Examination of Student Learning as a Function of Instructor Status (Full-Time versus Part-Time) at Mercer County Community College.

A study was conducted at Mercer County Community College in Trenton, New Jersey, to determine whether there was any significant difference in the amount of learning attained by students who received instruction from full-time and part-time faculty members. Two independent samples of 50 students each ,ere randomly drawn from the population of 637 students enrolled in Basic Mathematics course sections in fall 1994. Group I was taught by full-time faculty, and group II was taught by part-time faculty. All sections and students in the sections were given number designations. Based on students' preand post-test scores on the mathematics subtest of the New Jersey College Basic Skills Placement Test (NJCBSTPC), the study found no significant difference between the amount of learning of studentr taught by full-time and part-time faculty. Group.I had a mean posttest score on the NJCBSTPC of 177.8400, with a standard deviation of 4.186, while group II had a mean score of 177.9800, with a standard deviation of 3.514. (Contains 44 references.) (KP) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ************************************************n********************** Examination of Student Learning as a Function of Instructor Status (Full-Time versus Part-Time) at Mercer County Community College U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION °nice of Educational Research and Imorovoment EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION 21.< CENTER (ERIC) This doc4rn ent has been reproduced as °coved from the person or organization originating It. 0 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. (3"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GR=NTED BY R. Bolge TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)." Robert D. Bolge Mercer County Community College Trenton, NJ BEST COPY AVAILABLE 2 EXAMINATION OF STUDENT LEARNING AS A FUNCTION OF INSTRUCTOR STATUS (FULL-TIME VERSUS PART-TIME) AT MERCER COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE