Randy Graff
Published: 2008
Total Pages:
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ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to identify factors supporting and impeding faculty teaching online. Ten faculty were interviewed to discover supporting factors, motivations, and attitudes that contributed to their success in teaching online as well as the factors that contributed to resistance and de-motivation that detracted from their success. Through a narrative analysis of the data, the qualities of self-reliance, personal interest, experience, reflection, peer support, and technical support comprised the supporting factors that sustain faculty readiness to teach online. Presence, respect for students, technology, sharing with peers, pride, subject interest, and time and patience are attitudes and beliefs of faculty who are ready to teach online. Working with peers, student needs, flexibility, success and money are the motivations of faculty who are ready to teach online. Faculty resistance was evidenced by the administration, change, difficulty of the course management system and interactions with students. De-motivating factors were administration, class size and time. Factors that impeded their readiness to teach online were student evaluations, technical support, administrative support, work, time and faculty development.