The Impact of Instructional Support Mechanisms on High School Transcripted Credit Instructors at a Rural Midwestern Technical College

Abstract

Transcripted credit instructors are a unique population of educators who simultaneously address the academic and pedagogical expectations of secondary and post-secondary institutions. While training, professional development, and peer instructor support can address this instructional dichotomy, it is unclear if these mechanisms are effectively addressing the needs of instructors in career and technical education transcripted credit programs. To answer this question, education, experience, and self-identified professional development activities of 17 high school transcripted credit instructors were correlated with self-efficacy survey data. Narrative responses were collected from seven study participants as part of a mixed-methods research approach. Results of the study revealed that transcripted credit instructors derived the greatest benefit from structured, proactive, high-quality interactions with their college-level peer instructors. Similarly, the study determined consistent real-time support, access to the college curriculum, and responsive communications from college faculty and staff enhanced the ability of transcripted credit instructors to teach content in alignment with the partner college. The quantity of transcripted credit instructor and partner college interactions appeared to have little or no effect on the selfefficacy of research participants. Similarly, instructors with formal post-secondary teacher training appeared to have no self-efficacy advantage over their alternatively certified peers. This study emphasizes the need for targeted training, structured collaboration, and relevant professional development for transcripted credit instructors of all education and experience levels.