Feminist methodology & interpretive methods: Exploring women community college natural scientists’ personal experience narratives

Dissertation Defense Nancy Anne Woods

April 26, 2010

Committee Members:: Larry Ebbers, PhD Co-Chair:: Robyn Cooper, PhD Co-Chair:: Frankie Laanan, PhD:: Latrice Eggelston, PhD:: Dan Robinson, PhD

:: If the premise is that we want more women involved in science and STEM fields, then one way to understand how to entice women into such fields would be to research those who are already there.

Overview

Overview:: “The purpose of this research is to look into the lives of

women natural science community college instructors to better understand how they make meaning of their multiple identities as well as the events, influences, and forces that brought them to their faculty roles at the community college.”

The process of making higher education available to the maximum number of people continues to evolve at 1,173 public and independent community colleges. When the branch campuses of community colleges are included, the number totals about 1,600.

http://www.aacc.nche.edu/ABOUTCC/HISTORY/Pages/ccmap.aspx

I have been a teacher for almost three decades and a community-college instructor for the past 16 years. Last spring, President Obama asked me to increase awareness about one of the best-kept secrets of higher education: the very sizable and valuable contribution of community colleges. Since then I have been visiting colleges around the country and reporting back to the president about their challenges, innovations, and ideas. This issue is a priority for the Obama-Biden administration. We are committed to making community colleges better and more accessible to students across this nation.

April 14, 2010Community Colleges: Our Work Has Just Begun

By Jill Biden

http://chronicle.com/article/Community-Colleges-Our-Work/65060/

Remedial education is an academic and financial issueBY DETROIT FREE PRESS, Published February 12, 2010

In Michigan, one of every five community college students is enrolled in a remedial education course, similar to what other states are seeing. And it's a costly problem. In Michigan, more than $28 million is spent on remediation at the community college level alone. Read the Detroit Free Press article.

College Enrollment Hits All-Time High, Fueled by Community College Surgeby Richard Fry, Senior Research Associate, Pew Research CenterOctober 29, 2009

Executive SummaryThe share of 18- to 24-year-olds attending college in the United States hit an all-time high in October 2008, driven by a recession-era surge in enrollments at community colleges, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of newly released data from the U.S. Census Bureau.Just under 11.5 million students, or 39.6% of all young adults ages 18 to 24, were enrolled in either a two- or four-year college in October 2008 (the most recent date for which comprehensive nationwide data are available). Both figures -- the absolute number as well as the share -- are at their highest level ever.

OverviewFirst Research Question:

:: How do women community college natural science faculty make meaning of their current academic & social experiences within their science based upon their postsecondary educational experiences?

OverviewSecond Research Question:

:: What role does a woman’s community & personal support systems have on the decision making process for women community college natural science faculty as they chose careers within STEM fields?

OverviewTheoretical Perspective

:: Postmodern Feminism• Postmodern Feminism in Education• Postmodern Feminism in Science• Nonunitary Subjectivity

Literature Review

Community Colleges as a site of research• America’s community colleges are seemingly the neglected

stepchildren of postsecondary educational research• Community College + Natural Science + Women = not a lot out

there!

Methodology:: Qualitative Approach

• Epistemology: Constructionism• Research Approach: Phenomenology

:: Narrative Inquiry:: Collaborative Nature:: Trustworthiness Criteria

:: Liza’s Story

Findings

:: Holly’s Story

Findings

:: Anna’s Story

Findings

:: Issues of Identity: Scientists or Just Teachers?

:: A Case for Community

Findings

Recommendations for Practice:

1. Acknowledge the importance of community2. “Feminist Studies” ≥ a required course

Next Steps

Recommendations for Future Research:

1. Research women community college faculty2. Research women community college STEM faculty

specifically

Next Steps

Recommendations for Future Research:3. Research women community college STEM students4. Research attrition of women community college STEM

faculty5. Research that results in improved professional linkages

between university faculty and community college faculty

Next Steps

The Iowa Studies Center at Des Moines Area Community College

A community college providing education about the community's history, politics, literature, science, and art.

Save the DateFriday, April 23, 2010

for the Third Annual Iowa Studies ForumTheme: Iowa Grass Roots Activism:Seeds for Change and Flowering Results

The Iowa Studies Center at Des Moines Area Community College provides the collaborate piece between elementary schools, high schools, four year colleges, other community colleges, businesses, government departments, non-profit agencies, museums, and the general public to better coordinate and promote the continuing exploration of Iowa's history, science, literature, politics, and art.

QUESTIONS??? COMMENTS???