Date of Award
2002
Document Type
Practicum
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Programs for Higher Education
Advisor
Diane Bryant
Keywords
adjunct handbook, adjuncts, committees, criteria development, design, distribution, employees, evaluation, final draft, formative committee, Graduate Teacher Education Program, GTEP, handbook, instructional materials, literature review, Nova Southeastern University, policies, procedures, processes, program development, provost, research questions, returning adjuncts, summative committee, university, updates, validation
Abstract
The Graduate Teacher Education Program (GTEP) regularly hires new adjuncts. The problem was that new and returning adjuncts complained that they did not understand various procedures. The purpose of this study was to develop an adjunct handbook for new and returning GTEP adjuncts.
The development methodology was utilized for this study. The research questions were {a) what is the appropriate and valid content for a GTEP adjunct handbook that will inform new and returning adjuncts about procedures and processes? (b) What is the appropriate and valid content for a GTEP adjunct handbook • that will assist employees? (c) What the appropriate and valid content for a GTEP adjunct handbook that will enable adjuncts to feel united with the university?
Seven procedures were used: (a) a review of the literature, (b) criteria development for the content and design, (c) the formative committee members responded to the criteria developed, (d) the summative committee responded to the established criteria, (e) the researcher wrote the first draft, (f) the final draft of manual was reviewed by the summative committee, and (g) the final draft of the handbook was distributed.
Three conclusions were drawn. First, based on the positive response from the committees, the information handbook will allow new adjuncts to get acquainted to GTEP's procedures and policies. Second, based on the positive response of the committee members, the handbook will allow GTEP employees to assist adjuncts. Third, from the input of the adjuncts on the committees and the letter from the Provost, it appears that adjuncts will feel more united with Nova Southeastern University.
Four recommendations were made. It was recommended that the handbook be (a) evaluated by adjuncts and employees, (b) distributed to all adjuncts, (c) updated regularly, and (d) that the handbook be available online.