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Online education is growing and quality instruction is in demand. Faculty professional development for online teaching is important in improving the quality of online teaching and learning. The purpose of this study was to explore faculty perceptions of the usefulness of, and participation in, formal and informal types of professional development for online teaching, and relationships with faculty satisfaction with online teaching. Additionally, this study examined gender differences on perceptions of usefulness of, and participation in, faculty professional development centered on effective online pedagogy. Other characteristics examined for relationships with online teaching satisfaction included years of online teaching experience and faculty status, and variables that were the best predictors of faculty beliefs that professional development increases online teaching satisfaction. The findings indicated faculty who participated in formal professional development believed it increases satisfaction with online teaching. Also, females found informal and formal professional development more useful than did males, and they participated more in informal development than males. There were positive relationships between years of online teaching experience, overall online teaching satisfaction, satisfaction with instructor-student interaction, and satisfaction with student-student interaction. Predictors of faculty beliefs that professional development increases satisfaction with online teaching included (1) willingness to participate in formal professional development, (2) satisfaction with institutional support for online teaching, and (3) perceptions of the usefulness of formal professional development.
EDUCATION / Arts in Education
With the advent of computer-aided technologies and the Internet, students can access courses offered across a broad spectrum of fields and for a variety of degree levels. Institutions of higher learning have recognized the need to keep pace with competing institutions by offering courses online. As colleges and universities continue to meet the demands of students seeking enrollment in online courses, the need for recruiting, hiring, and developing faculty who are trained to teach within an online format continues to increase as well. Quality instruction cannot exist without systems of support to advance and improve faculty (Khan & Chishti, 2012). The need to employ teachers who teach effectively in an online environment continues to influence the decisions of chief academic officers and other stakeholders. The purpose of this study was to explore various aspects of online instruction by examining the perceptions of higher education instructors who teach online. The research addressed three questions: What are faculty perceptions of online instruction? In what ways does participation in a faculty development intervention influence faculty members & rsquo; decisions to alter their online instruction? What do participants in a faculty development intervention identify as challenges to implementing new strategies to their online instruction? Data were gathered through survey research which collected quantitative data. The results of this research indicate faculty members who taught online felt competent in their instructional skills and would consider implementing new strategies in their instructional practices. However, the participants regarded a lack of student participation and motivation as a challenge to implementing new strategies learned in the instructional intervention. The research questioned the influence of a prescribed faculty development on instructors & rsquo; decisions to implement new strategies into their instructional decisions. The research has implications for stakeholders in higher education as the proliferation of online programs continues. The results of the research indicate when faculty participate in prescribed faculty development designed to meet their specific instructional needs, faculty are more apt to positively receive the instruction and favorably view the implementation of new strategies into their instructional practices.
This book is to explores a variety of facets of online learning environments to understand how learning occurs and succeeds in digital contexts and what teaching strategies and technologies are most suited to this format. Business, health, government and education are some of the core sectors of society which have been experiencing deep transformations due to a generalized digitalization. While these changes are not novel, the swift progress of technology and the rising complexity of digital environments place a focus on the need for further research and novel strategies. In the context of education, the promise of increased flexibility and broader access to educational resources is impelling much of higher education’s course offerings to online environments. The 21st century learner requires an education that can be pursued anytime and anywhere and that is more aligned with the demands of a digital society. Online education not only assists students to success-fully integrate a workforce that is increasingly digital, but it helps them to become more comfortable with the use of technology in general and, hence, more prepared to be prolific digital citizens. The variety of settings portrayed in this volume attest to the unlimited opportunities afforded by online learning and serve as valuable evidence of its benefit for students’ educational experience. Moreover, these research efforts assist a more comprehensive reflection about the delivery of higher education in the context of online settings.
As the number of adjunct faculty teaching online courses remotely for their institutions continues to increase, so do the unique challenges they face, including issues of distance and isolation as well as problems pertaining to motivation, time, and compensation. Not only are these higher education faculty geographically isolated from each other and their colleagues at flagship campuses, but they also lack adequate institutional support and resources necessary to perform their roles. As institutions continue to rely heavily on this group of under-supported and undertrained instructors who teach the majority of online courses offered across the country, institutions need models and strategies to tap the expertise and perspectives of this group not only to improve teaching and learning in online programs but also to retain this critical talent pool. More consideration is needed to create institutional affinity and organizational commitment, build community, and create opportunities for remote adjunct faculty to be included as an integral component to their academic departments. The Handbook of Research on Inclusive Development for Remote Adjunct Faculty in Higher Education is a comprehensive reference work that presents research, theoretical frameworks, instructor perspectives, and program models that highlight effective strategies, innovative approaches, and unique considerations for creating professional development opportunities for remote adjunct faculty teaching online. This book provides concrete practices that foster inclusivity among contingent faculty teaching online as well as tangible practices that have been successfully implemented from faculty developers and academic leaders at institutions who have a large population of, and heavy reliance on, remote adjunct instructors. While addressing topics that include faculty engagement, mentoring programs, and instructor resources, this book intends to support remote instructors in the post-pandemic world. It is also beneficial for faculty development professionals; academic administrative leaders; higher education stakeholders; and higher education faculty, researchers, and students.
Institutions of higher education are using distance education to meet the high demand of those seeking a college education. This is especially true for state/community colleges. There are many factors which influence the quality of distance courses, including, but not limited to, technology, pedagogy, and course structure. One of the main assumed factors is the level of training faculty receive prior to teaching online. This research describes a case study of a Florida state college and seeks to explore the faculty perceptions of the training they received in order to prepare for teaching online. This particular training program focuses on the learning platform. An in depth literature review is provided in order to examine the history of online education, the importance of student engagement, as well as a description of best practices for online course development. Results are organized around Moore's Theory of Transactional Distance and show the importance of faculty motivation to teach at a distance. A few emerging themes of online teaching influences appeared, including the importance of collaboration, comfort with technology, prior experience with distance education, enjoyment of teaching online, and fear of cheating.
In recent years, digital badging systems have become a credible means through which learners can establish portfolios and articulate knowledge and skills for both academic and professional settings. Digital Badges in Education provides the first comprehensive overview of this emerging tool. A digital badge is an online-based visual representation that uses detailed metadata to signify learners’ specific achievements and credentials in a variety of subjects across K-12 classrooms, higher education, and workplace learning. Focusing on learning design, assessment, and concrete cases in various contexts, this book explores the necessary components of badging systems, their functions and value, and the possible problems they face. These twenty-five chapters illustrate a range of successful applications of digital badges to address a broad spectrum of learning challenges and to help readers formulate solutions during the development of their digital badges learning projects.
This timely volume documents the immediate, global impacts of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) on teaching and learning in higher education. Focusing on student and faculty experiences of online and distance education, the text provides reflections on novel initiatives, unexpected challenges, and lessons learned. Responding to the urgent need to better understand online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, this book investigates how the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) impacted students, faculty, and staff experiences during the COVID-19 lockdown. Chapters initially look at the challenges faced by universities and educators in their attempts to overcome the practical difficulties involved in developing effective online programming and pedagogy. The text then builds on these insights to highlight student experiences and consider issues of social connection and inequality. Finally, the volume looks forward to asking what lessons COVID-19 can offer for the future development of online and distance learning in higher education. This engaging volume will benefit researchers, academics, and educators with an interest in online teaching and eLearning, curriculum design, and more, specifically those involved with the digitalization of higher education. The text will also support further discussion and reflection around pedagogical transformation, international teaching and learning, and educational policy more broadly.
With an emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) training, Teacher Learning in the Digital Age examines exemplary models of online and blended teacher professional development, including information on the structure and design of each model, intended audience, and existing research and evaluation data. From video-based courses to just-in-time curriculum support platforms and MOOCs for educators, the cutting-edge initiatives described in these chapters illustrate the broad range of innovative programs that have emerged to support preservice and in-service teachers in formal and informal settings. “As teacher development moves online,” the editors argue, “it’s important to ask what works and what doesn’t and for whom,” They address these questions by gathering the feedback of many of the top researchers, developers, and providers working in the field today. Filled with abundant resources, Teacher Learning in the Digital Age reveals critical lessons and insights for designers, researchers, and educators in search of the most efficient and effective ways to leverage technology to support formal, as well as informal, teacher learning.
Seasoned classroom veterans, pre-tenured faculty, and neophyte teaching assistants alike will find this book invaluable. HHMI Professor Jo Handelsman and her colleagues at the Wisconsin Program for Scientific Teaching (WPST) have distilled key findings from education, learning, and cognitive psychology and translated them into six chapters of digestible research points and practical classroom examples. The recommendations have been tried and tested in the National Academies Summer Institute on Undergraduate Education in Biology and through the WPST. Scientific Teaching is not a prescription for better teaching. Rather, it encourages the reader to approach teaching in a way that captures the spirit and rigor of scientific research and to contribute to transforming how students learn science.