College Faculty Members' Perceptions of Students' Writing Abilities

College Faculty Members’ Perceptions of Students’ Writing Abilities by Deborah Bellamy MA, Murray State University, 2001 BS, Murray State University, 1999 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Walden University June 2017 Abstract The college open door policy initiated in the 1960s made access to higher education available for more students in the United States. People who were once excluded from enrolling in college now have an opportunity to earn a college degree. Some first-time students, significantly underprepared in writing, have been required to enroll in developmental or remedial writing courses before entering college-level English despite research indicating that taking noncredit courses increases the time for college completion and the cost of college, while also reducing the likelihood of completion. This illustrative case study, guided by the constructivist approach to instruction, was designed to discover college faculty members’ perceptions concerning university students’ writing and the interventions needed to improve writing skills. The qualitative data were collected through audio-recorded semistructured interviews of 12 college faculty members that were transcribed and coded with Ethnograph software. The findings indicated that college faculty members believed most students lacked basic writing skills and did not take sufficient initiative for their learning. Faculty members also thought students’ writing would improve if students assumed responsibility for their learning and used the resources available. This study provides insight into college faculty members’ views of students’ writing skills and recommendations for how these skills might be improved through collaborative efforts across the university, resulting in positive outcomes for both the students and university by increasing student graduation rates andThe college open door policy initiated in the 1960s made access to higher education available for more students in the United States. People who were once excluded from enrolling in college now have an opportunity to earn a college degree. Some first-time students, significantly underprepared in writing, have been required to enroll in developmental or remedial writing courses before entering college-level English despite research indicating that taking noncredit courses increases the time for college completion and the cost of college, while also reducing the likelihood of completion. This illustrative case study, guided by the constructivist approach to instruction, was designed to discover college faculty members’ perceptions concerning university students’ writing and the interventions needed to improve writing skills. The qualitative data were collected through audio-recorded semistructured interviews of 12 college faculty members that were transcribed and coded with Ethnograph software. The findings indicated that college faculty members believed most students lacked basic writing skills and did not take sufficient initiative for their learning. Faculty members also thought students’ writing would improve if students assumed responsibility for their learning and used the resources available. This study provides insight into college faculty members’ views of students’ writing skills and recommendations for how these skills might be improved through collaborative efforts across the university, resulting in positive outcomes for both the students and university by increasing student graduation rates and reducing college debt. College Faculty Members’ Perception of Students’ Writing Abilities by Deborah Bellamy MA, Murray State University, 2001 BS, Murray State University, 1999 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Walden University June 2017 Dedication I would like to dedicate this to my mother, my greatest supporter, and two sons who served in the United States Marine Corps. Acknowledgments I would like to thank my Committee Chair Dr. Marilyn Robb, my Second Committee Member Dr. Christopher Godat and my URR Committee Member Dr. Vicki Underwood, who worked tirelessly with me through the writing process, encouraged and pushed me when I needed it.