Dissertations on the Learning College
Updated June, 2007

The following list of dissertations on the Learning College has been compiled by staff members affiliated with the League for Innovation’s Learning College Project.  For information on the Learning College Project access the League’s website at www.league.org and click on Projects.  The attached is only a beginning list and includes primarily those dissertations that have come to the attention of staff in their contacts with graduate students and project participants.  A review of Dissertation Abstracts unearthed a few completed studies.  In some cases the titles of the dissertations do not reference the Learning College idea, but abstracts of the studies cited have been reviewed and belong on this list.  Some of the information is incomplete, especially the titles of dissertations under consideration, but provided to encourage interest in this developing topic and to solicit additional information on these and other dissertations.  This document has been sent to all those on the list and was sent in November, 2001 to members of the Council for the Study of Community Colleges.  Please send any updates to this list to Terry O’Banion at obanion@league.org.

Completed Dissertations

Baer, Bob.  The Learning College and Student Affairs in the Community College, Morgan State University  (Advisor: Christine McPhail)  2005  E-Mail:  bbaer2@ccbcmd.edu

Barber, Bob.  Chief Information Officer:  Organizational and Job Design in the Community College, University of Oregon (Advisor:  Paul Goldman) 2002.  E-Mail:  barberb@lanecc.edu

Bogart-Caballero, Denise.  The Role of Human Development Resources in Creating a Learning-Centered Environment in the University, University of Florida (Advisor: Phillip Clark) 2003   E-mail: denisebc@mail.uflib.ufl.edu

Brackin, John M.  Two-Year College Faculty and Administrator Perceptions of the Transition to a Learning-Centered College, University of Arkansas—Little Rock (Advisor:  Gordon Watts)  2006  E-Mail:  firesage81@hotmail.com

Bradford, Peggy F. J.  Illinois Community College Presidents’ Perceptions of Leadership for Creating or Maintaining Learning Colleges, Northern Illinois University (Advisor: Muriel Mackett) 2000.  E-Mail:

Cone, Cynthia.  Mental Models and Community College Leadership, The University of Texas at Austin (Advisor:  John E. Roueche) 2001.  E-Mail:  CCONE@ aol.com

Ely, Eileen Eleanor.  Developmental Education in the Learning College, The University of Texas at Austin (Advisor: John E. Roueche) 2000.  E-Mail:

Fowler-Hill, Sandra.  Full-Time Faculty Recruitment and Selection Strategies Practiced by Learning-Centered Community Colleges, Oregon State University (Advisor:  Dan Dunham) 2001.  E-Mail:  sfowler@oc.ctc.edu

Goldsmith, Carole.  Leadership for Creating a Learning College: A Study of Perceived Leadership Styles, University of California, Davis & California State University, Fresno (Advisor:  Sharon Brown-Welty) 2005.  E-Mail:  csgold777@comcast.net

Harvey-Smith, Alicia.  The Adoption of the Learning Paradigm in Student Affairs Divisions of Vanguard Community Colleges: A Case Analysis, University of Maryland—College Park(Advisor:  Susan Komives) 2003.  E-Mail:  ahsmith@ccbcmd.edu

Holmes, Susan.  The Invisible Majority:  Perceptions of Community College Adjunct Faculty, Walden University (Advisor: Patricia Brewer)  2007.  E-Mail:  sholmes@nwacc.edu  

Huang, Yueh-Chun.  An Inquiry into Organizational Change of the Vanguard Learning Colleges, National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan (Advisor: Fu Shun Huang) 2002. E-Mail:  d8736001@ccu.edu.tw

Johnson, Myra.  Transforming a Community College: Isothermal Community College’s Journey To Becoming Learning-Centered, Appalachian State University (Advisor: George Olson) 2004. E-Mail: mjohnson@isothermal.edu

Kerr, Kenneth.  The Assessment of Student Learning and Application of Accreditation Standards: A Case Study, Morgan State University (Advisor: Christine McPhail) 2004. E-mail:  kkerr@frederick.edu        

Krakauer, Renate.  A Learning College for Health Care: The Applicability of Learning-Centered Education to the Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences, University of Toronto (Advisor: Michael Skolnik) 2000.  E-Mail:  rkrakauer@staff.michener.on.ca

Margaretta B. Mathis.  Institutional Transformation and Learning at the Community College of Baltimore County:  A Case Study,,  University of Texas at Austin (Advisor:  John Roueche) 2006.

McKay, Shaun.  Chief Executive Officers and Board of Trustee Perceptions and Preferences of Their Levels of Involvement in Institutional Governance Activities, Morgan State University, Baltimore (Advisor:  Christine McPhail)  2004.  E-Mail:  mckays@sunysuffolk.edu  

McKeithan, Gretchen D.   Navigating Through a Learning Organization: A Case Study of a Community College,  North Carolina State University at Raleigh (Advisor:  George Baker) 2002.  E-Mail:  Gretchen_mckeithan@ncsu.edu

McMillen, Jeremy P. Learning Outcomes Enhancement, Campus Culture, and Change in the Learning-Centered Community College, Texas A & M University-Commerce (Advisor:  Jon Travis) 2006 E-Mail:  jmcmillen@tvcc.edu

Robles, Harriett J.  Building Learning Colleges: Preparing Community College Faculty and Staff, The Fielding Institute (Advisor:  Lee Mahon) 1999  Email: harriett_robles@westvalley.edu

Ruehl, Patricia Ann.  A Comparison of Full-Time and Part-Time Community College Instructors’ Awareness and Application of Adult Learning Styles, University of Florida (Advisor:  Dale F. Campbell) 2000.  E-Mail:

Ruiz, Rachel Sue.  Transforming a Community College in Support of Learning:  A Case Study.  The University of Texas at Austin (Advisor:  John E. Roueche) 1999.  E-Mail:  rruiz@sdccd.net.

Sam, David A.  The Journey Into Community: The Professional Learning Community in One Community College, Michigan State University (Advisor: Kathryn M. Moore) 2002.  E-Mail:  dsam@germanna.edu

Swaine, Linda.  A Case Study of the Libraries in the Vanguard Learning Colleges, University of Central Florida (Advisor: Doug Magann) 2004.  E-Mail:  lindaswaine@earthlink.net

Switzer Kemper, Cathy.  Student Learning Outcomes:  A Critical Issue in the Implementation of the Learning College Paradigm, The University of Texas at Austin (Advisor:  John E. Roueche) 2005. E-Mail: cathy.switzer@nhmccd.edu

Teahen, Roberta. Strategies for Creating a More Learning-Centered Organization: A Community College Perspective, Michigan State University (Advisor:  Kathryn Moore) December 2000.  E-Mail:  rteahen@aol.com

Tedrow, Barbara. Senior Women Community College Administrators: Life in Higher Education’s Inner Circle, Michigan State University (Advisor: Robert Rhodes) 1998.  E-Mail:  bjtedrow@yahoo.com

Tolson, Stephanie.  Transforming Community Colleges through the Incorporation of Learning College Principles,  Saint Louis University (Advisor: Richard Breslin) 2005.  E-mail:  stolson@stchas.edu

Tuby, Heidi S.  Using Classroom Assessment Techniques: The Experiences of Adjunct Faculty at a Vanguard Learning College and Two Non-Vanguard Community Colleges, Florida Atlantic University (Advisor: Michele Acker-Hocevar) 2003.  E-Mail: HeidiTuby@aol.com

Waskow, Julie.  Understandings and Applications of Learner-Centeredness among Community College Faculty:  A Phenomenological Study, Walden University (Advisor: Kathleen Taylor) 2006  julie.waskow@gcmail.maricopa.edu

Wilson, Barney.  Student Perceptions of the Leadership Characteristics of Presidents/CEOs of Learning-Centered Community Colleges, Morgan State University, Baltimore (Advisor:  Christine McPhail) 2002.  E-Mail:  Bwilson@ccbc.cc.md.us

Wilson, Cynthia D.  Faculty in the Learning College:  An Examination of Theorist and Practitioner Perceptions, The University of Texas at Austin (Advisor:  John E. Roueche) 1999.  E-Mail:  Wilson@league.org

 

Dissertations in Progress or Under Consideration

Brackin, John M.  Two-Year College Faculty and Administrator Perceptions of the Transition to a Learning-Centered College, University of Arkansas—Little Rock (Advisor:  Gordon Watts) Email: firesage81@hotmail.com

Chancy, Che.  Incorporating the Principles of the Learning Paradigm into the Welding Curriculum, California State University at Long Beach.  E-mail:  cchancy@email.msn.com

Lane, Diane.  An Examination of the Influence of Organizational Culture on the Implementation of Enrollment Management Initiatives in a Learning-Centered College, Morgan State University, Baltimore (Advisor:  Christine McPhail)  E-Mail: Gibbous77@aol.com

Snowden, Shirlene.  An Analysis of the Impact of Strategic Planning on Institutional Transformation of Twelve Vanguard Learning-Centered Colleges, Morgan State University, Baltimore (Advisor: Christine McPhail) E-Mail: ssnowden@bccc.state.md.us