scholarly journals Understanding Faculty Attitudes about Distance Education: The Importance of Excitement and Fear

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Bunk ◽  
Rui Li ◽  
Esther Smidt ◽  
Christopher Bidetti ◽  
Brett Malize
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
The United States ◽  
Faculty Attitudes ◽  
Full Time ◽  
University Administrators ◽  
The Relationship

The purpose of the present study is to further understand faculty attitudes about distance education by exploring the psychological processes through which these attitudes are influenced. We explored the following research question: Do feelings of excitement versus fear mediate and/or moderate the relationship between online teaching experience and various faculty attitudes about online education? Survey data from 152 part- and full-time faculty from a midsize public university in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States was utilized. Multiple regression analyses revealed that excitement versus fear mediates the relationship between online teaching experience and all of our outcome variables, and that excitement versus fear moderates the relationship between online teaching experience and the extent to which faculty feel that their institution is pushing too much instruction online. Our results demonstrate the importance of excitement versus fear in explaining why some faculty have negative rather than positive attitudes about distance education. Our results suggest that university administrators may find it helpful to implement policies and practices that instill a sense of excitement about distance education in all faculty.

scholarly journals The role of online faculty in supporting successful online learning enterprises: A literature review

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 136-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah J Dhilla
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Strong Influence ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
Online Faculty ◽  
University Administrators ◽  
Online Instructors

This review examines research regarding instructors’ perceptions of the online teaching experience and explores ways in which university administrators can better support online faculty as their institutional online learning enterprises grow. The following sections examine how the growth in online education has led to increased interest in the experiences of online faculty. An examination of these issues illuminates many of the unacknowledged external factors that have a subtle, but strong influence on online instructors and their experiences in the virtual learning environment.

scholarly journals The Retention of Experienced Faculty in Online Distance Education Programs: Understanding Factors that Impact their Involvement

2009 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim Green ◽  
Jeffery Alejandro ◽  
Abbie H. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
The United States ◽  
Full Time ◽  
University Administrators ◽  
Education Faculty ◽  
Online Distance Education ◽  
Part Time ◽  
Online Distance ◽  
Survey Responses

The study sought to determine factors that affect faculty decisions regarding their involvement in teaching online distance education courses. A survey was administered to online distance education faculty across the United States to determine those factors that encourage or discourage them from continuing to teach online courses. The factors were examined and reported from the standpoint of each of four faculty groups: (1) tenured, (2) tenure-track, (3) full-time non-tenured/fixed term, and (4) part-time/adjunct. From the survey responses (N = 135), a list of retention strategies that university administrators may use for retention of online distance education faculty are offered.

Associations between Prior Disability-Focused Training and Disability-Related Attitudes and Perceptions among University Faculty

2009 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Murray ◽  
Allison Lombardi ◽  
Carol T. Wren ◽  
Christopher Keys
Keyword(s):  
Faculty Attitudes ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
University Faculty ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Prior Training ◽  
Students With Learning Disabilities ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Students With Ld ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Time Faculty

This investigation examined the relationship between prior disability-focused training and university faculty members' attitudes towards students with learning disabilities (LD). A survey containing items designed to measure faculty attitudes was sent to all full-time faculty at one university. Analyses of 198 responses indicated that faculty who had received some form of disability-focused training scored higher on factors pertaining to Willingness to Provide Exam Accommodations, Fairness and Sensitivity, General Knowledge About LD, Willingness to Personally Invest in Students with LD, and personal actions, such as Inviting Disclosure and Providing Accommodations, and lower scores on negatively valenced factors than did faculty who had not received prior training. Faculty who had previously attended disability-related workshops and courses reported the most positive attitudes, followed by faculty who had participated in “other” forms of training (i.e., reading books and articles or visiting websites) and faculty who had received no prior training. The total number of types of training experienced and time spent engaged in training was predictive of faculty attitudes as well as faculty-reported satisfaction with prior training. Implications of the findings are discussed.

The Possibility of Promotion: How Race and Gender Predict Promotion Clarity for Associate Professors

2019 ◽  
Vol 121 (5) ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Amanda M. Kulp ◽  
Lisa E. Wolf-Wendel ◽  
Daryl G. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Research Question ◽  
The United States ◽  
Associate Professor ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Academic Disciplines ◽  
Full Professor ◽  
National Study ◽  
Institutional Characteristics ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Underrepresented Minority

Background/Context The research on promotion to full professor is sparse. Research that does exist has largely emerged from single campuses and studies conducted through disciplinary associations. Extant studies strongly suggest the presence of equity issues in advancement throughout the academic pipeline. Our study uses cross-institutional results to offer analysis of and potential solutions for the problem. Purpose/Objective/Research Question We explore the extent to which tenured faculty members at four-year postsecondary institutions are clear about their prospects of being promoted to full professor and how their background characteristics, institutional characteristics, and satisfaction with various aspects of academic work predict their perceptions of promotion clarity. We are focused on whether cultural taxation in the form of heavy service and advis-ing—often associated with underrepresented minority faculty and women faculty—is a factor. We examine the influence of ideal-worker norms and work/family demands on perceptions of promotion clarity. Lastly, we focus on the structural elements of the academy to frame the topic, rather than focusing on individual agency. Population/Participants/Subjects This study uses data from the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) survey, a large, national study of postsecondary faculty. Our sample consists of 3,246 individuals who held full-time, tenured positions as associate professor at four-year institutions when they responded to the surveys between 2010 and 2012. The sample was roughly divided between males (54%) and females (46%), and most faculty were employed at research institutions (59%). The sample was predominantly White (82%). The characteristics of the associate professors in the sample are representative of the larger U.S. faculty population at the time of the survey. Research Design This quantitative study uses descriptive statistics to examine patterns in promotion clarity across various demographic and institutional characteristics. We examine how satisfaction variables intersect with perceptions of promotion clarity for associate professors. Then we conduct a series of linear regression analyses to explore the influence of predictors on associate professors’ sense of clarity about promotion. Conclusions/Recommendations Being unclear about expectations of promotion to full professor is clearly of concern to faculty members at four-year universities in the United States, but it is especially of concern to women. Satisfaction with service is a very important variable in predicting perceptions of promotion clarity. For all associate professors, working at certain types of institutions or in particular academic disciplines had an inverse relationship with promotion clarity. The factors associated with lack of clarity about promotion are more structural than individual.

Conclusions and Recommendations

2011 ◽  
pp. 268-293
Author(s):  
Sorin Walter Gudea
Keyword(s):  
Educational Technology ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Direct Application ◽  
Online Teachers ◽  
Online Curriculum ◽  
Positive Effect

This chapter concludes the discussion of the online teaching experience by making a few suggestions and offering advice presumably valuable to school administrators, online teachers, online curriculum and course developers as well as to educational technology professionals. It discusses ways to influence teachers to teach online—a direct application of the theory presented in the previous chapter. The intent of the chapter is to help these constituencies adjust to and be able to exert a positive effect on online education and online teaching in particular.

Necessities for Effective Asynchronous Learning

2011 ◽  
pp. 1325-1331 ◽  
Author(s):  
James E. Novitzki
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
The United States ◽  
Department Of Education ◽  
Asynchronous Learning ◽  
College Level ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Web Based ◽  
The Us ◽  
Education Courses

Distance education programs/courses in some format have been available to students since the 1840s. Throughout most of this time there has been controversy over the effectiveness of such programs/courses (IHEP, 1999; Matthews, 1999). The concept of online teaching and online asynchronous learning (ASL) started in the 1980s and is an area of rapid growth (McMullen, Goldbaum, Wolffe, & Sattler, 1998). In a period of 3 years, from 1995 to 1997, the number of schools in the United States (US) developing such programs increased by almost 200% (Morse, Glover, & Travis, 1997). The US Department of Education (2001) reported that in 2000-2001 there were more than 2.8 million enrollments in college-level degree granting programs in Internet- and Web-based distance education courses in the US.

scholarly journals Navigating Distance and Traditional Higher Education: Online faculty experiences

2005 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice G. Yick ◽  
Pam Patrick ◽  
Amanda Costin
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Distance Education ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Academic Culture ◽  
Policy Decision ◽  
Discussion Board ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Online Faculty ◽  
Faculty Experiences

<P>The academic culture of higher educational institutions is characterized by specific pedagogical philosophies, assumptions about rewards and incentives, and values about how teaching is delivered. In many academic settings, however, the field of distance education has been viewed as holding marginal status. Consequently, the goal of this qualitative study was to explore faculty members&rsquo; experiences in a distance education, online university while simultaneously navigating within a traditional environment of higher education. A total of 28 faculty members participated in a threaded, asynchronous discussion board that resembled a focus group. Participants discussed perceptions about online teaching, working in an institution without a traditional tenure system, and the role of research in distance education. Findings indicated that online teaching is still regarded as less credible; however, participants also noted how this perception is gradually changing. Several benchmarks of legitimacy were identified for online universities to adopt in order to be viewed as credible. The issue of tenure still remains highly debated, although some faculty felt that tenure will be less crucial in the future. Finally, recommendations regarding attitudinal shifts within academic circles are described with particular attention to professional practice, program development, and policy decision-making in academia.</P> <P><B>Key words:</B> distance education, online education, online faculty experiences, academia, tenure</P>

The Challenge of Distance Learning

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 137-152
Author(s):  
Michael E. Meagher ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
The United States ◽  
Liberal Arts Institutions ◽  
New Beginning ◽  
Midwestern University ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Silver Lining ◽  
Remote Learning

This essay explores the sudden shift from residential higher education to remote learning in the United States, a consequence of the novel coronavirus. It is a personal account of experiences as a professor at a Midwestern university. Many instructors had no training in online teaching. For university faculty, Covid-19 meant having to transform courses from in-person instruction to a remote platform practically overnight. Among the student comments I received were that I managed the online transition well. Over the next academic year, 2020-21, universities face challenges in resuming on-campus teaching, and the possibility that a new outbreak of the virus might bring a repeat of the Spring 2020 semester. Although that possibility sounds dire, there is hope that the shift to remote learning may offer a silver lining in the form of expanding course offerings beyond geographic areas and reaching a wider audience. For liberal arts institutions that are struggling financially, a rise in the use of remote learning and online education may offer a new beginning, and for public universities, potential new revenue given declining state support, a silver lining.

scholarly journals Challenges and Benefits of Facilitating Online Learning in Time of Covid-19 Pandemic: Insights and Experiences of Social Science Teachers

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 233-243
Author(s):  
Feddy B. Junsay Jr. ◽  
Dennis V. Madrigal
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
Social Science ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Phenomenological Approach ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Teachers And Students

Online education is a rapidly growing phenomenon for teachers. With the outbreak of COVID-19, there are changes in all societies worldwide, and a forcible shift in the medium of teaching and learning is inevitable. This paper explored the social science teachers' lived experiences in a Chinese school during the COVID-19 Pandemic. This qualitative study utilized the phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of eight full-time and tenured social science teachers determined using purposive sampling.  The data were collected from the participants using an in-depth semi-structured interview. Meanwhile, the recursive textual analysis guided by the three C's of Lichtman was employed to analyze the data thematically.  The findings show that social science teachers faced challenges in online teaching such as personal, technical, and teaching strategies.  It also found that the teachers have difficulty motivating students to participate in the online class activities and submission of outputs.  Despite the challenges, the teachers were able to surmount the difficulties because of the support of the administration and their fellow teachers.  Generally, the unfolding of online teaching challenges confronted by school heads, teachers, and students will make them resilient to adapt and embrace virtual education. Keywords. Social Science, online education, COVID-19 Pandemic, phenomenology, Philippines

scholarly journals Instructor presence in online teaching: challenges and opportunities

2021 ◽  
Vol 127 ◽  
pp. 03002
Author(s):  
Tatiana Leonidovna Kopus ◽  
Elena Sergeevna Mikhalat ◽  
Ekaterina Yurievna Belozerova ◽  
Olga Vladimirovna Meshcheryakova
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Social Presence ◽  
Teaching Practices ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Engagement Strategies ◽  
Instructor Presence ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities

The coronavirus pandemic has affected higher education on a global scale. During the first days of the COVID-19 pandemic, university professors experienced deficiencies to convert their current full-time disciplines into a remote format ensuring learning outcomes. Technology-based communication, which was prevalent in online education during the COVID-19 pandemic, exacerbated the issues associated with social presence. Social presence represents a crucial component of interactions that take place between instructors and students online remotely. This study reviews the social presence, with a focus on the research regarding the online teaching practices that demonstrate their effectiveness and relevance before and during COVID-19. The article begins by exploring the concept of social presence, distinguishing its correlations and interdependencies with other related concepts (empathy, student emotional, cognitive and behavioral engagement, learning outcomes, and motivation). The article offers a review of separate findings that investigate the teaching practices ensuring instructor presence and establishing stable contacts with learners. The data analysis reveals the main features vital for feelings of social presence from the online instructor. They include connectedness as the state of having timely communication with students, instructor responsiveness as the quality of having a quick or positive reaction from the instructor, online learning techniques, ensuring community building and empathy facilitation. Finally, the paper discusses the implications of social presence and the recommendations are given through three engagement strategies: management, connectedness and choice.

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