Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine if faculty development, as measured by progression through the Stages of Concern, identified in the Concerns-Based Adoption Model, occurred as a result of teaching in a learning community (LC) cohort at a California community college, and if progression through developmental Stages of Concern is related to total number of years teaching or number of years teaching in the LC program. Methodology. The subjects in this study were 33 faculty members teaching in the LC program at a large, urban, Southern California community college. Subjects responded online to the 35-item Stages of Concern Questionnaire (SoCQ) and three open-ended questions. All teachers participating in the LC program at the time of the study completed the SoCQ. Findings. Results suggest that faculty initially display high levels in all Stages of Concern. During the third year of teaching, concerns in the first three stages diminish, while strong concerns remain in the later stages, which measure focus on student success and collaboration with teaching partners. The majority of faculty scored low in Stage 3, management concerns, regardless of years of teaching experience. Major themes evident in qualitative data included valuing collaboration and professional development, need for planning and preparation time, and desire to understand and meet student needs. Conclusion. Results support the conclusion that professional development occurs as a result of teaching in LC cohorts, with a significant difference in levels of concern evident between faculty with less than 3 years of teaching experience and faculty with 3 or more years of teaching experience. Recommendations. Future research designs should include longitudinal studies, expansion of the subject population to multiple programs, and expansion of the qualitative data collected through additional open-ended questions added to the SoCQ.