Date of Award

2002

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Gary D. Chamberlin, Ph.D.

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of two-year and four-year students, faculty, and chief academic officers related to articulation practices in existence. Additionally, this study was designed to determine the desired components for a successful articulation and transfer system and identify any significant differences that exist between current and ideal articulation practices. Furthermore, this study investigated the feasibility for an articulation officer to oversee transfer procedures and a statewide course numbering system. To accomplish the goals of this study, after review of literature on articulation and transfer practices, six research questions were developed. Survey instruments, which were validated by a panel of experts in articulation, were designed using models from similar studies in Tennessee (Freeman, 1996) and Alabama (Wallace, 1994), and a pilot study using a two-year and a four-year institution in Arkansas in 1999. The surveys contained questions regarding common articulation practices and policies, current perceptions about articulation and transfer, and current versus ideal articulation practices. A section of the survey for faculty and chief academic officers was designed so that respondents marked each articulation practice twice—once to reflect present practices and once to reflect ideal practices from their viewpoint. The section was divided into categories of administrative issues, curriculum and instruction issues, interinstitutional relationships, and evaluation issues. Six two-year and four four-year public institutions in Arkansas were chosen for the study. A total of 378 two-year students, 125 four-year students, 128 two-year faculty, 70 four-year faculty, and the entire population of nine four-year and 23 two-year chief academic officers responded to surveys for this study. Basic descriptive statistics were used to compare the sample to the population and analyze the data. Paired samples t-tests were used to compare current articulation practices with ideal articulation practices on the faculty and CAO surveys. Primary articulation concerns based on the student sample were: Knowing what courses to take at the four-year level, transferring without loss of credit, and obtaining financial aid at the transfer institution. A four-year plan of study would be helpful in the opinion of the majority of students. Surveys indicated every public institution of higher education in Arkansas has some form of articulation agreement. Core curriculum, department-to-department, and course-to-course are the types of agreements that currently exist from the viewpoint of the faculty and CAOs although the core curriculum articulation, which was legislated by the state, is the only type that is consistent. A significant difference (p < .05) between the current practices and the ideal practices was found in 10 of the 22 articulation and transfer characteristics from the viewpoint of two-year and four-year faculty and chief academic officers. Further, a significant difference (p < .05) was found in 20 out of the 22 articulation and transfer characteristics when comparing two-year faculty, four-year faculty, and two-year CAOs. The students, faculty, and CAOs indicated that a statewide course numbering system would benefit the articulation processes in institutions of higher education. However, on the issue of a statewide official to oversee transfer issues, students were in favor of a statewide official, two-year faculty and two-year CAOs were not sure that a statewide official would help the transfer process, and four-year faculty and four-year CAOs clearly objected to a statewide articulation official. This study lays the groundwork for future studies in articulation and transfer procedures and policies, provides a review of the literature, summarizes the data obtained from the study, provides conclusions drawn from the study, and gives recommendations for future research.

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