Community College English Instructors' Perceptions on Learning and Enacting Culturally Sustaining Teaching Methods

• In Event: 25.067 - Roundtable Session 7
  In Roundtable Session: 25.067-15 - The Relationship Between Faculty and Student Outcomes

Abstract

Policymakers have placed attention to community colleges curriculum, but have not focused on the teaching at these institutions. Through a self-efficacy survey and interviews, we studied 5 English instructors, at a Hispanic-serving community college, who participated in professional development on culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP) in order to understand their motivation and efforts to enact CSP. Findings indicate instructors: 1) participated in workshops out of familiarity with institution providing them and the influence of peers, 2) reported higher self-efficacy for incorporating CSP materials than for facilitating students’ learning with those materials, 3) believed their identities informed their CSP, and 4) expressed need for professional development to bridge students’ identities with subject matter. Findings have implications for CSP research and faculty development.

Authors

• Milagros Castillo-Montoya, University of Connecticut

• Joshua Abreu, University of Connecticut - Storrs

• Kirsten Kortz, Northern Essex Community College