continued,
Cutting classes means that students can’t move forward and teaching faculty have to find
their way elsewhere, especially new ones and part-timers. All the while, the business of
education is booming. Book sales online and offline are rising and the construction of
several multimillion-dollar buildings is in full effect. anagement tells us that it’s all for
us and it’s an easy sale to outsiders, but again faculty salaries are a halt, tuition is on the
rise and classes are being slashed.
She concluded her thoughts by stating, “manageme nt is constantly changing at the executive
level and those inflated salaries leave with them as they go”. For s. irian, it appeared that
personal commitments to work meant that she wanted to be involved in the decision making
process that affected the department, her colleagues and students.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

134
Although many issues were still present, I asked Ms. Mirian if she has experienced any
victories throughout her involvement with committees that seek to improve faculty affairs. She
stated that there have been a few victories. She explained,
It’s an issue that we are fighting to better, but for now adjunct faculty are being included
for reimbursements when attending certain conferences. They might not get fully
reimbursed as full-timers, but at least they are being encouraged and partially reimbursed
for their time and desire to do enhance work with students by attending conferences.
She continued by providing another example,
Also we have been working on a program that provides stipends for faculty that would
like to mentor students. This is a big deal because it includes several disciplines and
adjuncts are also included. I know some faculty members that do it for free so getting
paid for this is only a well-deserved perk.
These examples of victories described by Ms. Mirian were key findings for two main reasons.
First, the college was encouraging and recognizing the importance professional growth and the
significance of mentorship. Unarguably, professional development is a vital factor that allows
faculty the opportunity to obtain new strategies to enhance work performance in the classroom
through the process of sharpening old proficiencies and the development of new skills (Curtis &
Jacoby, 2006; Umbach, 2007). Central to this study, such mentorship opportunities are consistent
with SLT and PSC frameworks. To further, mentorship has a strong potential to provide
meaningful social interactions that can also involve and stimulate psychological and cultural
elements of learning that are indispensable to some students (Castellanos & Gloria; 2007;
Gallimore & Goldenberg; 2001; Gloria & Rodriguez, 2000).
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

135
Second, both of s. irian’s examples of victories were forms of inclusion for part -time
NTTF. Importantly, empirical evidence suggests that faculty who report a sense of belonging and
inclusion into the campus’s culture can improve work performance and commitment to the
institution (Conley & Leslie, 2002; Gappa & Leslie, 1993). Such inclusion serves as preventive
measures that deter social and professional marginalization of part-time NTTF. Particularly in
community colleges, NTTF report being less likely to be involved in departmental and campus
activities (Outcalt, 2002). Although there are many unresolved issues for part-time NTTF at
DCC, Ms. Mirian stated that the campus is heading in the right direct with regards to inclusion.
Moreover, inclusion for part-time NTTF, which are a significantly growing population at
community colleges such as DCC, may also mean better time spent making enhancement to
classroom experiences for students. Indeed, detailed descriptions of all three classroom
observations and narratives provide a glimpse into the unique cultures that exist within each
classroom. Below is a summary of all three themes in relation to Ms. Mirian. As mentioned
earlier in the chapter, a complete summary of themes and classroom observations can be found in
relation to part-time NTTF in appendix D. The following section will analyze important
characteristics describing student-faculty interactions found across all three classrooms observed.
Cross Case Classroom Analysis
When examining the data across all three classrooms, this study revealed important
similarities and distinctions. The ethnographic nature permitted an in-depth emersion into all
three-classroom environments that shed important insights onto better understanding interactions
between Latino/a students and part-time NTTF. Specifically, three major conclusions were made
after rigorously examining the collective groups that make up each classroom setting. First,
students as a collective group within each classroom replicated behaviors that they saw in NTTF.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

136
This was an indication that NTTF behavioral cues displayed in the classroom did not go
unnoticed that they have much influence over student-faculty interactions and subsequent
classroom experiences. Second, an overview of all three part-time NTTF narratives and
classroom observations suggests that working conditions discouraged student-faculty
interactions. This meant that NTTF working conditions were found to be an important factor that
affects classroom experiences. Third, cultural congruity did appear to play a role in whether
students actively reciprocated and initiated interactions with faculty. Observations and narratives
indicate that classrooms where cultural responsive teaching was present contained far more
interactions that pertained to academic discourse and help seeking behaviors when compared to
the classroom where culturally responsive teaching was not present. Although there may be an
array of factors contributing to classroom experiences for both Latino/a students and part-time
NTTF, these two significant findings were interpreted as a cross-case analysis was conducted.
The following section will describe the detail that provides evidence for such cross-case findings.
Cross Case Analysis Findings. As expected, NTTF had significant influence over the
classroom environment. However, a more important finding discovered when studying all three
classrooms was that some students were often observed replicating the types of behaviors
observed by their professors leading the classroom. For example, Ms. V was exceedingly quiet
and appeared to avoid eye contact. Greeting students was not common practice in this particular
classroom. She regularly walked out of the classroom during breaks and often left immediately
after class ended. Students began to mirror these behaviors and were observed becoming
exceedingly quiet with Ms. V and appeared to avoid eye contact when crossing paths as well. In
addition, students also did not appear to make an effort to say hello to Ms. V when entering the
room or address her when leaving the classroom for the day. Although students mirrored
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

137
behaviors in all three-classroom settings, two classrooms were particularly different because of
the significant increase in student-faculty interactions.
In contrast, many of s. Antonia’s students replicated other behaviors that were
reflective of what they saw during each class meeting. Ms. Antonia can be characterized as a
friendly and caring individual who modeled behaviors that fostered a calm and welcoming
environment. When crossing paths, both Ms. Antonia and her students greeted each other with a
simple smile or some sort of acknowledgement that conveyed reverence. Ms. Antonia conveyed
friendliness and caring by encouraging students to think about math beyond the classroom. For
instance, she invited students to think about math as professionals and individuals rather than just
as academics. One particular incident captured a moment when a student mirrored the language
that Ms. Antonia often used. Omar, 22-year-old Latino student stated,
I don't get it. I heard that engineers have to know a lot of math. I think that I want to be
an environment engineer, but what does math have to do with that if they are all about
preventing all types of pollution and other public health problems.
Such comments suggest that Omar was attempting to make sense of his professional aspirations
in the future. In addition, he was also attempting to figure out what role math played in his
potential career choice, which was what Ms. Antonia often encouraged.
As mentioned earlier in the chapter, Ms. Antonia often used personal anecdotes as a
purposeful way to encourage social interaction and persistence in academic tasks such as doing
their homework in the math lab. For example, Ms. Antonia talked about her experiences as a
community college student. She expressed, “my friends always knew where to find me when I
was in school. Phones were not a thing back then. They knew to go to the swimming pool or at
the math lab”. s. Antonia shared with me once, “when you tell them to do something in story
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

138
form, it doesn't sound preachy”. In this particular example s. Antonia tried to remind students
about the importance of asking for help in the math lab.
Occasionally, students were also observed sharing personal anecdotes that appeared to
build rapport with Ms. Antonia. On one occasion Ms. Antonia asked Brenda, one of her students,
“no skateboard today”. erhaps she may have remembered the skateboard because she slightly
stumbled over it a few days before, but her acknowledgement of the absence of the skateboard
seemed to surprise Brenda as she responded,
No not today, my mom was off today because she had a doctor’s appo intment and I
wanted to go with her so she dropped me off after, but don't worry I was practicing some
problems when we were in the waiting room.
Importantly, renda could have simply responded with a simple “no”, but instead appeared
comfortable sharing something personal. Furthermore, she also seemed to internalize the
importance of balancing responsibilities and time to prepare for academic tasks.
Two particular distinctions were found in s. irian’s classroom that demonstrated how
students mirrored modeled behaviors. First, students echoed s. irian’s sense of humor. Her
sense of humor was often very subtle, but eased its way into the way students appeared to
communicate with Ms. Mirian. Students responded with playful remarks that led the way to more
important discussions. In one exchange during break-time Eliana was heard saying, “I know I
found my favorite book”. s. irian replied by asking, “how did you know”? With a playful
demeanor, Eliana responded, because it puts me to sleep all the time”. Sh e laughed out loud, but
rushed to speak before s. irian could reply. She said, “just kidding, just kidding. Honestly, I
still haven’t found the right book for me, but I want you to know that I’m looking”. This social
exchange exemplified how Eliana and many other students often interacted with Ms. Mirian.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

139
Importantly, the message behind this laughable moment appeared to begin from prior discussions
initiated by Ms. Mirian that focused on the importance of reading beyond textbooks.
The second distinction found in s. irian’s classroom that demonstrated how students
simulated modeled behaviors was their increased presence in class during breaks and after class
sessions ended. Not all students were observed staying after class. Nonetheless, compared to the
other two classrooms observed s. irian’s classroom was often observed having small groups
of two to four students interacting with one another after class. Ms. Mirian often reminded
students to ask questions or “use office hours after class to get more work done” because her
flexibility permitted the time. Although s. irian’s case is not common, her particular
circumstance does, however, show the significance and value of having time available to
dedicate to students. Often times, students asked Ms. Mirian questions about more complex
problems covered in class, but students also helped one another without s. irian’s help as
well. Hence, classroom experiences were extended for many students and this academic
environment became a physical space where students could come together to further comprehend
course content.
It is important to note that the degree of intellectual stimulation and social connectivity
was led by NTTF in all three classrooms. In this view, NTTF were not just teachers, but also
leaders that modeled behaviors that students appeared to view as cues that uniquely influenced
each classroom. More importantly, this implies that the level of engagement routinely conveyed
by NTTF influenced the way students engaged in learning. An overview of all three classrooms
noted that ongoing feedback created opportunities for intellectual stimulation, which also
requires that students and faculty interact to exchange viewpoints. The aim of ongoing and
adequate feedback is to help students adjust academic performance and increase the likelihood of
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

140
increased persistence. Although students have an equal role in the learning process, NTTF were
found to be responsible for initiating and setting parameters of engagement and degree of
opportunities to connect with students. For example, ongoing feedback was not an ongoing
practice in s. V’s classroom experiences. It appeared that she provided feedback only when
asked. Whereas many student-faculty interactions were observed in Ms. Antonia and Ms.
irian’s classro om that were initiated by ongoing feedback that pertained to students’ academic
performance. Importantly, students appeared to interpret and accept student-faculty interactions
initiated by faculty as indicators that became norms that shaped the culture of the classroom.
In addition to instructional methods, ongoing feedback may have played a role in
subsequent classroom experiences. For instance, the number of students who dropped the course
in s. Antonia and s. irian’s class was significantly differe nt when compared to s. V’s
classroom. All three classrooms began with approximately forty-two students. However, Ms.
Antonia and Ms. Mirian consistently demonstrated high frequencies of interactions with
students. The nature and quality of these interactions appeared to include a comfortable
demeanor, mutual respect, and initiations of interactions from NTTF and students. These
interactions with positive regards were also observed during group activities and breaks. In
contrast, the frequency of s. V’s in teractions with students was extremely scarce. Also, the
nature and quality of her interactions with students were short, rushed and appeared apathetic.
Hence, the culture of each classroom may have contributed to the number of students who
dropped the course. Figure 4.0 shows the notable differences in the number of students who
dropped from each classroom.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

141
4.0
Student-faculty interactions and the resulting culture of each classroom may also have
contributed to the number of students who struggled with the course. Although all three NTTF
expressed a desire to create a positive learning environment for their students, only two appeared
to achieve their goal. Regardless of how encouraging the classroom settings were for Ms.
Antonia and Ms. Mirian, they still reported that some students might not pass the class. When
asked Ms. Antonia to if she could anticipate if any students would not pass the class she stated,
“I don't think any of them will fail, but I’m almost sure that two students might end up with ,
but this will depend on how they score on their final”. I prompted further and asked why she
believed that some students might still not pass the course successfully. She replied,
It could be so many things, some work, others just have bad habits, others don't have
enough foundation. They all struggle for different reasons, but that's not important. Many
students struggle, but they still do well and pass. The ones who struggle, but do well are
those that accept help or ask for help. The ones that struggle but don't pass are those that
are not willing or able to ask for help. Asking for help seems simple, but it’s not for
many.
Her response suggested that struggling through a class is a very common situation that occurs
regularly. However, though there may be many different reasons for such struggles, their ability
0
5
10
15
20
25
Number of Students
who Dropped
Ms. V
Ms. Antonia
Ms. Mirian
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

142
to accept assistance or reach out for assistance is a determining factor that will decide their
success in a given class.
I ask Ms. Mirian if she could also describe how she thought her students were doing in
the course, She stated,
The majority are doing well. At this point they realize how much they will have to work
at it. Of course, sometimes we can use every method to lower the odds, but some students
may still not make it. I know that I have one student that stopped coming and missed the
drop deadline so will end up with a fail, but other than that I think I have one other
student that is on the verge of a D may be a C.
Toward the opposite end, Ms. V anticipated higher numbers of students that may not do well by
the end of the course. s. V reported, “some students just aren’t ready and willing to do the
work, about three or four students will probably end up failing”. It is important to note that s.
V had considerably less students by the conclusion of the course.
The second key finding in this cross-case examination suggests that working conditions
did play a role in student-faculty interactions and subsequent classroom experiences. Such
conclusions were extracted from adding meaning to NTTF narratives and classroom observations
throughout this study. Taken together the data suggest that each NTTF formed individual
ideologies that were influenced by working conditions. These ideologies, in turn, discouraged
opportunities to interact with students. In two of the three classrooms, work related conditions
influenced the way student-faculty interactions took place. For example, much of s. V’s
involuntary part-time status appeared to significantly limit her time and interaction with students.
Much of her narratives focused on finding ways to attend to administrative tasks without having
to take work home or work with no compensation. Such attempts prompted Ms. V to end class a
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

143
few minutes early on a regular basis and to use break time for administrative tasks, which
significantly limited student-faculty interactions. Subsequently, quality of classroom experiences
may have also been affected because students perceived s. V’s lack of availability as being
unapproachable.
For Ms. Antonia, lack of adequate office space also limited her interactions with students.
At DCC, part-time NTTF share office space, which prohibits a private and comfortable setting
were students could discuss their academic struggles. Lack of office space is a common work
related drawback for NTTF part-timers, which may deter students from engaging in help seeking
behaviors and mentoring opportunities. Ms. Antonia expressed frustration because of lack of
office space, which points to working conditions that hinder student-faculty interactions.
Although Ms. Mirian did not express problems with work related circumstances that hindered
her ability to interact with students, she did recognize and express frustration toward unfair
working conditions. On one occasion she mentioned,
I know what I get paid for the number of classes I teach so I know what others get paid
for the same number of classes they teach. I know the actual time that it takes to do good
work around here so that means that many faculty do not get back what they’re worth.
Ms. Mirian actively sought to become involved with issues that advocate for fair and inclusive
rights for part-time NTTF. Although s. irian’s case is not typical, her ideologies about
working conditions are consistent with Ms. V and Ms. Antonia. Therefore, work related
circumstances expressed by all three NTTF appeared to become barriers that prevented access
points for purposeful student-faculty interactions.
The third and last distinction that was found when conducting a cross-case analysis
suggests that cultural congruity did play a vital role in whether Latino/a students actively
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

144
reciprocated and initiated interactions with faculty. As mentioned in chapter two, cultural
congruity refers to how well ethnic minority students are able to adjust or culturally “fit” into
their academic environment (Gloria & Robinson Kurpius, 1996). Observations and narratives
indicate that Ms. Mirian and s. Antonia’s classrooms w ere actively utilizing culturally
responsive teaching methods while s. V’s classroom did not contain such practices. Observed
culturally responsive teaching methods included building rapport with students by asking about
their majors, current and future academic aspirations, and personal interests such as favorite
books. Other methods included calling students by name or by asking students to get to know
and help one another during group work or breaks. In addition, students were often asked to
respond to questions with personal examples that they found relevant. In some cases, Ms. Mirian
was direct in reminding students that using examples that are relevant to everyday personal
experiences can increase the likelihood of retaining content and using it in the future.
Importantly, there was a social component to the presence of culturally responsive
interactions with students. Therefore, social interactions appear to be a central characteristic of
cultural congruity. Ongoing observations revealed that a culture of collective learning where
peers actively discussed course content became apparent in classrooms where culturally
responsive approaches to students were present and vibrant. NTTF appeared to initiate such
culture by taking part of such social interactions and encouraging purposeful interactions
between peers. Initial observations appear to suggest that culturally responsive or social
interactions were guided and led by faculty, but further observations toward the midpoint of the
course suggest that students began to initiate and take part of such interactions on their own.
Such findings may argue that social interactions are a prerequisite or necessary condition that
must exist as cultural congruity takes form.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

145
Conclusion
This chapter documented this study’s finding to better understand how non -tenure track
faculty interact with Latino/a students in gatekeeper math courses at DCC, an urban community
college. This process examined three classrooms by way of observations and interviews that
captured an in-depth look into their unique cultures. This chapter began with a description of
DCC’s campus to provide the context in which classroom observations would take place. A
description of each classroom followed along with narratives from NTTF and Latino/a students
that revealed vitally important factors that contribute to student-faculty interactions. For NTTF,
work related circumstances were found to be key factors that helped or hindered student-faculty
interactions and subsequent classroom experiences. As expected NTTF were found to be in
control of setting standards, presenting course content and assessing students to check for
comprehension. However, a more significant finding suggests that NTTF also had significant
influence as models that led each classroom through observable behaviors, norms and values that
students appeared to replicate. Such leadership from NTTF in the form of social interactions
established the likelihood of culturally responsive teaching and the development of cultural
congruity for Latino/a students.
In sum, both theoretical frameworks underlying this study support the overall findings
presented in this chapter. While student-faculty interactions were alive and vibrant in Ms.
Antonia and s. irian’s classrooms, s. V’s classroom struggled with such interactions.
indful of andura’s social learning theory, classro om experiences that cultivated ample
opportunities for purposeful social interactions aimed at academic tasks appeared to encourage
students to become more engaged and integrated into the learning process. Consistent with the
PSC framework, experiences that were culturally responsive also appeared to encourage students
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

146
to initiate social interactions and help seeking behaviors likely to be important to academic
persistence and mentorship. Such sociocultural dynamics created a collective culture that helped
one another and foster classroom experiences likely to help students along the community
college pipeline.
Chapter Five: Discussion

Although there may be numerous factors that impact Latino/a students as they venture
through the community college pipeline, one factor often overlooked is their interactions with
faculty members. Hence, the overarching goal of this exploratory study was to better understand
how non-tenure track faculty interact with Latino/a students in gatekeeper math courses within
an urban community college. Considering the mounting empirical research suggesting that part-
time NTTF working environments may adversely affect classroom experiences (Gappa & Leslie,
1993, Gappa, Leslie & Trice, 2007; Jacoby, 2006; Jaeger & Eagan, 2009; Kezar & Sam, 2010;
Umbach, 2008), this study sought to explore if and how such working conditions may affect
student-faculty classroom interactions. An integration of classroom observations and interviews
from faculty and students were central to the qualitative nature of this study. An ethnographic
approach permitted an in depth look into the cultures that NTTF and Latino/a students share in
the classroom where student-faculty interactions begin to take form.
In this final chapter, I will discuss and present my analysis of the findings presented in
Chapter four to offer further insights and clarity to the research question that guided this study.
To do so, I will first summarize some of the major conclusions drawn from this study. Then, I
will discuss how this study builds upon and aligns with existing literature on part-time NTTF and
Latino/a students. Next, I will present the implications for practice derived from this study’s
findings, which addresses the importance of NTTF and Latino/a students as majority populations
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

147
in the community college setting. Considerations for future research will be presented that can
further contribute to this study and develop a wider range of empirical work important to further
understand interactions between NTTF and Latino/a students. Lastly, this final chapter will seek
to provide final remarks for this study.
Summary of Findings
The most important takeaway from this study is that NTTF are in a unique and key
position as models to impact the academic trajectory of the many Latino/a students that they
serve. This study found that student-faculty interactions mattered greatly as they created a social
bridge that encouraged students to become further engaged in classroom experiences, exchange
dialogue that pertained to their academic work, and contemplate the relevancy of math in their
future endeavors. In addition, such social bridge was vital to linking student-centered teaching
philosophies to culturally responsive classroom experiences that fostered a culture of collective
learning in two of the three classrooms observed. More specifically, this point suggests that
social interactions were necessary conditions that enabled cultural congruity to take form.
Therefore, sociocultural experiences were found to be a key component to student-faculty
interactions. Findings were derived from ongoing observations within three classrooms that took
place over a five-week period. In addition, interviews from three part-time NTTF and eleven
Latino/a students suggest that classroom experiences and working conditions were important
factors that did affect subsequent student-faculty interactions. Furthermore, my immersion into
such unique cultures revealed that each classroom observed cultivated an environment where
student-faculty interactions mediated the likelihood of academic and social integration for
students. Overall findings revealed three main themes, each with their own significance that
helped better understand how part-time NTTF working conditions affect classroom experiences
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

148
and subsequent student-faculty interactions. In addition, each theme helped better understand the
unique cultures that were formed within each classroom. The following section will summarize
three main themes derived from the data.
Classroom Readiness. The first theme that emerged from the data was classroom
readiness, which refers to the nature and quality of preparation that occurs outside the classroom
intended to increase proficiencies of NTTF within the classroom setting. The significance of this
theme highlighted the importance of working conditions that influenced classroom experiences.
Narratives from faculty found that working conditions such as lack of opportunities for
professional development were an important factor that affected classroom experiences. For
instance, lack of opportunities for professional development hindered collaborative work with
other faculty members, negated feelings of inclusion to the department, and the ability to
increase instructional proficiencies aimed to enhance classroom readiness. However, this is not
to say that increased professional development alone will solve issues with classroom readiness.
It is imperative to consider knowledge, motivation and organizational variables that are
important to understanding complex issues from a holistic perspective. Therefore, the aim is to
understand whether the possible causes or performance gaps are motivational, knowledge base or
organizational to begin constructing a response that can guide appropriate solutions (Rueda,
2011).
Moreover, another major finding from this study found that instructional proficiencies
were found to be important to the developing norms, standards, and interactions that made up the
unique culture in each classroom environment. One NTTF struggled with providing clear
explanations during lectures for complex steps when students expressed frustration. In addition,
instructional methods lacked variation, which discouraged students from asking for assistance.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

149
Observations indicated that some students resorted to asking their peers for assistance during
breaks. This particular classroom lacked student-faculty interactions that discouraged dialogue
that pertained to academic coursework. The two remaining NTTF provided exemplary
instructional methods demonstrated by their various approaches to explain complex operations,
which also allowed them to adjust to students’ needs. Importantly, these two classrooms also
fostered a communal space where students and NTTF collaborated to better understand the
content being presented. Therefore, some cultures became the context under which some student-
faculty interactions faltered and became impediments to communicative behaviors while other
interactions supported students’ persistence. Although NTTF are in a position to initiate an d
cultivate a classroom culture that helps shape their students’ educational experiences, this point
supports the notion that some part-time working conditions found outside the classroom were
viewed as barriers that made enhancing classroom experiences difficult to do.
Classroom Opportunities To Connect. The second theme, which was classroom
opportunities to connect with students, suggested that working conditions such as lack of office
space do affect availability to students, the ability to provide added assistance, and opportunities
for mentorship. This finding revealed that students are affected directly from substandard NTTF
working conditions. Narratives from students suggest that they do notice such lack of availability
and that such lack of availability hinders student-faculty interactions. Students quickly shared
with one another the perceived lack of availability they experienced with one faculty member.
Importantly, contact initiated from students and interactions that pertained to academic progress
were observed much less in the classroom in which students described one particular NTTF as
unavailable or “always in a hurry to leave”. However, faculty members that conveyed an
openness to interact with students created a culture that encouraged students to ask questions
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

150
during and after class. Thus, approachability cues conveyed by the faculty members leading their
classrooms appeared to be strongly linked to students’ decision to seek help. While some
students resorted to seek help in the math lab or through peers, other students may have decided
to drop the course as noted in the previous chapter.
Personal & Work Commitments. The last theme focused on the personal commitments
that NTTF made to their work and students. After analyzing interviews and interactions observed
within the classroom, data suggests that personal commitments toward their work was influenced
by how NTTF perceived part-time status and working conditions. Although all three faculty
members reported positive interactions with their department, their narratives suggest that
current departmental policies and practices at DCC do not favor them as part-time faculty. NTTF
described working conditions as “difficult”, “unstable”, and “unfair” when discussing the
obstacles that they had to overcome as part-timers. For instance, one NTTF struggled with taking
work home without compensation to adhere to grading and administrative tasks. Another NTTF,
which appeared to have an exemplary relationship with her students, sought other teaching
opportunities due to a lack of commitment and an uncertain future at DCC. Another NTTF took
on a role of supporter for other part-timers who felt did not have the same opportunities of
inclusion as tenured faculty and other full-timers. Although, all three NTTF reported not
spending much time interacting with their departments or experiencing campus activities, two of
the three part-time NTTF interviewed and observed demonstrated a strong commitment to their
students.
Overall findings suggest that willingness to go beyond their formal role of teaching and
inclination to interact with students was influenced by personal characteristics such as teaching
philosophies. All part-time NTTF in this study were more than capable of imparting knowledge.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

151
However, what mattered most was how they imparted knowledge, which influenced and dictated
how accepting students were to become active participants in the learning process. This study
found that teaching philosophies did matter greatly as it guided how they taught, rather than what
they were teaching alone. Furthermore, how the content was presented by NTTF hindered or
encouraged student-faculty interactions. Although all three NTTF reported concerns with
working conditions, two of the three part-timers found ways to overcome such challenges to
develop and demonstrate a student-centered philosophy that helped establish an effective
learning environment that was socially and culturally responsive. These social and culturally
responsive interactions gave way to further intellectual engagement and discourse from students,
which presumably fostered added opportunities to absorb the content being presented. As a
result, it is plausible that students were able to develop the persistence needed to overcome
academic challenges.
Connection to Existing Literature
Though much attention has been paid to the growing number of Latino/a students and
part-time NTTF in the community college setting, little to no research exists that examines the
nature of their interactions. Researchers have long argued that students’ academic development
is intricately linked with how they interact with their learning environment (Brint & Karabel,
1989; Cohen & Brawer, 1996; Fry, 2002). Key figures in such learning environments are part-
time NTTF. Thus, this study sought to lessen the gap in literature by closely examining how part-
time non-tenure track faculty interact with Latino/a students in gatekeeper math courses within
an urban community college setting. Chapter two presented literature on andura’s soc ial
leaning theory SLT), and Gloria and Gon ale ’s psychosociocultural SC) model as integrated
frameworks to examine student-faculty interactions. In addition, literature on part-time NTTF
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

152
was also presented to better understand the role that they play in the classroom experiences that
may also influence student-faculty interactions.
This research study built upon existing literature in three distinct and important ways.
First, this study affirms that learning is seen as a process of social participation where people and
environment impact learning (Kim & Sax, 2007; Lave & Wenger, 1991; Lundberg & Schreiner,
2004). Consistent with social learning theory, NTTF were found to be vital social models that
affected and shaped the culture of the classroom. Unique to this study, findings argue that NTTF
appeared to have significant influence as models that led each classroom through observable
behavioral cues that students appeared to replicate. This supported what Bandura (1986)
described as observational learning, which asserts that students can learn vicariously or become
influenced by the mere presence and observation of other people’s behaviors. oreover, social
interactions facilitated vicarious learning, which provided learners with added opportunities to
transform observed activities into meaningful and symbolic information. This finding aligns with
the notion that student-faculty interactions are reciprocal relationships. As such, interactions
provided additional opportunities for reflective thought and means through which students could
better understand the content presented and become more likely to retain information.
Second, this study added a novel perspective to existing literature by integrating the
cultural component that was absent in andura’s s ocial learning theory. Considerable research
highlights that importance of sociocultural values for Latino/a students. This aligns well with the
work of Gloria and Gon ale ’s 1) SC framework, which argues that cultural factors are an
important element that contributes to the persistence of Latino/a students in higher education.
Such cultural factors are believed to take form outside of the classroom, but are brought into the
classroom setting becoming an important characteristic that contributes to how Latino/a students
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

153
may form relationships with faculty. As a principal finding, this study determined that students
were much more likely to interact with NTTF when culturally responsive teaching was present.
In contrast, it appeared that lack of student-faculty interaction within the classroom made cultural
congruity or the ability to “fit” into the academic environment harder for students Gloria
Robinson Kurpius, 1996). This point suggests that social interactions were necessary conditions
that allowed cultural congruity to take form. Therefore, sociocultural experiences are a key
element to student-faculty interactions.
As mentioned in the literature review, culturally responsive teaching validates
ethnic/racial students intellectually, socially and culturally (Gonzalez, 2002, Yosso, 2006).
Classroom observations and narratives from students demonstrate that two of the three part-time
NTTF actively sought to find and develop their students’ individual potential by providing
feedback, through words of encouragement, by listening, and through social interactions
described in detail in the previous chapter. Although some faculty that took part in this study
demonstrated exemplary communication skills and teaching methods, they still reported work
related challenges that made their efforts to create an effective learning environment difficult to
do. Therefore, this study corresponds and builds upon existing literature suggesting that part-time
status and working conditions for NTTF are significant factors that influence classroom
experiences. However, this study adds to such literature by adding the social and cultural
components that subsequently affects student-faculty interactions.
Lastly, this study built upon existing literature that argues that working conditions are an
important factor to consider when examining work performance of part-time NTTF (Baldwin &
Chronister, 2001; Conley & Leslie, 2002; Jaeger & Eagan, 2009; Kezar & Sam, 2010; Pascarella
& Terenzini, 2005). Importantly, such performance includes specific activities and interactions
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

154
that may involve students directly. This qualitative study confirms the notion that working
conditions affect classroom experiences, which in turn, affect student-faculty interactions. In
fact, two of three NTTF reported that they sought opportunities to enhance professional growth
outside their department and campus, while one part-timer did not appear to find or create the
resources needed to overcome obstacles that resulted from inequitable working conditions. The
study found that such lack of participation in professional development offered by the college
hindered the ability to develop cohesive rapport with other colleagues, which may also hinder
classroom readiness. All three NTTF that participated in the study reported modest and cordial
communication with other faculty, but none reported personal insights or experiences that
depicted dialogue targeted to enhance students’ learning experiences in the classroom setting.
Lack of departmental involvement also meant that part-time NTTF were not involved in
decisions that affect classroom experiences such as book choices, curriculum improvements and
the development of student learning outcomes, which is consistent with existing literature.
This study also upholds the literature suggesting that other working conditions such as
lack of compensation for continual office hours and private office space were hindrances that
affected contact hours with students. In addition, opportunities for mentorship were also
diminished, which prevents added time and discourse to absorb academic content. Such contact
hours with students also diminished social interactions between NTTF and Latino/a students in
some occasions. All three part-time NTTF that took part in this study reported working
conditions that hindered opportunities to enhance classroom experiences and interactions with
students. However, an important caveat was that two of three faculty members appeared to
demonstrate remarkable resiliency to overcome some challenges that arose from inequitable
working conditions. Their student-centered teaching philosophy and sociability with students
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

155
appeared to be key characteristics that helped these two part-time NTTF enhance classroom
experiences despite the challenges that they reported. This discussion that links this current study
to other empirical work provides a set of important practical implications for practice and future
research.
Implications for Practice
Given the intricacies of student-faculty interactions and the importance of Latino/a and
part-time NTTF in the community college setting, it is important to offer practical implications
for both Latino/a students and part-time NTTF.
Practical Implications for Latino/a Students. One of the most notable finding that has
important implications for practice is the constructive and reciprocated social interactions
observed between NTTF and Latino/a students. An important conclusion that can be drawn from
such finding is that students should make an attempt to interact more with their teachers as they
navigate through the community college pipeline. Throughout classroom observations, what
became unmistakable was the degree of engagement that grew when constructive student-faculty
interactions were abundant and directed toward academic discourse. Hence, purposeful social
exchanges directed to toward academic performance can create opportunities for students to
acclimate to the academic and social culture that will be unique to all classrooms. Particular to
this study, such opportunities were evidenced by collaborative group work, instructional
strategies that encouraged active engagement, narratives from students, classroom experiences
that conveyed mutual respect, and low dropout rates. In two of the three classrooms observed,
students were considerably more open to share their educational and professional aspirations
when purposeful social interactions were present. Therefore, Latino/a students’ social
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

156
engagement with NTTF and peers served as a resource that gave rise to a collective approach to
learning.
Further implications would mean that added social engagement with faculty and peers
may be the beginning of mentoring relationships with faculty and personal friendships with peers
that are also aspiring academics. Both forms of social relationships have been found to be key
factors in academic persistence and increasing the likelihood of graduation for Latino/a students
(Cole, 2007; Gloria, Castellanos & Orozco, 2005; Gloria & Rodriguez, 2000; Yosso, 2006). It is
important to note that students who experience purposeful interactions with faculty are more
likely to have added opportunities of intellectual stimulation that can help better establish an
academic readiness that can serve well into their educational careers. Particular to this study,
social engagement provoked students to contemplate the significance of math. Students
expressed a desire to better understand how math fits into everyday experiences and a potential
career path. Some students expressed math anxiety at the beginning of the course, but ongoing
dialogue that expressed math in a meaningful context and help seeking behaviors encouraged by
social interaction appeared to diminish such math anxieties. The increase or decrease of such
math anxieties has much broader implications for Latinos/as in higher education.
This study looked at the beginning stages of Latino’s academic trajectory in math, a
critical and unarguable foundation to all STEM fields. Because HSI community colleges are a
vital gateway for Latino/a students, DCC served as an ideal setting where I examined the
dynamics that hindered or encouraged their pathway into courses that are known as gatekeepers.
Many of the students that took part in this study showed some signs of struggle with algebraic
content presented in class. Some students expressed personal challenges that involved work and
family, while others faced troubles because of lack of effective study strategies or basic math
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

157
skills. However, an important implication for practice surfaced as students were observed talking
to NTTF about their struggles.
Numerous conversations with different students were observed expressing their struggles.
Students openly expressed their troubles by asking for simplified explanations or further
clarifications during lecture or by addressing their concerns privately during breaks, or after class
sessions ended. Often times, students were not very specific about what they struggled with.
However, two of the three NTTF were exemplary in requesting further detail, examining written
work or study strategies to pinpoint concerns. When compared to the remaining classroom where
such conversations and social interactions were absent, the conclusions that can be drawn
became even more apparent. Challenging content was more manageable for students when
student-faculty interactions were present. Thus, students had immediate opportunities to adapt
and better understand more difficult content. In addition, such ongoing and purposeful social
exchanges appeared to prevent students from falling behind, possibly feeling lost, and
discouraged. In contrast, students that were part of a classroom culture where purposeful social
engagement and asking for further clarifications was not the norm had a much higher dropout
rate by the midpoint of the course. Indeed, the classroom culture that part-time NTTF cultivated
was a significant factor that shaped student-faculty interactions and subsequent students’
academic progressions.
Practical Implications for Part-time NTTF. An important finding that this study revealed
from the data demonstrates the impact that NTTF had on their students. Two important practical
considerations can be drawn from such findings. First, this study highlights the tremendous
value that NTTF bring to academic institutions and the students they serve. Such value goes well
beyond the economic reasons that play a large role in hiring part-time NTTF. As leading
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

158
majorities in community colleges, NTTF provide an inseparable link to students’ academic
achievements. NTTF will play an even greater role in gatekeeper math courses in HSIs like DCC
as they serve an exceedingly high proportion of Latino/a students, many of which may be
interested in transferring out to four-year universities to pursue degrees in STEM fields.
However, it is imperative that institutional leaders and decision makers become more cognizant
of the reality that classrooms are influenced by external factors such as working conditions that
this study described fully in the present and previous chapter.
The findings in this study assert that NTTF working conditions are critical external
factors that institutional leaders and policy makers must address. It is important for decision
makers to recognize how the current adjunct employment model as designed creates barriers for
NTTF to perform at an optimal level and help students succeed. Specific issues such as lack of
professional development, mentoring, or involvement in departments prevents individual faculty
success. Simply put, the current system is not set up for NTTF to succeed or perform well.
Therefore, a systemic shift at a practical level must involve policies and procedures that create
fair and impartial working environments similar to those of full-timers.
NTTF appear to experience unique barriers difficult to see on the surface, but the
participants that took part in this study adamantly expressed struggles that derived from part-time
working conditions. From an organizational point of view, such working conditions deterred
professional stability, collaborative work among other faculty, professional development, and an
organizational learning culture. The implication is that such obstacles may adversely influence
work satisfaction and commitment toward the institution for part-time NTTF. The sheer number
of part-time NTTF that are now the majority, particularity at the community college level, would
have devastating implications for the academy and the countless students that they serve.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

159
Educational institutions may unintentionally fail to retain the flexibility, cost-effectiveness,
specialized knowledge and youthful enthusiasm that NTTF bring to the field. Thus, it is
important to consider from a practical point of view, what will the future community college
landscape look like without a systematic shift that creates and effectively implements equitable
policies and procedures for part-time NTTF?
A second practical implication for part-time NTTF also arose as I observed the impact
that they had on their students. In all three classrooms observed, students replicated back the type
of interactions that were initiated by each particular NTTF. While the nature of some behaviors
were indifferent or reserved, other behaviors were gregarious, helpful, and kind. The latter
communicated approachability, support, and a desire to interact, which students noted and
expressed during interviews. The part-time faculty member that conveyed indifferent and
reserved behaviors created a classroom culture that was quiet and ordinary. However, the
implication is that such silent and ordinary culture made the identification of high performing or
struggling students difficult to do. Toward the opposite end, the other two faculty members that
exemplified social and interactive behaviors routinely recognized students who were doing
exemplary work and assisted students who reported their worries. In both cases, whether
modeled behaviors were good or bad, students vicariously adopted the expressions and cues that
they repeatedly experienced everyday.
Importantly, the effect of social and constructive behavioral exchanges prompted students
to share and discuss their educational and career aspirations. Unique to this study, two NTTF
occasionally shared personal anecdotes that conveyed lessons learned and messages filled with
strategies that helped them overcome obstacles as once college students. From a practical point
of view, these findings affirm that NTTF are in a position to significantly contribute to the
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

160
educational experiences of their students that go beyond presenting required content. Because of
our ability to reflect upon meaningful moments and past experiences, we are all storied beings
that learn from one another. The implication is that these particular faculty members understood
that brief personal stories could be effective tools to keep students engaged and thinking about
why their education is important. Such understandings derived from this ethnographic study
affirm the significance of purposeful student-faculty interactions that have the capacity to
enhance classroom experiences and meaningful learning. Although it is common for students to
learn from successes and failures, external supports such as NTTF can mediate the way in which
students will learn from their successes and respond to potential struggles in an academic
environment.
Future Research
Considering the limited research that examines both part-time NTTF and Latino/a
students, more empirical work is needed to better understand these two important populations
that makeup increasingly growing majorities in the community college sector. This study
affirmed that part-time NTTF are central figures responsible for imparting knowledge and
preparing a future workforce that will permeate throughout countless communities. Although this
is known, findings from this study highlight the unique culture that part-time NTTF establish as
social models with Latino/a students. The previous section acknowledged the tremendous value
that NTTF bring to the community college setting. However, in some cases performance in the
classroom became more difficult as working conditions inadvertently created distractions and
barriers that did not foster optimal learning experiences within the classroom setting. Such
distractions and barriers appeared to hinder student-faculty interactions that are important to the
progression of students at community colleges looking to further their education at a four-year
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

161
university. Therefore, it is important for future research to preserve and continue to better
understand the nature and quality of social interactions fundamental to learning. The following
recommendations for future research are offered to further advance empirical work that focuses
on better understanding student-faculty interactions.
Perhaps future research can use a gap-analysis approach to examine knowledge,
motivational and organizational factors that can support or create barriers to student-faculty
interactions (Rueda, 2011). Such factors are often bidirectional, interdependent, and dynamic in
nature. Therefore, examining these factors in a holistic manner can provide a more complete
view of influences that affect NTTF performances, which also directly affect classroom
experiences and interactions with students. Importantly, this approach can help identify gaps
between actual performance and potential performance, which can considerably reveal specific
areas that require attention and improvement. Doing so will extend the range of research needed
to close gaps and examine the development of best practices and build new bridges of knowledge
that can contribute to improved outcomes for faculty and students.
It would also be interesting to follow the academic path of students that reported adverse
experiences with NTTF and compare them with students who reported supportive experiences.
Perhaps also following the academic path of students with the same faculty member. Two faculty
members that took part in this study often discussed the relevancy of math in everyday
experiences and the link between math and several career paths. Perhaps follow-up interviews
with these students can shed light on better understanding lasting impressions that may
contribute to future academic endeavors. Examining student-faculty interactions in intermediate
and advanced math courses is also warranted. Doing so would strengthen a knowledge base that
is needed to further understand if student-faculty interactions are a significant factor for those
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

162
students who take courses that are specifically geared toward STEM fields. Considering that
such courses are more demanding, it would be interesting to assess whether the nature, frequency
and quality of student-faculty interactions also differ to provide additional information about
possible risk or protective factors.
To develop a more comprehensive body of scholarship and further contribute to the field,
a longitudinal study designed to track students as they progress through other math courses and
experiences with NTTF could produce important insights. Perhaps a longitudinal approach that
relates to student-faculty interactions can inform the nature of long-term outcomes that relate to
grades, study strategies, mentoring relationships, transfer rates and pathways into STEM careers.
In addition, examining students across multiple courses and experiences with faculty could
provide a holistic point of view that captures the larger culture and unique characteristics that
makeup the community college environment. Also, other opportunities for further research
include examining Latino/a and NTTF in other disciplines or in gatekeeper courses such as
English courses that are essential to developing communication, reading, writing, and critical
thinking skills.
Future studies can also include tenure track faculty and non-tenure track faculty to
examine the similarities and differences between the two professorates. Substantial empirical
work has documented the significant differences in working conditions that exist between tenure
track faculty and part-time non-tenure track faculty (Curtis & Jacobe, 2006; Schuster &
Finkelstein, 2006). Specifically, vast differences such as workload, availability for students,
access to resources, disparities in wages, and departmental involvement have been found
between NTTF and their tenure track counterparts. Many scholars argue that such differences
impact instruction and classroom experiences, which can be important factors in student-faculty
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

163
interactions. Therefore, future research can further examine these factors and expand the range of
data from both perspectives to better evaluate how working conditions may contribute to the
capacity to build relationships and support students through their community college
experiences.
Such relationships may also be vital at the higher education level where proportions of
non-tenure track and tenure track faculty are becoming more parallel in numbers. In line with the
purpose and goal of this study, future studies can also benefit from examining NTTF and
Latino/a students at the four-year university level because of the exposure to new standards,
cultures, norms and challenges experienced at these educational institutions. Student-faculty
interactions are a precursor to mentoring relationships, which have been found to be exceedingly
important for students as they become closer to choosing between specific fields of study, career
pathways or graduate school (Bordes & Arredondo, 2005; Crisp & Cruz, 2009; Cole & Espinoza,
2007). Developing useful skills and possessing the confidence and capability to apply such skills
will have much to do with effective and meaningful learning. Future studies can also focus on
exploring the link between student-faculty interactions and learning. Perhaps administering
pretest and posttest learning assessments can empirically measure how students learn with or
without the presence of student-faculty interactions. Such learning assessments may further
strengthen empirical work that better understand how learning is shaped by student-faculty
interactions.
Conclusion
The primary goal of this exploratory study was to record, describe, analyze and better
understand the nature of interactions between Latino/a students and part-time NTTF. To do so, I
became deeply immersed into the classroom cultures that are the settings under which such
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

164
student-faculty interactions took shape. I was able to see a sense of resiliency that appeared to be
uplifted through social engagement. As informed by the voices of NTTF and Latino/a students
themselves, findings suggest that some student-faculty interactions mattered greatly as they
created social ties that permitted a cooperative learning environment that stimulated engagement
and added persistence. Stories became rich grounds for inquiry and reflection that are key to
making learning relevant, memorable, and useful. Despite numerous obstacles reported by NTTF
and students, some classrooms thrived with a collective approach to learning that was amazing to
experience first-hand.
How decision-makers and policy makers govern the continued growth of part-time NTTF
and Latino/a students will be important to the entire community college environment. However,
it is important that they consider that both part-time NTTF and Latino/a students will continue to
encounter preventable obstacles as along as the current part-time NTTF employment model
remains in place. As leading majorities in community colleges part-time NTTF will need fair
working conditions that encourage departmental involvement, availability to students and
adequate resources that increase classroom proficiencies. Remarks made by Ms. Antonia painted
a clear picture of the role that working conditions play in everyday classroom experiences that
may impact student-faculty interactions.
When asked Ms. Antonia to discuss her thoughts on teaching as a part-timer she smiled
and stated, “Teaching is very deceiving. Teaching looks easy, but the reality is that teaching is
hard. There is much more than just coming in to class and standing in front of students to teach”.
s. Antonia emphasi ed the word “teach” with a firm tone and making quotation moveme nts
with her fingers. She continued,
Much of our success and failures as teachers here and maybe anywhere else will depend
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

165
on how well we prepare well before we walk into the classroom and well beyond after
class has ended. This means that doing a good job in the class will depend a lot on what
goes on outside of it.
Again, s. Antonia emphasi ed the words “well before” and “well after” with a playful smile
and by making quotation movements with her fingers. She continued,
By that I mean that how clear you are and how well you describe complicated concepts
will depend on you reviewing and maybe even still rehearsing before class. Planning for
transitions and knowing how to adjust when students are bored or confused all depends
on developing strategies beforehand. How well you use the book depends on how well
you are familiar with it. We now know that lecturing alone is not good. This means
planning ahead for activities that are purposeful and directed by you. Never ever give
students busy work at all, they will know. You can lose credibility that way. And still I
haven’t even begun to talk about the time that students need after class. We all have
numerous students and there will always be some that will require our time outside of
contract hours. All of this and much more implies that working for us also means
working outside the class first. See, teaching alone looks easy, but teaching effectively is
hard.
Her remarks point to the importance of work that occurs outside the class, which working
conditions can help or hinder.
Students will need to be empowered by more than just content and procedural knowledge
derived from books and lectures. NTTF must also be empowered with tools and resources in
order to impart such knowledge effectively. Although this content and procedural knowledge
must be a principal and functional part of every classroom, students must become problem
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

166
solvers, critical thinkers and effective communicators. All of which are acquired skills that are
more likely to be transmitted in conjunction with purposeful student-faculty social interactions.
Lizette, a 24 year-old Latina student provided an interesting point of view that captures the
significance of purposeful student-faculty social interactions. She stated, “I know I will be
successful in school and life somehow, but I know that there is no possible way I can get there by
myself. If you really think about it, nobody gets to be successful or do amazing things by
themselves. I don't know who they will be in the future, but I do know that I’m looking to find
out who they are”. Her comments allude to acknowledge the importance of purposeful social
interactions and her desire to engage in such interactions because of the value that they can
bring. Therefore, more research is needed to find better ways to empower students through
multiple avenues, however student-faculty interactions appear to be a promising path worth
further exploration.

STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

167
References
Anaya, G., & Cole, D. G. (2001). Latina/o student achievement: Exploring the influence of
student-faculty interactions on college grades. Journal of college student development,
42(1), 3-14.
Anderson, E. L. (2002). The New Professoriate: Characteristics, Contributions, and
Compensation.
Arbona, C., & Nora, A. (2007). The influence of academic and environmental factors on
Hispanic college degree attainment. The Review of Higher Education, 30(3), 247-269.
Arellano, A. R., & Padilla, A. M. (1996). Academic invulnerability among a select group of
Latino university students. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 18(4), 485-507.
Baldwin, R. G., & Chronister, J.L. (2001). Teaching without tenure: Policies and practices for
new era. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press.
Baldwin, R. G., & Wawrzynski, M. R. (2011). Contingent Faculty as Teachers What We Know;
What We Need to Know. American Behavioral Scientist, 55(11), 1485-1509.
Ball, D. L., & Lampert, M. (1999). Multiples of evidence, time, and perspective: Revising the
study of teaching and learning. Issues in education research: Problems and possibilities,
371-398.
Banachowski, G. (1996). Perspectives and Perceptions: The Use of Part-Time Faculty in
Community Colleges. ERIC Review. Community College Review, 24(2), 49-62.
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological
review, 84(2), 191.
Bandura, A. (1980). Gauging the relationship between self-efficacy judgment and action.
Cognitive Therapy and Research, 4(2), 263-268.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

168
Bandura, A. (1991). Social cognitive theory of self-regulation. Organizational behavior and
human decision processes, 50(2), 248-287.
Bandura, A., & Wood, R. (1989). Effects of perceived controllability and performance standards
on self-regulation of complex decision making. Journal of personality and social
psychology, 56(5), 805.
Barnett, E. A. (2007). Validation Experiences and Persistence among Urban Community College
Students. Institute for Community College Research.
Benjamin, E. (2002). How over-reliance on non–tenure track appointments diminishes faculty
involvement in student learning. Peer Review, 5(1), 4-10.
Benjamin, E. (Ed.). (2003). Exploring the role of non–tenure track instructional staff in
undergraduate learning. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass
Bensimon, E. M. (2005). Closing the achievement gap in higher education: An organizational
learning perspective. New Directions for Higher Education, 2005(131), 99-111.
Bean, J. P., & Kuh, G. D. (1984). The relationship between student-faculty interactions
and undergraduate grade point average. Research in Higher Education, 21, 461 477.
Bennett, S. (2007). First questions for designing higher education learning spaces. The Journal of
Academic Librarianship, 33(1), 14-26.
Boulter, L. (2002). Self-concept as a predictor of college freshmen academic adjustment. College
Student Journal, 36(2), 234-246.
Bordes, V., & Arredondo, P. (2005). Mentoring and 1st-year Latina/o college students. Journal
of Hispanic Higher Education, 4(2), 114-133.
Bourdieu, P. (1986). Forms of capital. In J. G. Richardson (Ed.), Handbook of theory and
research for sociology of education (pp. 241-258). New York: Greenwood.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

169
Brint, S., & Karabel, J. (1989). The Diverted Dream: Community Colleges and the Promise of
Educational Opportunity in America, 1900-1985. Oxford University Press, Inc.
Bruner, J. S. (1996). The culture of education. Harvard University Press.
Calaff, K. P. (2008). Latino Students' Journeys toward College. Bilingual Research Journal,
31(1), 201-225.
Carrell, S. E., & West, J. E. (2010). Does Professor Quality Matter? Evidence from Random
Assignment of Students to Professors. Journal of Political Economy, 118(3).
Castellanos, J., & Gloria, A. M. (2007). Research considerations and theoretical application for
best practices in higher education Latina/os achieving success. Journal of Hispanic
Higher Education, 6(4), 378-396.
Carter, R. T., Yeh, C. J., & Mazzula, S. L. (2008). Cultural Values and Racial Identity Statuses
Among Latino Students An Exploratory Investigation. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral
Sciences, 30(1), 5-23.
Castro, C. R. (2006). The individual and institutional factors related to the success and transfer
of Latino community college students.
Cavazos, J., Johnson, M. B., Fielding, C., Cavazos, A. G., Castro, V., & Vela-Gude, L. (2010). A
qualitative study of resilient Latina/o college students. Journal of Latinos and
Education,9, 172-188.
Chapa, J., & De La Rosa, B. (2004). Latino population growth, socioeconomic and demographic
characteristics, and implications for educational attainment. Education and Urban
Society, 36(2), 130-149.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

170
Chaves, C. (2006). Involvement, development, and retention: Theoretical foundations and
potential extensions for adult community college students. Community College Review,
34(2), 139-152.
Cohen, A. M., & Brawer, F. B. (1996). Policies and programs that affect transfer. Washington,
DC: American Council on Education.
Cole, D. (2007). Do interracial interactions matter? An examination of student-faculty contact
and intellectual self-concept. The Journal of Higher Education, 78(3), 249-281.
Cole, D., & Espinoza, A. (2008). Examining the academic success of latino/a students in science
technology engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors. Journal of College Student
Development, 49(4), 285-300.
Coleman, J. S. (1988). Social capital in the creation of human capital. American Journal of
Sociology, 94(Supplement), S95-S120.
Conley, V. M., & Leslie, D. W. (2002). Executive Summary of the Statistical Analysis Report
(Summer 2002). US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics.
Constantine, M. G., Robinson, J. S., Wilton, L., & Caldwell, L. D. (2002). Collective self-esteem
and perceived social support as predictors of cultural congruity among Black and Latino
college students. Journal of College Student Development.
Contreras, F. E., Malcom, L. E., & Bensimon, E. M. (2008). Hispanic Serving Institutions.
Understanding minority serving institutions, 71-90.
Cooper P., & McIntyre, D. (1996). Effective teaching and learning: Teachers’ and students’
perspectives. Buckingham, Eng. Open University Press.
Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (Eds.). (2008). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and
procedures for developing grounded theory. Sage.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

171
Cornelius-White, J. (2007). Learner-centered teacher-student relationships are effective: A meta-
analysis. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 113-143.
Cotton, S. R., & Wilson, B. (2006). Student-faculty interactions: Dynamics and
determinants. Higher Education, 51, 487–519.
Cox, B. E., McIntosh, K. L., Terenzini, P. T., Reason, R. D., & Quaye, B. R. L. (2010).
Pedagogical signals of faculty approachability: Factors shaping faculty–student
interaction outside the classroom. Research in Higher Education, 51(8), 767-788.
Cox, B. E., & Orehovec, E. (2007). Faculty-student interaction outside the classroom: A
typology from a residential college. The review of higher education, 30(4), 343 362.
Cress, C. M. (2008). Creating inclusive learning communities: the role of student–faculty
relationships in mitigating negative campus climate. Learning Inquiry, 2(2), 95-111.
Crisp, G. (2010). The impact of mentoring on the success of community college students. The
Review of Higher Education, 34(1), 39-60.
Crisp, G., & Cruz, I. (2009). Mentoring college students: A critical review of the literature
between 1990 and 2007. Research in Higher Education, 50(6), 525-545.
Crisp, G., Nora, A., & Taggart, A. (2009). Student characteristics, pre-college, college, and
environmental factors as predictors of majoring in and earning a STEM degree: An
analysis of students attending a Hispanic Serving Institution. American Educational
Research Journal, 46(4), 924-942.
Crittenden, W. F. (2005). A social learning theory of cross-functional case education. Journal of
Business Research, 58(7), 960-966.
Cross, J. G., & Goldenberg, E. N. (2009). Off-track professors: Non-tenured teachers in higher
education. MIT Press
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

172
Dayton, B., Gonzalez-Vasquez, N., Martinez, C. R., & Plum, C. (2004). Hispanic-serving
institutions through the eyes of students and administrators. New directions for student
services, 2004(105), 29-40.
Dennis, J. M., Phinney, J. S., & Chuateco, L. I. (2005). The role of motivation, parental support,
and peer support in the academic success of ethnic minority first-generation college
students. Journal of College Student Development, 46(3), 223-236.
Dika, S. L., & Singh, K. (2002). Applications of social capital in educational literature: A critical
synthesis. Review of educational research, 72(1), 31-60.
Dougherty, K. J., & Townsend, B. K. (2006). Community college missions: A theoretical and
historical perspective. New Directions for Community Colleges, 2006(136), 5-13.
Eagan, M. K., & Jaeger, A. J. (2008). Closing the gate: Part ‐ Time faculty instruction in
gatekeeper courses and first ‐ year persistence. New Directions for Teaching and
Learning, 2008(115), 39-53.
Edwards, L. M., & Romero, A. J. (2008). Coping with discrimination among Mexican descent
adolescents. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 30(1), 24-39.
Ehrenberg, R. G., & Zhang, L. (2005). Do tenured and tenure-track faculty matter? Journal of
Human Resources, 40(3), 647-659.
Einarson, M. K., & Clarkberg, M. E. (2004). Understanding faculty out-of-class interaction with
undergraduate students at a research university.
Ennis, S. R., Ríos-Vargas, M., & Albert, N. G. (2011). The Hispanic population: 2010. US
Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, US Census Bureau.
Endo, J. J., & Harpel, R. L. (1982). The effect of student-faculty interaction on students'
educational outcomes. Research in Higher Education, 16(2), 115-138.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

173
Field, J., & Schuller, T. (1997). Norms, Networks and Trust. Adults Learning (England), 9(3),
17-18.
Fink, A. (Ed.). (2013). How to conduct surveys: A step-by-step guide. Sage.
Fry, R. A. (2002). Latinos in higher education: Many enroll, too few graduate (Vol. 5).
Washington, DC: Pew Hispanic Center.
Fry, R. A. (2004). Latino youth finishing college: The role of selective pathways. Washington,
DC: Pew Hispanic Center.
Gallimore, R., & Goldenberg, C. (2001). Analyzing cultural models and settings to connect
minority achievement and school improvement research. Educational Psychologist,
36(1), 45-56.
Gappa, J. M., Austin, A. E., & Trice, A. G. (2007). Rethinking faculty work: Higher education's
strategic imperative. Jossey-Bass.
Gappa, J. M., & Leslie, D. W. (1993). The Invisible Faculty. Improving the Status of Part-Timers
in Higher Education. Jossey-Bass Inc., Publishers, 350 Sansome Street, San Francisco,
CA 94104.
Gasiewski, J. A., Eagan, M. K., Garcia, G. A., Hurtado, S., & Chang, M. J. (2012). From
gatekeeping to engagement: A multicontextual, mixed method study of student academic
engagement in introductory STEM courses. Research in higher education, 53(2), 229-
261.
Gay, G. (2001). Educational equality for students of color. In J. A. Banks & C. A. M. Banks
(Eds.), Multicultural education: Issues and perspectives (4th ed). Boston: Allyn &
Bacon.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

174
Gay, G. (2002). Preparing for culturally responsive teaching. Journal of teacher education-
Washington DC-, 53(2), 106-116.
Gloria, A. M., & Castellanos, J. (2003). Latino/a and African American students at
predominantly White institutions: A psychosociocultural perspective of educational
interactions and academic persistence. In J. Castellanos & L. Jones (Eds.), The majority
in the minority: Retaining Latina/o faculty, administrators, and students (pp. 71-92).
Sterling, VA: Stylus.
Gloria, A. M., Castellanos, J., & Orozco, V. (2005). Perceived educational barriers, cultural fit,
coping responses, and psychological well-being of Latina undergraduates. Hispanic
Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 27(2), 161-183.
Gloria, A. M., & Kurpius, S. E. R. (1996). The validation of the cultural congruity scale and the
university environment scale with Chicano/a students. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral
Sciences, 18(4), 533-549.
Gloria, A. M., & Rodriguez, E. R. (2000). Counseling Latino university students:
Psychosociocultural issues for consideration. Journal of Counseling & Development,
78(2), 145-154.
González, K. P. (2002). Campus culture and the experiences of Chicano students in a
predominantly White university. Urban Education, 37(2), 193-218.
Hagedorn, L. S., & Cepeda, R. (2004). Serving Los Angeles: Urban community colleges and
educational success among Latino students. Community College Journal of Research and
Practice, 28(3).
Hammersley, M. (1990). Reading ethnographic research: A critical guide. London: Longman.
Hammersley, M., & Atkinson, P. (2007). Ethnography: Principles in practice. Routledge.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

175
Hathaway, R. S., Nagda, B. R. A., & Gregerman, S. R. (2002). The relationship of undergraduate
research participation to graduate and professional education pursuit: an empirical study.
Journal of College Student Development, 43(5), 614-31.
Hollenshead, C., Waltman, J., August, L., Miller, J., Smith, G., & Bell, A. (2007). Making the
best of both worlds: Findings from a national institution level survey on non-tenure-track
faculty. Ann Arbor, MI: Center for the Education of Women.
Homans, G. C. (1974). Social behavior: Its elementary forms. New York, Harcourt, Brace,
Jovanovich
Hurtado, S., & Carter, D. F. (1997). Effects of college transition and perceptions of the campus
racial climate on Latino college students' sense of belonging. Sociology of Education,
324-345.
Hurtado, S., Carter, D. F., & Spuler, A. (1996). Latino student transition to college: Assessing
difficulties and factors in successful college adjustment. Research in higher education,
37(2), 135-157.
Hurtado, S., Milem, J. F., Clayton-Pedersen, A. R., & Allen, W. (1998). Enhancing campus
climates for racial/ethnic diversity: Educational policy and practice. The Review of
Higher Education, 21, 279–302
Hurtado, S., & Ponjuan, L. (2005). Latino educational outcomes and the campus climate. Journal
of Hispanic Higher Education, 4(3), 235-251.
Jacoby, D. (2006). Effects of part-time faculty employment on community college graduation
rates. The Journal of Higher Education, 77(6), 1081-1103
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

176
Jaeger, A. J., & Eagan, M. K. (2009). Unintended Consequences Examining the Effect of Part-
Time Faculty Members on Associate's Degree Completion. Community College Review,
36(3), 167-194.
Johnson, W. B., Rose, G., & Schlosser, L. Z. (2007). Student-faculty mentoring: Theoretical and
methodological issues. The Blackwell handbook of mentoring: A multiple perspectives
approach, 49-69.
Jones, L., Castellanos, J., & Cole, D. (2002). Examining the ethnic minority student experience
at predominantly White institutions: A case study. Journal of Hispanic Higher
Education, 1(1), 19-39.
Kezar, A. (2012). Embracing non-tenure-track faculty: Changing campuses for the new faculty
majority. New York NY: Routledge.
Kezar, A., & Sam, C. (2009). Institutionalizing equitable policies and practices for contingent
faculty. Presented at the Association for the Study of Higher Education, Vancouver,
Canada.
Kezar, A., & Sam, C. (2010). Understanding the new majority of non–tenure track faculty in
higher education: Demographics, experiences and plans of action (ASHE Report
Series). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Kim, B. S., & Abreu, J. M. (2001). Acculturation measurement. Handbook of multicultural
counseling, 394-424.
Kim, Y. K., & Sax, L. (2007). Different patterns of student-faculty interaction in research
universities: An analysis by student gender, race, SES, and first-generation status.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

177
Kim, Y. K., & Sax, L. J. (2009). Student–faculty interaction in research universities: Differences
by student gender, race, social class, and first-generation status. Research in Higher
Education, 50(5), 437-459.
Kline, R. B. (2005). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling: The Guilford Press.
Kuh, G. D. (1995). The other curriculum: Out-of-class experiences associated with student
learning and personal development. The Journal of Higher Education, 123-155.
Kuh, G. D., & Hu, S. (2001). The effects of student-faculty interaction in the 1990s. The Review
of Higher Education, 24(3), 309-332.
Laden, B. V. (2001). The Puente Project: Socializing and mentoring Latino community
college students. In L. S. Hagedorn (Ed.), Ready to use classroom instruction
(pp. 106-111). Chattanooga, TN: Rapid Intellect Press.
Laden, B. V. (2004). Hispanic-serving institutions: What are they? Where are they?. Community
College Journal of Research and Practice, 28(3), 181-198.
Laden, B. V., Hagedorn, L. S., & Perrakis, A. (2008). ¿ Dónde Están Los Hombres?.
Understanding Minority-serving Institutions, 127.
Lamport, M. A. (1993). Student-faculty informal interaction and the effect on college student
outcomes: A review of the literature. Adolescence.
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation.
Cambridge university press.
Levin, J. (2007). Neo-liberal policies and community college faculty work. In John Smart and
William Tierney (Eds.), Handbook of Higher Education, (22). Norwell, MA: Kluwer
Academic Publishers.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

178
Levin, J. S., Kater, S., & Wagoner, R. L. (2006). Community college faculty: At work in the new
economy. Palgrave Macmillan
Locke, E. A., Frederick, E., Lee, C., & Bobko, P. (1984). Effect of self-efficacy, goals, and task
strategies on task performance. Journal of applied psychology, 69(2), 241.
Lundberg, C. A., & Schreiner, L. A. (2004). Quality and frequency of faculty-student interaction
as predictors of learning: An analysis by student race/ethnicity. Journal of College
Student Development, 45(5), 549-565.
Martinez, M. D. (2003). Missing in action: Reconstructing hope and possibility among Latino
students placed at risk. Journal of Latinos and Education, 2(1), 13-21.
artine , S., Cervera, Y. L. 1 ). Fulfilling Educational Aspirations Latino Students’
College Information Seeking Patterns. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 11(4),
388-402.
Martinez, M., & Fernández, E. (2004). Latinos at community colleges. New Directions for
Student Services, 2004(105), 51-62.
Marx, S. (2008). Popular White Teachers of Latina/o Kids The Strengths of Personal
Experiences and the Limitations of Whiteness. Urban Education, 43(1), 29-67.
Maxwell, J. A. (2013). Qualitative research design: An interactive approach (41). Sage.
McNeal, R. G., Jr. (1999). Parental involvement as social capital: Differential effectiveness on
science achievement, truancy, and dropping out. Social Forces, 78(1), 117-144.
Moll, L.C., & Greenberg, J.B. (1990). Creating zones of possibilities: Combining social contexts
for instruction. In L.C. Moll (Ed). Vygotsky and education: Instructional implications
and application of socio-historical psychology (pp. 319-348). New York: Cambridge
University Press.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

179
Merriam, S. B. (2009). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. Jossey-Bass
Muller, C. (2001). The Role of Caring in the Teacher ‐ Student Relationship for At ‐ Risk
Students. Sociological inquiry, 71(2), 241-255.
Nauta, M. M., & Kokaly, M. L. (2001). Assessing role model influences on students' academic
and vocational decisions. Journal of Career Assessment, 9(1), 81-99.
Nora, A., & Crisp, G. (2009). Hispanics and higher education: An overview of research, theory,
and practice. In Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research (pp. 317-353).
Springer Netherlands.
Nuñez, A. M. (2009). A critical paradox? Predictors of Latino students' sense of belonging in
college. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 2(1), 46.
Nuthall, G. (2004). Relating classroom teaching to student learning: A critical analysis of why
research has failed to bridge the theory-practice gap. Harvard educational review, 74(3),
273-306.
Outcalt, C. (2002). A profile of the community college professorate, 1975-2000. Routledge
Falmer.
Palincsar, A. (1998). Social constructivist perspectives on teaching and learning. Annual Review
of Psychology, 49, 345-75.
Pappamihiel, N. E., & Moreno, M. (2011). Retaining Latino Students Culturally Responsive
Instruction in Colleges and Universities. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 10(4),
331-344.
Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T. (1991). How college affects students: Findings and insights
from twenty years of research. Jossey-Bass Inc.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

180
Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T. (1977). Patterns of student-faculty informal interaction
beyond the classroom and voluntary freshman attrition. The Journal of Higher Education,
540-552.
Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T. (1980). Predicting freshman persistence and voluntary
dropout decisions from a theoretical model. The Journal of Higher Education, 60-75.
Pascarella, E., & Terenzini, P. (2005). How college affects students: Findings and insights from
twenty years of research. (2). A third decade of research.
Pascarella, E. T., Terenzini, P. T., & Hibel, J. (1978). Student-faculty interactional settings and
their relationship to predicted academic performance. The Journal of Higher Education,
450-463.
Passel, J. S., Cohn, D., & Lopez, M. H. (2011). Hispanics account for more than half of nation’s
growth in past decade. Pew Hispanic Center
Patton, M. Q. (2005). Qualitative research. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Perez, P. A., & McDonough, P. M. (2008). Understanding Latina and Latino College Choice A
Social Capital and Chain Migration Analysis. Journal of Hispanic higher education, 7(3),
249-265.
Perrakis, A., & Hagedorn, L. S. (2010). Latino/a student success in community colleges and
Hispanic-serving institution status. Community College Journal of Research and
Practice, 34(10), 797-813.
Phillippe, K. A. (Ed.) (2000). National profile of community colleges: Trends and
Statistics. (3rd ed). Washington, DC: Community College Press.
Pintrich, P. R. (2003). A Motivational Science Perspective on the Role of Student Motivation in
Learning and Teaching Contexts. Journal of Educational Psychology, 95(4), 667-686.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

181
Romero, A. J., Cuéllar, I., & Roberts, R. E. (2000). Ethnocultural variables and attitudes toward
cultural socialization of children. Journal of Community Psychology, 28(1), 79-89.
Rosales, R. (2006). Manteniendo Nuestra Cultura (Sustaining our Culture). J. Castellanos. AM
Gloria, & Kamimura, M.(Eds.) The Latina/o Pathway to the Ph. D, 201-210.
Rueda, R. (2011). The 3 dimensions of improving student performance: Finding the right
solutions to the right problems. New York: Teachers College Press.
Sandoval-Lucero, E., Maes, J. B., & Chopra, R. V. (2011). Examining the retention of
nontraditional Latino (a) students in a career-based learning community. Journal of
Hispanic Higher Education, 10(4), 299-316.
Santiago, D. A. (2006). Inventing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs): The basics. Washington,
DC: Excelencia in Education.
Santos, M. (2004). The motivations of first-semester Hispanic two-year college students.
Community College Review, 32(3), 18-34.
Scheeler, M. C. (2008). Generalizing effective teaching skills: The missing link in teacher
preparation. Journal of Behavioral Education, 17(2), 145-159.
Schuetz, P. (2002). Instructional practices of part ‐ time and full ‐ time faculty. New Directions
for Community Colleges, 2002(118), 39-46.
Schuster, J. H., & Finkelstein, M. J. (2006). The American faculty: The restructuring of
academic work and careers. Johns Hopkins University Press.
Schwitzer, A. M., Griffin, O. T., Ancis, J. R., & Thomas, C. R. (1999). Social adjustment
experiences of African American college students. Journal of Counseling &
Development, 77(2), 189-197.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

182
Solberg, V. S., & Viliarreal, P. (1997). Examination of self-efficacy, social support, and stress as
predictors of psychological and physical distress among Hispanic college students.
Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 19(2), 182-201.
Sólorzano, D. G., Villalpando, O., & Oseguera, L. (2005). Educational inequities and Latina/o
undergraduate students in the United States: A critical race analysis of their educational
progress. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 4(3), 272-294.
Strayhorn, T. L. (2008). Sentido de Pertenencia A Hierarchical Analysis Predicting Sense of
Belonging Among Latino College Students. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 7(4),
301-320.
Stearns, C., Watanabe, S., & Snyder, T. D. (2002). Hispanic serving institutions: Statistical
trends from 1990 to 1999. DIANE Publishing.
Strauss, L. C., & Volkwein, J. F. (2004). Predictors of student commitment at two-year and four-
year institutions. The Journal of Higher Education, 75(2), 203-227.
Sue, D. W., & Sue, D. (2004). Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice (4th ed.).
New York: Wiley.
Sullivan, L. G. (2007). Preparing Latinos/as for a Flat World The Community College Role.
Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 6(4), 397-422.
The Completion Agenda. (2013). Retrieved July, 2013, from http://www.CollegeBoard.org
Tinto, V. (1997). Classrooms as communities: Exploring the educational character of student
persistence. Journal of higher education, 599-623.
Tierney, W. G. (2009). Globalization, international rankings, and the American model: A
reassessment. In Higher Education Forum (Vol. 6, pp. 1-17).
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

183
Thompson, M. D. (2001). Informal Student-Faculty Interaction: Its Relationship to Eductional
Gains in Science and Mathematics Among Community College Students. Community
College Review, 29(1), 35-57.
Thedwall, K. (2008). Nontenure track faculty: Rising numbers, lost opportunities. New
Directions for Higher Education, 2008(143), 11-19.
Umbach, P. D. (2007). How effective are they? Exploring the impact of contingent faculty on
undergraduate education. The Review of Higher Education, 30(2), 91-123.
U.S. Census Bureau. (2010). Overview of Race and Hispanic Origin: Retrieved May 6, 2013
from http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/2010_census.
U.S. Department of Education & White House Initiative for Educational Excellence for
Hispanics (2011). Winning the future: Improving education for the Latino community.
Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education & White House Initiative for
Educational Excellence for Hispanics.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological process. In M.
Cole, V. John-Steiner, S. Scribner, & E. Souberman (Eds.). Cambridge, MA: Harvard
University Press.
Weidman, J. C. (2006). Socialization of students in higher education: organizational
perspectives. Sage handbook for research in education: engaging ideas and enriching
inquiry. Sage, Thousand Oaks.
Weiner, B. (1985). An attributional theory of achievement motivation and emotion.
Psychological review, 92(4), 548.
Wolcott, H. F. (2008a) Ethnography: A way of seeing (2
nd
ed.) Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira.
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

184
Yosso, T. J. (2005). Whose culture has capital? A critical race theory discussion of community
cultural wealth. Race Ethnicity and Education, 8(1), 69-91.
Yosso, T. J., & Solórzano, D. G. (2006). Latino policy & issues brief. UCLA Chicano Studies
Research Center, (13).
Zimmerman, B. J. (2008). Investigating self-regulation and motivation: Historical background,
methodological developments, and future prospects. American Educational Research
Journal, 45(1), 166-183.

STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

185
APPENDIX A

Name: __________________ Date: __________________

Directions: Please fill out the following questions to the best of your ability. The following questions will help in
understanding the relationship between students and non-tenure track faculty. All information will be kept
confidential.

What is your age? ______

What is your sex?
Male
Female

How would you classify yourself?
African American
Arab
Asian/Pacific Islander
Caucasian/White
Hispanic/Latino/a
Multicultural
Would rather not say

How long have you attended a community college?
Less than one year
One year
Two years
Three years
Four or more years

What is your major?
___________________________
Undecided

Do you know the difference between tenure track professors and non-tenure track professors? If so, how?
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Have you ever taken a class with a non-tenure track professor?
Yes: How many courses? ______
No

Would you like be a part of a pilot study that explores the interactions between students and their professors?
Yes: If yes, how may I connect you: _______________________________
(All contact information is kept confidential)
Maybe, I would to receive more information about the study
No thank you

STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

186
APPENDIX B
Observation Protocol
Primary Research Question:
How do NTTF interact with Latino/a students in taking gatekeeper math courses at an urban
community college compared to tenure track faculty?

Possible areas of focus
Physical Setting – How is physical space managed?
Activities & Interactions – Nature & context of social interactions, culturally responsive teaching
practices, or group activities
Conversations – Formal Conversations (course content or assignments)
Informal Conversations (personal history or future aspirations)
Subtle Factors – Professor & student cues, gestures, and culture

Purpose: Observe the nature and context of interactions between professors and Latino/a
students.

Location: Date/Time
Observer: Materials Needed:
Name of Authorizer:
Description of room setting:

Description of Participants (Students & Professor):

Time

Notes

Comments

Abbreviation Notes
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

187

APPENDIX C

Interview Questions to Establish Initial Rapport

If necessary, students will be reminded that my presence in the classroom setting is
intended to study classroom strategies as a novice teacher in higher education.

To establish rapport with a student, the following questions can be asked.

 How is your current semester coming along?
 So far what do you like most of your community college experience?
 What are your favorite classes?
 What kind of teaching strategies do you think help you learn best?

The following questions are a sample of semi-structured and open-ended question that can be asked to
self-identify Latino/a students that have taken courses with non-tenure track or tenured faculty in a
community college.

Interview questions

1. Is this your first class with your current professors? If not, how many times have you taken a class
with this professor?
2. How would you describe your relationship with these particular professors?
3. Do you attend office hours? Why or why not? If so, how often?
4. Do you feel comfortable asking questions or sharing comments during classes?
Why or why not?
5. Do you think that your professors affect your academic progress? If so, how?
6. What weaknesses would you say these particular professors had?
7. What strengths would you say these particular professors had?
8. If you could provide advice to them to possibly improve future relationships with their students, what
would you recommend?
9. Any final thoughts about your past or present relationships with professors?

STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTIONS

188
APPENDIX D

Summary of Themes in Relation to Part-time NTTF

Classroom Readiness Classroom Opportunities to Connect
Personal & Work
Commitments:
Ms. V. o Weak collaborative
work with other
faculty due to lack of
time
o Unable to answer
students’ questions
with sufficient detail
o Did not encourage
inquiry
o No professional
development

o Lacked meaningful interaction
o Arrived 2 minutes before class & left early
o During breaks checked phone & often stepped
outside
o By mid-point – half of students dropped
Work Related Circumstance
o ecame “efficient” by doing administrative work
before and after class to adjust to lack of
compensation
o Student noticed the issue of availability
Interpersonal Characteristics
o No discussion
o No greeting others upon arrival
o No calling students by name
o No ongoing feedback
o No acknowledgment of progress
Students
o Unwilling to go
beyond her formal role
of teaching
o Did not recognize
cultural & experiential
knowledge important
to Latinos/as
Work Performance
o No Professional
Stability
o Report not feeling
“established”
Ms.
Antonia
o Anticipated &
planned for student
errors
o No Professional Dev.
o Unable to make
trainings
o Adjusted by own
professional dev. by
reading
o Managed class
effectively through
diverse instructional
methods
o Described classroom
management as
“skills”
o Only six students dropped
o Created a learning culture where classroom
opportunities to connect with students were lively,
continuous, and reciprocated.
o Made acculturation possible
Work Related Circumstance
o No private office space which deterred academic and
social interactions with students
o Barrier for mentoring opportunities
o Introverts less likely to ask for help
o Deters access and availability
Interpersonal Characteristics
o Self-discloser was consistent with PSC
o Build rapport
o Relatable…cues that made her approachable
o Teachable moment that goes beyond course content
Students
o Student-centered
teaching philosophy
o Willing to go beyond
formal role of teaching
o Encouraged peers to
help find mistakes
o Comprehension checks
throughout lecture
o Developed “we”
mentally
Work Performance
o Cordial with
department but sought
work opportunities
elsewhere
Ms.
Mirian
o Professional dev. at
DCC played a crucial
role
o Held on to every
training offered
o Strong Instructional
Strategy
o Used pop quizzes to
keep students coming to
class

o Positive humor and casual style
o Purposeful rapport and connection to students
o Only 6 students dropped
Work Related Circumstance
o Involved in department, but for employee rights
o Although situation is not typical, it demonstrates
that availability of time may be an important factor
that contributes to work related circumstances and
contact hours with students that may enhance
students’ classroom experiences.
Interpersonal Characteristics
o Humor came from tone, facial expressions,
animated and enthusiastic gestures
Students
o Provided personal
assistance
o Fostered cultural
congruity
Work Performance
o Commitment toward
the department was
impartial
o Commitment toward
the college was not as
constructive

Abstract (if available)

Abstract The purpose of this ethnographic study was to better understand the nature of student-faculty interactions particularly between Latino/a students and part-time non-tenure track faculty (NTTF) in an urban community college. A qualitative methodology provided an exploratory approach that used classroom observation and interviewing techniques to examine part-time NTTF working conditions as an important factor that may affect the academic progression of Latino/a students. Social learning theory (SLT), and a psychosociocultural (PSC) model were used as integrated frameworks to examine sociocultural factors that may affect classroom experiences for Latino/a students and the nature of student-faculty interactions. Observations within three introductory gatekeeper math courses and ongoing interviews with 3 part-time NTTF and 11 Latino/a students permitted a better understanding of the culture in which student-faculty relationships are formed. Among a host of important findings, this study found that some student-faculty interactions mattered greatly as they created a social bridge that encouraged a collective learning culture where students became further engaged in classroom experiences, academic discourse, and the relevancy of math in their future educational endeavors. However, part-time working conditions adversely affected classroom experiences, which also hindered student-faculty interactions. The study concludes with implications for practice that addresses how the current adjunct employment model as designed creates barriers for NTTF to perform at optimal levels and help Latino/a students meet their academic goals.

Linked assets

University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

Conceptually similar

PDF

The work identity of full‐time non‐tenure‐track faculty at a four year research university

PDF

Developing effective mentoring programs for non-tenure track faculty

PDF

Part-time and time faculty conceptualizations of academic community: a case study

PDF

Exploring faculty-student interactions in a comprehensive college transition program for low-income and first-generation college students

PDF

Supporting non-tenure-track faculty in a physical therapy program: a case study

PDF

Persistence of first-generation Latinx engineering students: developing a better understanding of STEM classroom experiences and faculty interactions

PDF

Participation of full-time, non-tenure-track faculty in school-level goveranance and decision making

PDF

The impact of student-faculty interaction on undergraduate international students' academic outcome

PDF

How the departmental cultures experienced by part-time, non-tenure track faculty affect their ability to meet first-year college student needs

PDF

Assessing the impact of diversity courses on student-faculty interactions, critical thinking and social engagement

PDF

Academic advising, engagment with faculty, course load, course type, and course completion rates for urban community college students with learning disabilties

PDF

Testimonios of part-time enrolled Latina students: the challenges and experiences at a Hispanic-serving California community college

PDF

Latina elementary principals’ promising practices to disrupting disproportionate suspension of Latina and Latino students

PDF

Psychosociocultural predictors of help seeking among Latino community college students

PDF

The academic integration and retention of Latino community college transfer students at a highly selective private four-year institution

PDF

Collaborative social networks in student affairs: an exploration of the outcomes and strategies associated with cross‐institutional collaboration

PDF

A mixed method examination of available supports for secondary school students’ college and military aspirations

PDF

Faculty as institutional agents for low-income Latino students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields at a Hispanic-serving institution

PDF

An evaluation of general education faculty practices to support student decision-making at one community college

PDF

Teacher management style: its impact on teacher-student relationships and leadership development

Asset Metadata

Creator Montes, Roberto C. (author)

Core Title How do non-tenure track faculty interact with Latino and Latina students in gatekeeper math courses at an urban community college?

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Education (Leadership)

Publication Date 09/19/2014

Defense Date 08/05/2014

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag advancement of Latinos/as in higher education,culturally responsive teaching,ethnography,gatekeeper math courses,Hispanic serving institutions,Latino and Latina college students,non-tenure track faculty,OAI-PMH Harvest,part-time contingent faculty,psychosociocultural model,social learning theory,student-faculty interactions,urban community college

Format application/pdf (imt)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Kezar, Adrianna J. (committee chair), Cole, Darnell G. (committee member), Rueda, Robert (committee member)

Creator Email roberto.montes@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c3-482529

Unique identifier UC11287118

Identifier etd-MontesRobe-2966.pdf (filename),usctheses-c3-482529 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-MontesRobe-2966.pdf

Dmrecord 482529

Document Type Dissertation

Format application/pdf (imt)

Rights Montes, Roberto C.

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA