A Proposal Presented in Partial Fulfillment

Case Study of Kilgore College Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management Students Perception of the Relevance of General Education Requirements as it Pertains to Being a Chef

Kevin M. Hill, B.S.P.A., A.A.S.

of the Requirements for the Degree

Master of Education

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION EAST TEXAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

May 2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TABLE OF CONTENTS……………………………………………………………… 2 2 LIST OF TABLES……………………………………………………………………. 4 CHAPTER

1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………….. 5 Theoretical Knowledge…………………………………………………………. 6 Purpose of the Study……………………………………………………………. 7 Research Questions…………………………………………………………….. 7 Definition of Terms…………………………………………………………….. 7 Significance of the Study………………………………………………………. 9 Limitations of the Study………………………………………………………... 9 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………… 10

2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE………………………………………………….. 12 Introduction…………………………………………………………………….. 12 The Decision……………………………………………………………………. 14 Degree…………………………………………………………………………... 15 Kilgore A.A.S in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management….………..……. 17 Philosophy of General Education………………………………………………. 18 Kilgore A.A.S General Education Requirements….……………………………. 18 Electives………………………………………………………………………… 19 Perceptions of General Education………………………………………………. 19 Administration Perceptions…………………….……………………….. 20 Teacher Perceptions…………………………………………………….. 20 Student Perceptions………………………………………………….….. 20 Employer Perceptions……………………………………………………. 21 Conclusion………………..…………………………………………………….. 21 3. METHODOLOGY……………………………………………………………… 22 Introduction…………………………………………………………….………. 22 Procedures………………………………………………………………………. 23 Settings & Participants…………………………………………………………. 24 Setting…………………………………………………………………… 24 Students Participants……………………………………………………. 26 Teacher Participants…………………………………………………….. 27 Sampling………………………………………………………………………… 27 Data Collection………………………………………………………………….. 27 Observation……………………………………………………………… 28 3 Surveys………………………………………………………………….. 28 Interview………………………………………………………………… 29 Recording Events……………………………………………………………….. 29 Testing Data…………………………………………………………………….. 30 Trustworthiness…………………………………………………………………. 30 Validity………………………………………………………………………… 31 Peer De-Briefing……………………………………………………….. 31 Triangulation of Data…………………………………………………… 31 Data Analysis…………………………………………………………… 31 Conclusions…………………………………………………………………….. 32 REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………… 33 APPENDIXES A. On-Line Surveys…………………………………………………………… 37 B. Associate Applied Science General Education Requirements……………… 39

LIST OF TABLES

TABLES Page

1. A.A.S in Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management………………..………

2. A.A.S General Education Requirements……………………………………. 4

Chapter 1

Introduction

“I didn’t give it much thought back then.

I just wanted to get all the words straight and collect my A.”

-Gayle Forman, (Unknown)

The idea for this study came from my own personal experiences while attending Kilgore

College as a student of the Associate of Applied Sciences in Culinary Arts and Hospitality 5 Management. The uncanny element of this is that I had already earned a Bachelor of Science in

Professional Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. While attending Kilgore

College, I noticed that many of my fellow students were uninterested in the general education requirements, which differ from institution to institution. Students in the associate program, as well as I in my earlier degree, did not see much value learning topics that did not apply to my academic major. We question how learning college level math, geography, art appreciation and English would make us better in our major.

But as time passed I did realize that these subjects not related to my major introduced me to areas I needed to be familiar with to become a productive citizen within my community and become a well-rounded educated person. My concern is that my perception at the time of attending these classes was detrimental to the true cause of taking general education classes. I questioned whether my engagement during class and motivation while conducting exercises was not applied to the best of my best ability because I did not see any added value to the general education course content.

I contemplated how general education curriculum can be revised to increase added value information pertaining to one’s major, therefore increasing student engagement. I perceive that increased student engagement would result in students gaining more knowledge in general education and would result in the student graduating more prepared for employment in their major.

In constructing or revising general education curriculum, geared toward a specific discipline, we must not dilute the initial objectives of the learning outcomes.

Kilgore College currently requires five general education courses to be successfully completed to earn the Associates of Applied Science in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management;

Grammar and composition, Social/Behavioral Science Elective, Speech Elective, Humanity/Fine

Arts Elective, and a College Math Elective. For the purposes of this study I will focus on the students’ perception of learning history, to satisfy their Humanities/Fine Arts elective, with a newly created course titled, The History of Food: From Caveman to Today. 6 Theoretical Knowledge

Two of the Humanities/Fine Arts Elective courses, offered by Kilgore College, are Western

Civilization I and Western Civilization II. Each course focuses on the social, political, cultural, religious, and intellectual history of the world. Western Civilization I covers the period from the emergence of human culture through the Fifteenth Century whereas Western Civilization pertains from the Fifteenth Century to present. Both courses examine major cultural regions of the world in

Africa, the Americas, Europe, and the Oceania and their global interactions over time. The themes include the emergence of early societies, the rise of civilizations, the development of political and legal systems, religion and philosophy, economic systems and trans-regional networks of exchange.

The course emphasizes the development, interaction and impact of global exchange.

Purpose of the study

The purpose of this study is to gauge Kilgore Culinary Arts students, seeking an Associate of Applied Science, perception of the relevance of general education requirements as they will apply to future employment as a chef. This study will also recommend to future researchers the validity of conducting additional research on the redesigning of curriculum as to focus on general education courses that apply toward a particular degree major.

Research Questions

1. Do Kilgore College Culinary Arts students perceive general education to be beneficial

toward their goals of becoming employed in the culinary industry?

2. Is there a need for further research to determine what effects a redesigned general

education curriculum, that is focused on a student’s major, will have on student’s

engagement in class, their perceptions of value, and the academic quality of their chosen

course of study? 7 Definition of Terms:

Academic Major

An academic major is considered the defining and dominant characteristic of a

course of education focused within a specific discipline of study.

Accreditation

The United States Department of Education ensures that education provided by institutions of higher education meets acceptable levels of quality through accrediting agencies.

Institutions of higher learning are evaluated every ten years to ensure they comply with the rules and regulations of their accrediting agency. Failure may close the school’s door.

Added-Value

Added value is a student’s perception that the material contained within a specific curriculum is worthy of learning and will be pertinent to a future task they may encounter.

Asynchronous Modality

Asynchronous modality is a learning collaboration that allows for any-time, any- place interactions between learners and facilitators are not necessarily interacting at the same time.

Engagement

Engagement occurs when students make a concerted effort in learning. They try to become more involved in just the learning aspect of their academics. They take pride in earning satisfactory grades, but equally important is understanding the material and applying it to their everyday lives. 8 Family Educational Reform and Privacy Act (FERPA)

A Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records.

General Education

General education courses are designed to prepare students to be proficient in reading, writing, speaking and critical thinking. (Kilgore, 2013).

Oceania

Oceania denotes a continent comprising Australia and proximate islands

Synchronous Modality

Synchronous modality is a learning collaboration where events and interactions take place in real-time between learners and facilitators.

Significance of the Study

The significance of this study is to determine student perception of the relevance of general education as it pertains to their major course of instruction as culinary arts students. The findings may result in the need to conduct further research to determine the direction and validity of redesigning general education curriculum toward a certain discipline without degradation the original course’s objectives. It may require that a mock-up course be designed and delivered to check compare student engagement, gauge perception of relevance, and record grades. The fact does exist that this study will require further research that can possibly result in a drastic change of how all colleges and universities approach the teaching of general education.

Limitations of the Study 9 There are four major limitations to this study. The first is that the study will be limited to one group of 20 culinary students and 1 culinary professor. Of these students, not all are seeking the Associates of Applied Science Degree, some are seeking a certificate only. Certificate only students are not required to complete general education courses.

The second limitation is that short duration I will have to access the students and professor.

The Kilgore College Culinary Arts Program term schedules are not the traditional 16 week terms but comprise of accelerated mini-terms that normally allocate eight weeks per class. If students perceive they would be more engaged and earn better grades with a redesign in curriculum, the possibility of conducting a test classes may be necessary.

The third limitation is that the student may elect to complete one or all general education classes via the on-line modality. In an on-line modality, student engagement is at the choosing of the student in regards to time, place, and duration. For the purpose of this study only traditional in- class modality will be examined. The results of studying a real-time, synchronous modality, environment via a traditional classroom setting, will provide a determination if more study is required within the non-traditional, asynchronous modality, environment found in on-line classes.

The last and possibly the largest limitation is my own bias. Being a graduate of the program

I am researching I have a preconceived notion that the study will show an increase in student engagement, an increase in value-added perception of the sample, and an improvement in students grades. I will conduct this study keeping in mind that my personal opinions and desires are not part of the study.

Conclusion

This study will provide data to Kilgore College to determine if redesigning general education curriculum, focused on the student’s major area of study, will increase student engagement, will increase student’s overall satisfaction of the program in which they are paying 10 tuition to attend. The data will provide a basis to the college to determine if further study is required to redesign all or some general education course. These courses will eventually need to be justified to the Southern Association of Colleges (SACs), Kilgore College’s accrediting body, and this data will be essential for the approval.

Current train of thought for requiring general education courses is to give the student a well- rounded introduction to the academic disciplines which provides tools to be a productive citizen and to create a well-rounded educational graduate. Most general education classes do not contain information within the student’s major. If these courses are redesigned with majors in mind, increase student engagement, add value to the student’s everyday life as it applies to their major, and yields a happy student, Kilgore may desire to build upon this study to determine if all general education courses should be redesigned. An important fact to be cognizant of is that current general education curriculum objectives and goals must not be ignored while redesigning curriculum.

Kilgore may find that they produce a happier student with better grades that is better prepared to enter the work force within their major area of study.

During my research I have noticed a gap, or disconnect, between the perceptions of administrators, teachers, and employers with that of students. Also noticed was a lack of including the student in the designing of the curriculum. Employers expect a college graduate to be knowledgeable within their major so their focus shifts to other skills that are often provided for by general education. I will research students current perceptions within general education as it is currently delivered in relation to how they perceive a redesigned curriculum focused on their major.

Will the end result satisfy all parties involved and bridge the aforementioned gap is yet to be determined.

CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF LITERATURE 11 Introduction

In an attempt to give credibility to this proposal, that addresses Kilgore College culinary arts students’ perceptions as it relates to the relevance of general education courses and their quest to become chefs, this review of literature will be sectioned into three focus topics; The decision to attend an institution of higher learning, choosing a major, and general perception of collegiate students and teachers as it pertains to general education. This review of literature serves as a background to answer the following two research questions:

1 Do Kilgore College Culinary Arts students perceive general education to be

beneficial toward their goals of becoming employed in the culinary industry?

engagement in class, their perceptions of value, and the academic quality of their

chosen course of study?

The first topic of review pertains to the student’s decision to continue their education at an institution of higher learning. Much research has been conducted on the reasons people choose to extend their education beyond high school. The reasons are as varied as the number of people that are currently enrolled in a college or university. It is impossible to address each individual at every institution so I have chosen to research the students who have declared the Degree of Associate of

Applied Science in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management at Kilgore College. This section will address many generic factors that may have led to their decision with the final product addressing the actual reasons encountered during observation, survey, and interview of each class and student.

As important as the why they have chosen to extend their studies into the field of culinary arts and hospitality management, is the curriculum in which they have chosen to study and the 12 components they will be required to successfully complete to be awarded their degree. In order to gage student perceptions of general education requirements as compared to their major specific course, I must separate and describe the two components. This is the focus of topic two.

Topic three will address overall collegiate level students perceptions of general education as part of their curriculum. General education requirements are necessary for all curriculum that is offered at institutions of higher learning, regardless of degree. The comparison of overall student perception and comparing it to the results of this specific study may lead to a need of further research of general education curriculum redesign for the numerous majors offered by the thousands of associate and baccalaureate granting institution.

The Decision

We must first ask why people choose to continue their education beyond high school and attend institutions of higher learning. For one to partake in any endeavor there must be motivational factors. According to French, Henderson, Lavay, & Sillman-French. (2014), there are two primary types that motivate people and they are intrinsic and extrinsic motivators. Intrinsic motivation will require the person attempting a particular task to have self-determination, believe that they can successfully complete the task, have some or most of the control over their decision to tackle the task, and feel as if they have a choice to complete or ignore the task. (Pink, 2009).

Students whose motivations are based solely on the grade they achieve or by means of external validation are motivated extrinsically. (Pope-Rurak, Ransbury, Brady, & Fishman, 2014).

One reason students attend institutions of higher learning is for self-fulfillment, an intrinsic motivator. Many students chose to continue their education to stimulate their intelligence or according to Liu, Courtenay, & Valentine (2011), a survey of a small college in Massachusetts stated their primary motivation to partake in classes was for their love of learning. They desire to learn something new and become involved in a new experience. Liu, Courtaney, & Valentine 13 (2011), see it as a social experience where they can interact with other students, to make new friends, or to simply put an end to boredom. I have personally attended culinary classes with others whose sole purpose was to become a better cook in their own kitchen with no intentions of using their knowledge to advance within a career or to use as a means of income, both of which are extrinsic motivators.

People often find themselves in a place where they are required to further their education to gain employment in a new industry or to enhance their current job duties to remain employed or advance within their current job. These are prime examples of extrinsic motivators. According to

Schmitt & Boushey (2012), over the past three decades, college graduates increased earning sharply as compared to their peers who have not furthered their education past high school. According to

Brint, Proctor, Murphy, Turk-Bicaki, & Hammerman (2009), college graduates earn on an average of 30 percent more than those who have only completed high school. By the end of the 1970s, college graduates enjoyed incomes in excess of 25 percent of non-college graduates. The importance is also amplified with that statistic being 60 percent, exponentially larger gap in income earnings by the end of the twentieth century.

Personally, I have several extrinsic motivators that assisted me in my decision to attempt to earn a degree of Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction that this proposal will partially satisfy. The first being an attempt to set the example for my child on the importance of further one’s education. Others include to make myself more marketable during the process of applying for a teaching position, if hired a higher pay rate, and the use of my Veterans Affairs educational benefits that I would lose by the end of the year if I did not apply them toward a college degree.

But one does not usually apply only intrinsic or extrinsic as a motivator to attempt a goal. A combination of both, at varying levels for each individual, is what will motivate one to attempt any task, not just to advance their education, (Laana, 2013). According to Laana (2013) advances in technology have motivated older adults, both intrinsically and extrinsically, to acquire knowledge in 14 this discipline as to better communicate with family and manage finances. Laana (2013) also stated that financial knowledge is becoming more pertinent for middle age students as to allow them to better prepare for life as they approach and reach retirement age. I will collect and analyze data, as part of this study, on the motivational factors as to why students are currently enrolled in the

Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management at Kilgore College.

Degree

A college degree consists of three educational categories; the major, general education requirements, and electives. Electives may be specified by the university, selectable by the student, or a combination of both. Abel & Deitz (2014), list several degree programs obtainable by college level students, with a few being; engineering, math, health, business, social sciences, and education.

Abel & Deitz (2014) also state that the aforementioned degree list is generic as majors can have concentrations. As listed by LeTourneau (2015), a kinesiology major may specify there degree to concentrate in a specific area such as exercise science, sports communication, sports management or sports ministries.

As of 2012, there were 4,599 institutions of higher learning that granted degrees. (US

Department of Education, 2012). These institutions comprised of two-year and four-year programs that grant associate or bachelor degrees or both according to their classification. There are thousands of majors, one’s focus or concentration of discipline to study, according to Moldoff,

(2006). Making a decision as to what major to choose is both important and challenging for students (Kumar & Kumar, 2013). Many factors will play a role in one’s decision as to what major, or discipline, to study.

According to Grantz, Chen, and Kohli (2014), students researching a college major focus primarily on the major’s potential to deliver them monetary rewards or prestige, contains content that interest them, is obtainable commensurate with their skill potential, leads to a meaningful 15 career and/or lands them in a challenging career. Other factors that are considered is if the major is available within certain criteria such as location, cost, duration, and extracurricular activities (Grant,

Chen & Kohli, 2014).

For the purpose of this study I will be addressing the degree tiled, Associate of Applied

Science (A.A.S) in Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management. The degree is offered at many universities but I will be researching the degree offered at Kilgore College, a medium sized community college located in East Texas.

Kilgore A.A.S in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Major

The A.A.S. in Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management Degree prepares students for careers in food service and hospitality management, Kilgore (2015). Classes are currently offered in a state-of-the-arts kitchen and traditional classrooms located at Longview High School. The curriculum is endorsed by the Longview Economic Development Council, SYSCO East Texas, the

City of Longview Health Department, and various local restaurants. Table 1 lists the major courses for the A.A.S. in culinary Arts & Hospitality Management.

Table 1.

Course Catalog Number Course Long Title CHEF 1205 Sanitation and Safety CHEF 1291 Special Topics in Culinary Arts Chef Training CHEF 1301 Basic Food Preparation CHEF 1302 Principles of Healthy Cuisine CHEF 1310 Garde Manger CHEF 1340 Meat Preparation and Cooking CHEF 1341 American Regional Cuisine CHEF 1345 International Cuisine CHEF 2201 Intermediate Food Preparation HAMG 1221 Introduction to Hospitality Management HAMG 2205 Hospitality Management and Leadership HAMG 2232 Hospitality Finance Management PSTR 1301 Fundamentals of Baking PSTR 2331 Advanced Pastry Shop RSTO 1204 Dining Room Services RSTO 1306 Facilities Layout and Design RSTO 2341 Food Services Management 16 Philosophy of General Education

According to Stevens (2001), in the 1930’s and 1940’s, a group of professors were responsible for the general education movement that was responsible for how we view education today. At the pinnacle of this group was Dr. Robert Maynard Hutchins, then the President of

Chicago University. His esteemed colleagues consisted of Abel, McKeon, and Crane, also form

Chicago University, along with Barzam, Erskin, and Van Doren of Columbia University and

Buchanan and Barr of the University of Virginia.

General education is a series of courses that provides the learning of non-major courses in an attempt to develop a student’s values toward liberal democracies, to enlighten their thought, and to encourage them to be positive citizens, (Laird, Niskodé-Dossert, & Khu, 2009). Although there is not definitive set of rules and general education can be determined by each individual college or

University, (Stevens, 2001), the general disciplines that are used by the majority of schools are set into three levels; 1) writing, speech, mathematics and sciences, 2) quantitative reasoning, languages, and humanities, and 3) social science, fine arts, and technology, (Choudhury, Parry, Radhakrishan,

& Rosenthal, 2014).

Kilgore A.A.S. General Education Requirements

A core curriculum, or general education, is defined by the state of Texas, and adopted by

Kilgore College, as a component of curriculum in the liberal arts, sciences, politics, social, and cultural history, that is required to be successfully completed by all students prior to being awarded their degree from an institution of higher learning. As stated in Kilgore (2015), general education requirements are major driven. Kilgore (2015) lists the general education requirements that shall be completed for students attempting to their degree in Associates of Applied Sciences, as seen in

Table 2.

Type Course Catalog Number Course Long Title 17 English ENGL 1301 Composition I Speech See Appendix A See Appendix A Humanities & Fine Arts See Appendix A See Appendix A Natural Science & Mathematics See Appendix A See Appendix A Social and Behavioral Science See Appendix A See Appendix A

Electives

Electives are courses the student selects to provide a broad range courses that ensure they have the opportunity to learn about career options, cultivate personal interests, and achieve curricular outcomes, (Santee, Mead, Garavalia, & Finchman. 2012). Two types of electives, profession development and open, exist within the degree programs of institutions of higher learning. Professional Development Electives are courses within the students major that are not mandated by selectable at the student’s whim, (Embry-Riddle, 2015). Open electives are any courses within the course catalog and allows the student to learn in any discipline of their choosing.

Kilgore College Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts does not have electives available at this time. Electives are normally available at the baccalaureate level only.

Perceptions of General Education

The implementation of a required core curriculum has caused much concern among students and faculty across the country, as the issue of the core curriculum is again receiving national attention, (King & Kotrilk. 1996). Citing low graduation rates, increasing college tuition, and our declining international ranking amongst college graduates, a commission was formed to study college curriculum and structure, the National Commission on Accountability in Higher Education,

(National Commission on Accountability in Higher Education, 2005). Findings show that more emphasis must be placed on the act and process of learning itself, one of the purpose of general education.

Administration Perceptions 18 Results, by surveying over 180 deans and department chairs at colleges and universities across the United States, is that not enough learning for the sake of learning is evident within the classroom and that curriculum/structural changes within their institutions should receive more attention as well, to improve effectiveness, (Mulligan, 2014).

Teacher Perceptions

Many educators believe an increase in the philosophy of life will enable students to better understand the world they live in, increase their quality of life, create innovators, while learning to live in different environments, (Barnett, 2000). According to Malia (2010), another belief shared among teachers is that students should not only have the ability to seek knowledge but should have the opportunity to be able to create knowledge that has meaning to them and is specific to their own situations they are facing in life.

Student Perceptions

According to Rausch (2014), students often wonder why they are taking general education courses when they believe they have learned this material in high school. Many students drop out of general education courses because they perceive the relevance of the course does not exceed the time and effort they have to dedicate to learning the material, (Morgan & Tam, (1999).

According to Murphree (2014), Undergraduates would rather attend courses that focus on their major or prepares them better for future employment. If required, they to take general education courses, the same undergraduates search for classes that require the least amount of assignments and are not taxed highly in the area of writing.

Employers Perceptions

Grades do not matter as much as you think they do. What matters is writing, research, communication and social skills, (Binns, 2014). According to Griffin, Cangelosi, & Hargis (2014), 19 employers are seeking workers with the ability to listen, write, and articulate thoughts and ideas successfully. Future bosses are paying much more attention to “soft skills”; Communication, relationship building, work ethic, and cognitive problem solving skills, (Johnson, 2006).

Conclusion

Much research has been completed on the need of general education. It has been well established that institutions of higher learning, administrators, teachers, and employers see general education as a necessary element of degrees in higher institutions. Less research has been conducted regarding students thoughts on the same subject and is not yielding the same level of importance. Very little research has been conducted on linking the parties involved to create neither an awareness of general educations roll in the curriculum or even the possibility of seeking student input to the design of the curriculum to increase value-added content and increase student engagement, that may result in better grades and a better product for the workforce. The review of literature makes us aware that there is disconnect between colleges, students, and employers which leads validity to the approval of this proposal.

CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY

Introduction

Recent research has recognized that student engagement is an important factor on student success within the higher education environment, (Kahu, 2013), and is in need of further study to determine if colleges and universities can provide better academic quality through a redesign of its general education curriculum.

The purpose of this study is to gauge Kilgore Culinary Arts students, seeking an Associate of Applied Science, perception of the relevance of general education requirements as they will 20 apply to future employment as a chef. This study will also recommend to future researchers the validity of conducting additional research on the redesigning of curriculum as to focus on general education courses that apply toward a particular degree major

If this study provides sound results, that students perceive greater value in their education because of the relevance of general education curriculum focusing on their major and that their engagement will increase, it will provide schools valuable insight into ways to increase the academic quality of their programs and increase student satisfaction. Questions guiding this study are:

1. Do Kilgore College Culinary Arts students perceive general education to be beneficial

toward their goals of becoming employed in the culinary industry?

engagement in class, their perceptions value, and the academic quality of their chose

course of study?

The methodology proposed in Chapter 3 will attempt to answer these two research questions. Chapter 1 provided an introduction and overview of the study, listed the two research questions, described the significance and the purpose of the study, defined the key terms and provided a brief conclusion. Chapter 2 provided the review of the literature. The review of literature is divided into the following categories: The Decision, The Curriculum, and Perceptions.

This chapter will explain the procedure for the study, the setting, the participants, trustworthiness, data analysis and a conclusion.

Procedure

This study, because of triangulation, will take place in several settings: In a classroom, at a local coffee shop, and in a place of the students choosing for on-line participation of a survey. 21 Triangulation is a term applied to the use of multiple methods of collecting data as to obtain a more complete analysis of the study and to cross-check information. (Gay, Mills, & Airasian, 2012).

Because the general education courses, that are required to be completed as part of the

Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management, are elective classes, the sample will be attending different classes than one another. This will require me to attend several classes to monitor attendance and class participation. General education courses offered by

Kilgore are offered in traditional classes or in an on-line modality. I will be studying the traditional classes only. Observing the student in person will allow for a better understanding of student engagement.

Traditional classrooms utilized by Kilgore College for general education classes are offered either at the main campus, located in Kilgore or at their satellite campus, located in Longview some

20 miles away. Each of these offers the same design with standard desks and chairs, dry-erase boards, and electronic interactive smart boards. The observation portion of my triangulating data will occur in these classroom where I will monitor the culinary arts students’ class participation and engagement. I will refer to the professor regarding student attendance, tardiness, and her inputs of student interaction based on his/her previous experiences.

On-line surveys (Appendix B), with open ended questions, will be available for the student to complete. These surveys will determine the students perceptions of the relevance of the information learned and how it will be used, if at all, in their future employment within the culinary arts and hospitality management industry. The data will be analyzed prior to the student interviews.

This will allow me to formulate new interview questions or modify, if need, existing interview questions. Interview questions currently address the differences between the relevance of current general education courses, as they apply to future employment duties, and the student’s perceptions if the current classes are redesigned to maintain the same learning objects but focus the content and outcomes on the culinary and hospitality discipline. 22 Interviews will be in an informal setting, a local coffee shop, as to facilitate student comfort.

I will be purchasing a beverage of choice for each participant as a token of appreciation for their time and assistance. Interview questions, as stated above, have been predetermined but can be rewritten or modified post-survey. I believe the information gathered during the observation and survey phases may provide a vehicle to collect data that I had not previously been aware of previously. The survey is and will be open ended questions. Each participant will be given verbally examples of what a redesigned curriculum may encompass or how it may differ from the general education classes they have previously taken.

Settings and Participants

Setting.

The setting for observation will consist of traditional classrooms either at the Kilgore Main

Campus or the Longview satellite campus. Because I will be observing in several classroom and classrooms may change physically during these observations, my final paper will describe each classroom and any mid-term changes that occur in detail. For the purpose of this proposal I will make a generalization of the classrooms. Each classroom is a traditional classroom with desk and chairs, a dry-erase board, and an electronic smart board. Each classroom used by Kilgore College also contains a podium for professor use. Because each professor has their own teaching style, I will describe how this equipment is utilized for each specific observation period.

The setting for the on-line survey is at the choosing of the student. There will be a question asking to provide the time, location, and device used to complete the survey. The answer to this question can provide data for future research depending on the device used such as a desk personal computer, a library computer, a laptop, a tablet, a cell phone etc.

For interviews, a local coffee shop will be used. The current location is located on Loop

281 in Longview and is a franchise establishment. All beverages are non-alcoholic with some 23 containing caffeine and some not. Because I do not know of religious affiliation or dietary concerns of the student, it is a place where I can purchase their beverage of choice regardless of the aforementioned concerns. There is usually soft music playing in the back ground that is generic in nature and non-offensive to most. If there are any concerns on the student’s part regarding the venue, I will accommodate them by allowing them to choose the venue. Any changes will be noted and the venue will be described.

Gay (2102) suggests, because I am conducting narrative research, that I must be aware that data collected can often be personal in nature, therefore, a high degree of sensitivity and caring must be displayed on my part at all times. Also suggested is that I must always approach my work in an ethical manner and assure confidentiality and anonymity where applicable.

Student Participants

The participants in this study will be 20 college students who are seeking or have been awarded the degree of Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management.

The pool of participants is small being as Kilgore College is in their third year of offering this degree. I was part of the initial class and know all students who have graduated or are currently in the program. This allows for me to have access to the entire sample available at Kilgore College.

The data from these students will determine if students perceive that a redesigned curriculum would better serve them than the current curriculum as it applies to their future employment within the culinary arts of hospitality management sector. Participants range in age from 16.5 years of age to 53 years of age. Gender encompasses 13 females and 7 males. The ethnic make-up of the sample contains nine Caucasians, eight blacks, one Thai, one Mexican, and one student from Nepal. 24 Teacher Participants

The other teachers who will assist in data collection, more specifically in the classroom, are

Kilgore College qualified professors who teach general education course that culinary students will partake in. Chef Kat Jackson, Kilgore College Chair of the Culinary Arts Program, whom teaches the core courses for the program, will be instrumental assisting me with the analysis of the data.

Chef Jackson will assisting me in the redesign of the interview questions if needed.

Sampling.

For this study, purposeful sampling will be used. I chose this study because of my interest in the topic, that I am a chef, my personal experiences as a graduate of the program, and the amount a research readily available on the topic. Purposeful sampling is defined as the researcher searching for information-rich key informants, to investigate. Purposeful sampling enables the study of a case to yield insights about the topic. (Sargent, 2009). As stated earlier, 20 students will have the opportunity to participate in this study. Of these 20, all have verbally confirmed they will participate in the study. The study will collect data from the entire population of students who have earned or are seeking the Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts and Hospitality

Management.

Data Collection

The initial data collection process, observation, will span the fall term of the 2015-16 school year. The second and third portions, survey and interview, will commence the spring term of the

2015-2016 school year and is anticipated to last four to six weeks. It is my intention to attend all possible general education courses that have one or more members of the sample enrolled.

The specific dates and times, at the time of this proposal, has yet to be published. An amendment to this proposal will be submitted at the time Kilgore Colleges makes the schedule 25 public and with the assistance of the participants I will submit specific dates, times, and general education classes I will be attending.

Observation

I have been granted access to any and all general education classes offered at the Longview

Campus of Kilgore College, on a not to interfere basis, in which one or more Culinary Arts students in enrolled. I will observe student engagement and transpose my findings to paper in an attempt to draw a baseline for use in further research, if needed. I will also have access to each teacher to determine the attendance pattern of each culinary student.

Surveys

I will create the survey using Survey Monkey (Appendix B). Each participant will be given the URL to access the questions. All questions, with the exception of device used, will be open ended questions regarding student perceptions. The surveys will be available from 01 January at

00:01am 2016 and will expired at 11:59pm on 14 January 2016. It is my intention to have Chef

Jackson partake in the survey as to assist in collecting data that may be valuable when determining if survey questions need redesigning or modification.

Interviews

Interviews will be conducted at a mutually designed time decided upon by me and the interviewee. The interview will last approximately 1 hour and will be schedule as such. Once again, as with the survey, questions will be open-ended as to gain data on the perception of general education classes if redesigned toward the discipline of culinary arts and hospitality management. It 26 is my intention to conduct an interview with Chef Jackson as to gain her perspective on the redesign of the general education classes.

Specific questions are not available at this time and will be formulated post-survey.

Interviewees will comprise of survey respondents whom are currently enrolled in or have graduated from the Associates of Science in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Degree. Questions will be focused on the student perceptions regarding the general education courses that they have been taken. If-then scenarios will be presented to the interviewee, as if they were taking a general education courses that focused on the culinary and hospitality management, to gain their perspectives on added-value and engagement in learning the material. It will also gain their perspective as to if the redesigned curriculum will better satisfy their end goals and further assist them in satisfying their reason for a enrolling in the Associates of Applied Science in Culinary Arts

& Hospitality Management Degree.

Recording of events

I will record student frequency as it pertains to in-class participation. With the assistance of the instructor, I will record data on attendance status of the student and their status as it pertains to percentage of work submitted. No grade data will be collected as to not disseminate data protected under Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This will be done with the use of a

Samsung Tablet and paper notations as required.

Testing Data.

I will analyze the data from the student participants and present data in the form of telling their story. This story will gage student’s perceptions as it pertains to usefulness of current general education courses as compared to general education courses that have been redesigned to focus on the students major in culinary arts and hospitality management. This presentation will include data 27 from observations of student engagement while attending general education classes, student attendance, work completed by students, surveys and follow-on interviews.

Trustworthiness

The trustworthiness of the research study considers four areas of concern: credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability (Sargent, 2002). The credibility of this study will seek to establish that the research is conducted in a way so that the participants are accurately identified and described. Methods used in this case study will be triangulation of the data, peer debriefing and member checking.

Transferability of the findings of this research study will be provided by the ethnographic method of providing detailed description of the participants.

The dependability of this study refers to the positivist idea of reliability. One of the assumptions in qualitative studies is that the social world is always changing and therefore any attempt to replicate a qualitative case study is problematic. (Lincoln & Guba, 1985).

The confirmability of a qualitative study is aligned with the positivist realm of objectivity.

In this case study, I will respond to my natural objectivity. I will attempt to control these bias described in the following section (Sargent, 2002).

Validity.

To ensure validity, I will take the strategies suggested by Wolcott. They are to talk a little, listen a lot, record accurately, begin writing early, let the readers see for themselves, report fully, be candid, seek feedback and to write accurately (Gay, Mills & Airasian, 2012).

Peer Debriefing. 28 I will also attempt to ensure validity by establishing a team of my peers. The team of two fellow Graduate students, my professor, and Chef Jackson will help me ensure that the data is collected properly and reported without error.

Triangulation of Data.

According to Gay (2012), triangulation is the process of using multiple methods, data collection strategies, and data sources to obtain a more complete picture of what is truly happening.

In layman’s terms, triangulation is collecting data on a certain topic using multiple means vice relying on a single method of data collection to draw a conclusion. I will triangulate by using observation, surveys, and interviews.

Data Analysis

As I am a novice in the research arena, I will be relying heavily on my team and professor to ensure the data I have collected is analyze impartially and correctly. With the data I collect, I will attempt to answer the why and how of the outcome of my data analysis. The answer will be in narrative form, a way of providing the meaning of the study, based on data, via a story. The data I collect will initially be viewed as a big picture and categorized into themes. Upon determining the themes that my data provides, I will then examine words, sentences and paragraphs to indicate patterns. These patterns will be coded and labeled according to patterns established. (Thompson,

2012).

Conclusion

This chapter explained the design of this proposed research study. The purpose was outlined in the Methodology section, complete with the two research questions. The detailed procedures came next, classroom descriptions were not available for this proposal but the survey and interview locations were described. The Participants were identified as to allow for duplication if this research were to be reproduced at a later date. The data collection process was outlined next. 29 The trustworthiness aspect was addressed before finally telling the way in which the data will be analyzed.

It is my goal that this proposal will commence in the fall of 2015 and be completed within 6 months. It is also my intention, if warranted, to propose another research project to determine the feasibility of redesigning a general education course, currently taught at Kilgore College, focusing on the content and delivery using the discipline of culinary arts and hospitality management, while maintaining the integrity of the learning objectives and outcomes of the original course.

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Appendix A 33 Kilgore College Associates of Applied Science General Education Requirements

Speech

Spch 1315 Public Speaking Spch 1318 Interpersonal Communications Spch 1342 Voice & Diction

Humanities and Fine Arts:

Art 1301 Art Appreciation Art 1303 Art History I Art 1304 Art History II Dance 2303 Dance Appreciation Drama 1310 Introduction to Theatre Drama 2361 Theatre History I Drama 2362 Theatre History II Drama 2366 Development of the Motion Picture English 1302 Composition and Readings History 2311 Western Civilization I History 2312 Western Civilization II History 2321 World Civilization I History 2322 World Civilization II Music 1306 Music Appreciation Music 1310 Popular American Music Philosophy 1301 Introduction to Philosophy Philosophy 1304 Introduction to World Religions

Natural Sciences and Mathematics Principles of Biology I Biology 1406 Biology 1409 Human Biology Biology 1408 Concepts of Biology Biology 2406 Environmental Science Chemistry 1406 Chemistry for Health Sciences Chemistry 1411 General Chemistry I Mathematics 1314 College Algebra Mathematics 1333 Mathematical Topics Statistics Mathematics 1342

Social and Behavioral Sciences Anthropology 2301 Introduction to Physical Anthropology & Archeology Anthropology 2351 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology Communications 1307 Introduction to Mass Communications Criminal Justice 1301 Introduction to Criminal Justice Economics 1301 Essentials of Economics Economics 2301 Principles of Macroeconomics Economics 2302 Principles of Microeconomics Geography 1303 World Geography 34 Government 2305 Government of the U.S. Government 2306 State and Local Government History 1301 U.S. History I History 1302 U.S. History II History 2301 Texas History Psychology 2301 Introductory Psychology Psychology 2314 Human Growth and Development Social Work 2361 Introduction to Social Work Sociology 1301 Introductory Sociology Sociology 1306 Social Problems Sociology 2301 Marriage and the Family TX ECA 1354 Child Development

Appendix B

Survey

Survey Name: General Education Course Perceptions

Description: Kilgore College Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management perceptions of general education (core) courses

Hello:

You are invited to partake in a survey of culinary arts and hospitality management personnel. In this survey, approximately 20 Kilgore Culinary Arts & Hospitality students and alumni will be asked to complete a questionnaire that asks about their experiences and thoughts about the program, more specifically the relevance of general education (core) courses. This survey will take approximately ten minutes of your time. 35 Your participation in this study is completely voluntary but imperative to the success of this study. There are no feasible risk associate with submitting your inputs. However, if you feel uncomfortable answering a certain question, you can simply select continue and proceed to the next question. It is very important for us to learn your opinions and thoughts.

Your survey response will be successfully confidential and the data will be reported as a whole and not individually. Your information will be coded, keeping anonymity, and will remain confidential.

If you have any questions regarding the survey or the process to complete, please contact Chef Kevin Hill via e-mail at: [email protected]. Thank you very much for your time and support. Please start the survey by clicking the “Get Cooking” button below. Your opinion matters.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

What is your Status in regards to the culinary arts & hospitality management program at Kilgore College?

□ Current 1st year student □ Current 2nd year student □ Alumni □ Professor/Teacher □ None of the above

If you are a current student or alumni, which program are/were you enrolled in?

□ Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management □ Culinary Arts Certificate only □ Hospitality Management Certificate only □ Both certificates □ None of the above

If you are not enrolled in or have not graduated from the Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management, Do you plan on enrolling in general education course to complete the degree?

□ Yes □ No □ Not Applicable, I am a degree seeking student or graduate of the Associate Degree

If you are not enrolled in or have not graduated from the Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management, and do not plan on attempting the Associate Degree, please state why you have made that decision. 36

Please state what your future plans are in using the knowledge you learned in Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management Program.

If you are enrolled in or have graduated from the associate of applied science in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management, how relevant were the general education (core) classes to your future plans as you stated above.

Please list the general education (core) courses you have completed or are currently enrolled in that apply toward the Associate of Arts in Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management Degree.

Please list the general education (core) courses you plan on enrolling in that will satisfy the requirements for the Associate of Arts in Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management.

What is your age?

□ Below the age of 18 □ 18-25 □ 26-35 □ 36-50 □ 50+

What is your gender? 37

□ Male □ Female

Please state your race

If not born in the United States, please state the country you were born in and at what age did you immigrate to the United States.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Again, thank you for participating in this survey and your responses will be totally confidential.