Educational Research

The Office of Institutional Effectiveness performs the following research functions:

• Survey and Evaluation Support

• Conduct national and college surveys to ascertain perceptions and indirectly measure student success and satisfaction
• Publish survey results, evaluation briefs, and technical reports
• Conduct qualitative studies, including focus group interviews
• Support internal evaluation studies and publish research briefs to inform decision-making
• Research Methodology and Grant Support
• Design and conduct evaluation studies for major grants, such as Title III
• Conduct literature reviews on high impact practices and potential innovations
• Provide methodological support for educational research and technical grants
• Human Subject Research and Protections Support
• Develop extensive educational research projects and collaborations to disseminate at relevant conferences and journals
• Assist with the review and oversight of Human Subject Research and Protections across campus

The OIE provides multiple means of survey and evaluation support for the College. Regarding longitudinal studies, the OIE helps to maintain accurate information published in national surveys including the NCES and AACC Guided Pathways. OIE staff is also involved in multiple survey design and methodology projects that incorporate measures to better understand the impacts of academic and student support programs on success, retention, and persistence.

For internal programmatic or academic inquiries, the OIE can provide guidance on survey design and methodology, implementation, evaluation of results, and the production of analytical and technical briefs. This guidance includes both quantitative and qualitative methods appropriate for the nature of the program objectives.

For more information about this support or to schedule a consultation with the OIE, please contact us at OIE@tcc.fl.edu.

Tallahassee Community College partners with several research entities to better understand the impacts of programmatic and academic changes to student success, retention, and completion. As part of these collaborations, the OIE provides support in the form of research collaborations with major R1 and state entities, methodological guidance and support for internal research and grant projects, evaluative guidance on ongoing grant-funded projects, and the development of scholarly publications in the form of conference presentations and journal entries.

The OIE has effectively provided data-based support, methodological guidance, and research findings for projects and presentations associated with and featured in the following organizations:

• The National Science Foundation
• The National Institution of Health
• The American Association of Community Colleges
• The National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development
• The American Educational Research Association
• The American Sociological Association
• Various national and international Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Conferences 

Both external and internal principal investigators (PIs) engage in extensive research efforts at the College. As part of these efforts, a Sub-Committee of the OIE helps to coordinate and review all research requests that involve institutional data or human subjects research. The role and mission of this sub-committee is to protect the rights and welfare of human participants in research projects associated with the institutional data or individuals associated with TCC in accordance with federal regulations (45 CFR 46).

External Researchers are PIs that are not TCC faculty, staff, or students. TCC faculty, staff, or students conducting research for graduate degree requirements at other institutions are considered external researchers for the purpose of their research request.

Internal Researchers are PIs that are TCC faculty, staff, or students conducting research as representatives of the College. This includes research efforts leading to publications, internal reports, or for class projects.

To learn more about the procedures associated with these type of research requests, please review the links below. Please note that Internal PIs will need TCC Credentials to enter into the Internal PI Portal.

For more information about this support or to schedule a consultation with the OIE, please contact us at OIE@tcc.fl.edu.