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Thesis/Dissertation Information
- Degree Disciplines:
- Education
Notes
- Abstract:
- Purpose: The purpose of the study was to explore the perceptions of novice dental hygiene faculty members toward the mentoring process. This phenomenological qualitative study was conducted with seven purposively selected associate degree dental hygiene faculty members who had been full-time for five years or less. The participants provided perceptions and beliefs concerning the effect of mentoring on a novice faculty member’s adjustment to academic work. Method: An online questionnaire was employed using SurveyMonkey™. The participants were selected from a population of dental hygiene educators in Florida following guidelines prescribed by researchers Creswell (1998) and Patton (2002). Data were analyzed following the research of Moustakas (1994), Patton (2002), and Rubin and Rubin (2005). Using an inductive process, themes emerged through coding the responses individually and as a group. Major Findings: The participants revealed an overwhelming acknowledgment of the impact of mentoring on their academic careers. The participants believed wholeheartedly that their career satisfaction was guided by the support from mentors and colleagues. It was the perception of the participants that difficult issues could be overcome with the guidance and support of mentors and with formal faculty development course work. One of the most revealing themes of the participants’ responses was how much they enjoyed their work. Recommendations for further research include additional studies on a variety of topics including: novice community college faculty members; mentoring from a culturally diverse perspective; the needs of adjunct dental hygiene faculty members; the perceptions of retiring faculty members on how they perceive their worth to novice faculty; and lastly, a quantitative study to confirm the hypotheses on mentoring using a larger population. Results of this study indicated that individual dental (hygiene programs could provide new faculty members with the tools to be successful by developing a structured mentoring program. Also, by taking a leadership role with a focus on both mentoring and on formal faculty development course work, institutions could affirm and further the mission of the institution, facilitate the enhancement of education, and adopt practices that will help retain quality educators.
- Thesis:
- Thesis (Ph.D.)--Barry University, 2009.
- Bibliography:
- Includes bibliographical references (leaves 123-139).
Record Information
- Source Institution:
- Barry University
- Holding Location:
- Barry University Archives and Special Collections
- Rights Management:
- Copyright Katherine A. Woods. Permission granted to Barry University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
- Resource Identifier:
- RK60.5.W66 2009_WoodsKatherineA. ( BU-Local )
- Classification:
- RK60.5.W66 2009 ( lcc )
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