UCLA

Community colleges play a vital role in our nations system of higher education, enrolling half of the U.S. college going population (Cox, 2009, Deil-Amen, 2011). However, they have long been under researched, specifically little is known about the community college classrooms and the interactions that take place within them. Yet, the classroom is the primary point of contact between the institution and its students. In an effort to better understand student experiences within the community college sector in California––the nations largest higher education system––this study focuses on community college faculty and their pedagogical practices. Through an asset-based lens, this study, Funds of Teaching Identity: Teaching and Learning in California Community Colleges –– examines the community college classroom and the role of faculty in the various forms of student success. This case study of a community college faculty professional development workshop, uses qualitative research methods and multiple points data collection to analyze the experiences and teaching context of community college faculty. Findings from the study reveal a complex context for teaching that at time impedes the implementation of an asset-based pedagogical practices. However, this study also finds that use of faculty’s Funds of Teaching Identity combined with their disposition to express Pedagogies of Cari�o can contribute to transformative spaces for teaching and learning.