Educational Commitments and Attitudes of Part-Time and Full-Time Instructors in the Two-Year Technical Colleges in South Carolina

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare part-time and full-time instructors in the two-year technical colleges of South Carolina on demographic, educational, and attitudinal variables. Specifically, this study compared part-timers and full-timers, males and females, academic and technical instructors, and young and old instructors on the variables of commitment to the community college philosophy, student-centeredness, local-cosmopolitan orientation, and openmindedness. Design A 50% sample (1,132 subjects) was drawn from the part-time and full time population of all 16 colleges in the South Carolina Technical Education System. Returns were received from 696 respondents (61%); 56% were full-time and 44% were part time. Conclusions: Hypothesis 1. There was a significant difference between full-time and part-time instructors (£<.05) and between young and old instructors (40 and under versus 41 and over) (£<.05) on commitment to the community college. Part-timers, as well as faculty 41 and over showed a significantly more favorable commitment to the community college philosophy. However, it was evident that the subjects in this study were only moderately committed to the community college philosophy. Hypothesis 2. There was a significant difference between full-time and part-time instructors (£<.05) and between males and females (£<.05) on student-centeredness. Part-time and female instructors were significantly more student-centered in their attitudes. However, it would be noted that as a total group, there was only a slight positive score (Y = .42) on the student-centeredness scale. Hypothesis 3. There was significant differences between male and female, academic and technical, and young and old instructors on openmindedness. There was no significant difference between full-time and part-time instructors. Female instructors and academic instructors held more flexible and openminded attitudes. As with the other scales, the subjects, as a whole showed moderate inclination toward openmindedness. Hypothesis 4. There v/as significant differences between male and female instructors (£ <.001) and between young and old instructors (£ <.0001) on local cosmopolitanism. Male instructors and instructors 41 and over were more localite than females and younger instructors. There were also significant interactions between status and teaching discipline (£ <.05). Subsequent t-test showed a significant difference between full-time academic (Y = 3.02) and full-time technical instructors (Y = 3.42)