Training and Support for Online Faculty in Postsecondary Institutions

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• Training and Support for Online Faculty in
  Postsecondary Institutions
• AMATYC / November 20, 2008

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Outline

• Background
• 2002 Findings
• 5 years later
• Then and Now Comparisons
• Recommendations

3
Background

• As early as 1994, White Weights Online
  Teaching Guide recognized the need for new
  pedagogical paradigms
• 2000 IHEP Quality on the Line
• 24 Benchmarks
• Student interaction should be facilitated
  through a variety of ways

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Background (contd)

• Chickering Gamsons Seven Principles for Good
  Practice in Undergraduate Education
• Encourage contact, cooperation, active learning,
  prompt feedback, time on task, high expectations,
  and respect for diversity of talents and learning
  styles

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Background (contd)

• Sloan Foundation 2005
• 63 of undergraduate institutions offer online
  courses
• Largest increases in online courses are found in
  associate degree institutions

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Background (contd)

• Net Generation
• Vast majority of todays college students
• Learn by doing
• Nonlinear learners
• Most online college courses are taught by
  full-time faculty born before 1977

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2002 Findings

• Online survey sent to 64 faculty teaching online,
  35 responded (55)
• 91 had at least five years of traditional
  classroom teaching experience
• 17 had at least five years of online teaching
  experience

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2002 Findings (contd)

• 23 received NO training before beginning to
  teach online
• Only 20 received training in active learning or
  fostering student collaboration online
• Most faculty training (before and after) was
  provided within facultys institutions
  typically workshops
• 88 believed faculty need training to teach online

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2002 Findings (contd)

• The majority of faculty responding to the survey
  received less than 1 credit equivalent (15 hours)
  of training before beginning to teach online and
  less than 10 of faculty received more than 30
  hours of training prior to teaching online.

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Five Years Later

• Online survey 122 member listserv
• 21 responses 17
• ALL had at least five years classroom teaching
  experience
• 71 had at least five years of online teaching
  experience

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Five Years Later (contd)

• 14 received NO training before beginning to
  teach online
• 33 received training in active learning
• Most faculty training provided within facultys
  institutions workshops, technology personnel,
  assistance from colleagues
• 86 believe faculty need training to teach online
  (1 person neutral)

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Five Years Later (contd)

• 13 of 21 faculty responding received less than 1
  credit equivalent (15 hours) of training before
  beginning to teach online and only 3 faculty
  received more than 30 hours of training prior to
  teaching online.

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THEN AND NOW

• Survey Response Rate
• 55 (2002), 17 (2008)
• At least five years of teaching experience prior
  to teaching online
• 91 (2002), 100 (2008)
• At least five years experience teaching online
• 17 (2002), 71 (2008)

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MORE THEN AND NOW COMPARISONS

• Faculty who received NO training before beginning
  to teach online
• 23 (2002), 14 (2008)
• Faculty who received less than 1 credit
  equivalent of training before beginning to teach
  online
• 63 (2002), 67 (2008)

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Final Then and Now Comparisons

• Faculty who received more than 30 hours of
  training prior to teaching online
• 9 (2002), 14 (2008)
• Respondents who believe faculty need training to
  teach online
• 88 (2002), 86 (2008)

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Current Faculty Attitudes

• Faculty enjoy teaching online and hope to
  continue teaching online classes
• 90
• Only 1 disagreed and 1 neutral
• Faculty give prompt feedback to online students
• 2/3 are satisfied with the amount of interaction
  in their online courses (only 60 in 2002)

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Recommendations 2003 Report

• Technical training
• Pedagogical training focused on best practices
• Mentoring
• Online course work

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How Are We Doing Now?

• Does your institution offer/require
• Technical Training 77 v. 86
• Pedagogical Training 20 v. 33
• Online training only 1(3) in 02 and 2 (10)
  in 08
• Mentoring only 3 (14)

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Contact Information

• Peg Pankowski, Ed.D.
• Dean for Technology Programs
• DeVry University
• Crystal City Campus
• Arlington, VA 22202
• mpankowski_at_devry.edu
• 703-414-4120