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Faculty development programs: The frequency and variety of professional development programs available to online instructors
Abstract
Online education is no longer a peripheral phenomenon in higher education: over one-third of faculty members have taught or developed an online course. As institutions of higher education expand their online education offerings, administrators need to recognize that supporting faculty members through the use of incentives and through effective faculty development programs for online instruction is important to the improvement of the quality of educational programs. This quantitative study used an online survey to investigate the types and frequency of faculty development programs for online instruction at institutions with an established teaching and learning development unit (TLDU). The average TLDU offered about fifteen different types of faculty development programs, the most common being websites, technical services, printed materials, and consultation with instructional design experts. Findings indicate that some faculty development programs for online instruction are being offered more frequently; this increase has resource and staffing implications for the support of these programs.
... CTL websites are cost-effective communication tools that leverage existing campus resources and expertise, but their design poses persistent challenges for CTL staff who may not be experts in web authoring, information architecture, or search engine optimization (see Hoffmann-Longtin et al., 2014;Truong et al., 2016). Despite their growing use as a tool for online faculty development, there is a lack of research specifically focused on the design of CTL websites (see Colby et al., 2022;Herman, 2012;Martin et al., 2019;Sweet et al., 2017). CTL websites have the potential to serve as portals connecting faculty to colleagues both locally and abroad and to provide opportunities for self-directed learning, anytime and anywhere delivery of resources, ease of access to just-in-time information, and collaborations among faculty and developers (Shea et al., 2002). ...
... Tasks 1 and 2 were designed to elicit the potential of this website to serve as an entryway for a typical faculty member to access professional development opportunities (see Colby et al., 2022;Shea et al., 2002). Tasks 3 and 4 were designed to elicit the potential of this website to serve as a medium for online professional development whereby a typical faculty member could self-direct their learning (see Herman, 2012;Shea et al., 2002). ...
... Given that CTL websites and online faculty development continue to grow (see Belt & Lowenthal, 2020;Herman, 2012;Kelley et al., 2017), greater attention to this distinct medium of professional development is needed to better understand the influence, scope, and reach of this phenomenon on the academy. Previous research has found that adjunct faculty in particular draw significant support from their institutional websites (Chun et al., 2019). ...
Center for teaching and learning (CTL) websites help communicate information, services, and opportunities to institutional stakeholders while also serving as an institutional brand to external audiences. Thus, CTL websites must strike a balance of being publicly accessible and user-friendly while also providing various support, resources, and pathways tailored to faculty needs and development. Still, faculty attendance at and participation in CTL-supported faculty development programs and initiatives are persistent and pervasive challenges in higher education. Faculty have many competing priorities and may lack the necessary incentives or time needed to engage with such development opportunities, especially in in-person settings. CTLs are increasingly turning to online faculty development to provide faculty with access to professional development offerings anytime, anywhere. However, few, if any, studies focus on the CTL website as a form of online faculty development in and of itself. The purpose of this single-instrument case study was to shed light on CTL websites as a medium for online faculty development. Data were collected using Google Analytics and through heuristic evaluation and moderated remote usability tests with purposive samples of faculty from varying disciplines and higher education institutions. The case explored provided insights into website design, user experiences, and the information architecture of one CTL website. Findings and lessons learned are discussed, and a framework for online faculty development via CTL websites is theorized. Newly formed or existing CTLs may find value in the results.
... In addition to support for online course development and improvement, professional development and guidance in online teaching are needed by all instructors, and especially by those with little experience (Hunt et al., 2014). Centers of Teaching and Learning or Teaching and Learning Development Units at HEIs often provide such support (Herman, 2012). Professional development for online instructors addresses technologies used for teaching online; the facilitation of online activities and discussions; online course design, communication, and assessment; appropriate use of online resources; and policies and processes related to online teaching (Almpanis, 2013;Bailey & Card, 2009;CHE, 2014;Fetzner, 2003;Kibaru, 2018;Phipps & Merisotis, 2000;Vaill & Testori, 2012). ...
... Corresponding to the CHLOE 3 report (Garrett et al., 2019), where faculty development and instructional design support for course development have been cited as a top priority of higher education institutions, participants in this study rated support for online course development, teaching support, and professional development quite high. This indicates that institutions at which the participants worked provided instructional design support, technical training, online access to self-help materials, support for course material development, and other forms of support necessary for online instruction (Herman, 2012;Lion & Stark, 2010;Pedro & Kumar, 2020). Faculty development and learning opportunities at higher education institutions typically take the form of instructional design guidance and training programs or workshops, with fewer opportunities for formal mentoring (Herman, 2012). ...
... This indicates that institutions at which the participants worked provided instructional design support, technical training, online access to self-help materials, support for course material development, and other forms of support necessary for online instruction (Herman, 2012;Lion & Stark, 2010;Pedro & Kumar, 2020). Faculty development and learning opportunities at higher education institutions typically take the form of instructional design guidance and training programs or workshops, with fewer opportunities for formal mentoring (Herman, 2012). This was reflected in our study where mentoring for online instruction was rated lowest in the types of learning opportunities for online instructors. ...
Online instructors play a critical role in online student success, and need various forms of institutional support to succeed in online teaching. This article describes the creation, validation, and results of the Online Instructor Support Survey (OISS) consisting of six sections (a) Technology and technical support (b) Pedagogical (Course Development and Teaching) support (c) Online Education Academic Support Services (d) Institutional Policies for Online Education, and (e) Online Instructor Recognition, Rewards, and Incentives. Online instructor (N=275) responses highlight areas of support that are largely prevalent and areas where further support and awareness of such support is needed at higher education institutions.
... In addition to support for online course development and improvement, professional development and guidance in online teaching are needed by all instructors, and especially by those with little experience (Hunt et al., 2014). Centers of Teaching and Learning or Teaching and Learning Development Units at HEIs often provide such support (Herman, 2012). Professional development for online instructors addresses technologies used for teaching online; the facilitation of online activities and discussions; online course design, communication, and assessment; appropriate use of online resources; and policies and processes related to online teaching (Almpanis, 2013;Bailey & Card, 2009;CHE, 2014;Fetzner, 2003;Kibaru, 2018;Phipps & Merisotis, 2000;Vaill & Testori, 2012). ...
... Corresponding to the CHLOE 3 report (Garrett et al., 2019), where faculty development and instructional design support for course development have been cited as a top priority of higher education institutions, participants in this study rated support for online course development, teaching support, and professional development quite high. This indicates that institutions at which the participants worked provided instructional design support, technical training, online access to self-help materials, support for course material development, and other forms of support necessary for online instruction (Herman, 2012;Lion & Stark, 2010;Pedro & Kumar, 2020). Faculty development and learning opportunities at higher education institutions typically take the form of instructional design guidance and training programs or workshops, with fewer opportunities for formal mentoring (Herman, 2012). ...
... This indicates that institutions at which the participants worked provided instructional design support, technical training, online access to self-help materials, support for course material development, and other forms of support necessary for online instruction (Herman, 2012;Lion & Stark, 2010;Pedro & Kumar, 2020). Faculty development and learning opportunities at higher education institutions typically take the form of instructional design guidance and training programs or workshops, with fewer opportunities for formal mentoring (Herman, 2012). This was reflected in our study where mentoring for online instruction was rated lowest in the types of learning opportunities for online instructors. ...
... Concerns about online teaching also include increasing workloads, lack of resources, compensation and intellectual property issues, inadequate technological skills and training, anxiety about or lack of confidence with technology, and pedagogical concerns for the effectiveness of student learning in the online environment (Bennett & Lockyer, 2004;Hunt, Davies, Richardson, Hammock, Akins, & Russ, 2014;Johnson, Wisniewski, Kuhlemeyer, Isaacs, & Krzykowski, 2012;Power & Gould-Morven, 2011). These concerns are heightened for faculty with little or no experience with online teaching (Herman, 2012;Hunt et al., 2014). ...
... Increased institutional support for online faculty development programs is important (Herman, 2012;Hixon et al., 2011). Moreover, the nature of such learning through professional development opportunities is equally critical and should be grounded in effective pedagogical approaches (not just learning the tools), include hands-on, team (peer) learning/mentoring with ongoing face-to-face technological and design support, and offer immediate application to real-world teaching and learning contexts (Baran & Correia, 2014;Baran, Correia, & Thompson, 2011;Herman, 2012;Myer & Murrell, 2014;Salmon & Wright, 2014). ...
... Increased institutional support for online faculty development programs is important (Herman, 2012;Hixon et al., 2011). Moreover, the nature of such learning through professional development opportunities is equally critical and should be grounded in effective pedagogical approaches (not just learning the tools), include hands-on, team (peer) learning/mentoring with ongoing face-to-face technological and design support, and offer immediate application to real-world teaching and learning contexts (Baran & Correia, 2014;Baran, Correia, & Thompson, 2011;Herman, 2012;Myer & Murrell, 2014;Salmon & Wright, 2014). Lane (2013) has argued for the value in learning to teach online in an open web course, in order to obtain first-hand experience and receive a "deeper preparation for teaching online through an authentic experience in the online environment" (p. ...
Dalhousie University’s Centre for Learning and Teaching offers a Certificate in University Teaching and Learning, which includes a 12-week course entitled Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. This course provides the certificate’s theory component and has evolved to reflect the changing needs of future educators. One significant change is the development of a blended course model that incorporates graded online facilitation, prompted by the recognition that teaching assistants and faculty are increasingly required to teach online or blended (i.e., combining face-to-face and online) courses. This study invited graduate students enrolled in the course to participate in pre- and post-facilitation questionnaires that assessed their awareness, competence, confidence, and attitudes towards online and blended learning. Students recognized the value of the online component for future teaching expertise and experienced increased awareness, competence, and confidence regarding teaching online. However, preference for face-to-face teaching and student learning did not change.
... 134) but are also one-size fits all and thus very general and usually not relevant for the instructor's needs. The formal training comes in a wide range of delivery models including workshops, self-teaching, peer mentoring, online modules, and creating a course (Herman, 2012;Meyer & Murrell, 2014a;2014b). Understanding the needs of instructors, with identified best practices for teaching about online learning, and how to best use various delivery methods is very important for effective training, but often some if not all of these components are ignored. ...
... As far as recommendations for professional development at the institutional level goes, there are a broad range of aspects that are equally important that require attention to create sustainable professional development. These aspects include student outcomes, financial needs, and providing institutional support (Herman, 2012;Meyer, 2014;Ragan et al., 2012). ...
... Having a focus on the delivery raises some interesting implications seeing as our research is focused on online professional development programs. Some are suggesting that other forms of delivery be considered such as including mentoring, workshops, or informal professional development (Gregory & Salmon, 2013;Herman, 2012;Vaill & Testori, 2012) . Thus, while much research has been conducted on the methods for professional development programs online, more still needs to be researched on how it is being delivered. ...
The growth of online learning has created a need for instructors who can competently teach online. This literature review explores the research questions, program recommendations, and future research suggestions related to professional development for online instructors. Articles were selected and coded based on date of publication and the context of the professional development. Results indicate that most research questions focused on (a) professional development programs, (b) instructors, and (c) instructors’ online courses. Most program recommendations focused on (a) professional development programs, (b) context of professional development, and (c) instructors’ activity during professional development. Future recommendations for research topics focused on professional development programs and instructors, while future recommendations for research methods focused on research design and institutional settings. The findings suggest that while professional development for online instructors is important, consistency in both design and delivery is lacking. Future research is needed to provide guidance to programs, instructors, and institutions leading to satisfaction and success for more online students.
... While support is a top perceived need for faculty, it is one that is not being met. In a survey of 10,700 faculty members from 69 colleges and universities, most faculty rated their institutions below average in online teaching support and incentives (Herman, 2012;Seaman, 2009). Perhaps this is a result of high expectations from faculty for support provided by the institution, especially when adopting new innovations. ...
... It could be a difficult undertaking for individual departments to provide the training and support needed to launch online programs on their own. In one study, a survey of 10,700 faculty members from 69 colleges and universities, the faculty rated their institutions below average in online teaching support and incentives (Herman, 2012;Seaman, 2009 ...
While total enrollment for Title IV universities in the United States has declined 4 percent from 2013-2018, overall online course enrollment has rapidly increased by 22 percent (National Center for Education Statistics, 2020). Not long ago, distance education had limited diffusion in universities and was considered a tertiary, experimental “add-on” to education (Burnette, 2015). Now, online learning is becoming a transformative power striking profound influence and change on all aspects of higher education (Otte & Benke, 2006). Beaudoin (2015) claims this may be the most crucial change impacting education since the printing press. This study explores the tasks, processes, and challenges for distance education administrators (DEAs) developing online programs at public universities.
This online enrollment growth is managed and sometimes attributed to DEAs responsible for the timely and quality delivery of online courses and programs. DEAs do this by directing tasks and orchestrating people from every level of the organization (Otte & Benke, 2006). DEAs may hold established titles like dean or vice-president, or newer titles like chief learning officer, vice-provost of online education, or director of distance education (Nworie et al., 2012; Shaw et al., 2018). Despite this rapid growth in online public universities and an increase in administrators managing this growth, there is a paucity of literature exploring the experiences of DEAs developing online programs.
In this study, I used explanatory case study methodology (Yin, 2018) to answer the research questions and provide rich descriptions of the process of change in developing new online programs at a public university. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with seven administrators responsible for starting different online programs at a single university site. A conceptual change model was created to help guide the inquiry and create a priori themes for analysis. Four progressive change process themes were established in the data: infrastructure, initiate, implement, and institute. A variety of associated tasks with each theme were explored. Additionally, current and future challenges for DEAs were investigated.
... Perez, Ali, 2010;Rothstein, 2010Madaus, Kowitt & Lalor, 2012Alnahdi, 2014;U.S. DOJ, 2009U.S. DOJ, , 2015 Brain Injury Association of America, 2019; Chingos & Baum, 2017;Helland, 2017Loftus, 2019U.S. DOE, 2007U.S. DOE, , 2018EEOC, 2020;GSA, 2020. East, Stokes & Walker, 2014Wattenberg, 2004;Linder et al., 2015;Lombardi & Adam, 2017 Burgstahler, 2003;2015;Coombs, 2010;QM, 2018Rogers-Shaw, Carr-Chellman & Choi, 2017Hollingshead, 2017 Web3c WAI, n.d.;Betts et al., 2013;Cohn et al., 2016;Coy et al., 2014;deMaine, 2017;Diefenderfer, 2019;Herman, 2012Baumgartner, 2001Huss & Eastep, 2016;Keengwe & Kidd, 2010;Brooks, 2010;Kuhlenschmidt, 2010;Austin & Sorcinelli, 2013;Gappa & Austin, 2007 ...
... To meet the challenges of time and scheduling conflicts, individualized, flexible, multimodal training should be offered to accommodate different teaching schedules and the ebb and flow in the seasonal cycles of a semester (Herman, 2012). Seale (2014) argues that faculty prefer training experiences that are less time-intensive and more portable. ...
This study examined the level of readiness of faculty in designing and delivering accessible online courses to meet the needs of all learners, including students with disabilities. A total of 182 tenured/non-tenured full time, part-time, adjunct and clinical faculty from three public universities of different sizes were surveyed to gauge their awareness, understanding, and practices related to disability laws, quality standards, utilization of tools, and professional development support. Results from the study indicated an uneven level of readiness by faculty regarding online learning accessibility. Results from the study showed that professional development training in online learning had a very significant influence on accessibility knowledge and practice. Also, high perceptions of knowledge for institutional policy and terminology and low perception of accessibility laws and standards were found. It is also found that training on disability-related laws and regulations provided by higher education institutions was insufficient and at times, does not align with the faculty’s schedule. Given the results of the study, it is recommended that higher education institutions reorient their approach to supporting faculty who teach online and develop a comprehensive strategy to reach the goal of helping all students, including students with disabilities, to fully engage online learning. The findings from this study have implications for course development and implementation to support students with disabilities.
... In both formal and informal opportunities, mentoring is an essential component of online faculty development. Mentoring can be part of a formal professional development program or evolve from an informal relationship between peers (Herman, 2012). Through formal mentoring, faculty can share opportunities, strengths, challenges and areas for improvement in their approach to teaching (Baran & Correia, 2014). ...
... To overcome these challenges and increase the effectiveness of online instruction, institutions must invest in faculty development through policies that provide for adequate resources for effective development (Herman, 2012). Because effective professional development involves multiple layers, activities, and learning, the authors of this chapter argue that a comprehensive plan is the most effective approach to faculty development. ...
There is a significant need for faculty development and support as it relates to online teaching. Researchers assert that the success of online education may be a direct result of the training and support of the institution's faculty. Higher education institutions implement a variety of online faculty development practices; however, little is known about which practices are seen as the most effective and efficient. In this chapter, the authors propose a strategic approach to building a comprehensive faculty development program that supports and engages online faculty from initial hire and beyond. The purpose of this chapter is to provide new insights to support faculty. The authors identify evidence-based strategies to incorporate adjunct and full-time online faculty into the university community. In addition, the authors share their experiences developing a comprehensive faculty development plan.
... Institutions have offered professional development opportunities that emphasize one-time training opportunities, and different faculty have different perceptions about what is valuable to them (Meyer & Murrell, 2014). Faculty development programs for online teaching are provided at many institutions, but there is varying support available and with some faculty dissatisfaction depending on the institution (Herman, 2012). Other scholars suggest faculty development for online teaching address the use of technology and how to integrate technology effectively (Morrison & Shemberger, 2022). ...
With the COVID-19 pandemic, post-secondary institutions pivoted to providing hybrid or fully online courses and recognized the need to mitigate the challenges faced by faculty in navigating this shift. This study was conducted at one Western Canadian university and followed a design-based research approach that included three phases and utilized mixed methods (interviews and surveys). The purpose of this research was to build faculty capacity for online teaching and learning. Overall, findings indicated that while the need for capacity building and improving collective practice was heightened during the pandemic, it remains a persistent need because faculty are continually faced with adjusting to ongoing complexities related to teaching and learning. One of the areas identified to build faculty capacity in this study was ongoing professional development emphasizing peer support and collegial conversations to aid faculty in adjusting teaching practices to various modalities including online learning. This study is significant for post-secondary institutions and researchers interested in building faculty capacity and improving collective teaching practices.
... The current literature on teaching online includes faculty perception of their teaching practice (Conrad, 2004;Richardson et al., 2016;McGee et al., 2017;Stott, 2016;Kearns, 2016), perceived challenges and barriers in teaching online (Choi & Park, 2006;Shea, 2019), effective online teaching (Bailey & Card, 2009;Martin et al., 2019aMartin et al., , b, 2023Ouyang & Scharber, 2017), faculty development programs (Herman, 2012;Shattuck & Anderson, 2014;Drouin et al., 2015;Adnan, 2017;Brinkley-Etzkorn, 2019), institutional support (Pedro & Kumar, 2020), online teacher competencies (Baran et al., 2011;Martin et al., 2019a, b;, faculty agency (Damsa et al., 2021), burnout (Hogan & Mcknight, 2007;McCann & Holt, 2009), and online teaching readiness (Cutri & Mena, 2020;Scherer et al., 2020Scherer et al., , 2023. The findings of these studies inform various aspects of teaching online. ...
The purpose of this study is to investigate the structural relationship among the job demands and job resources of institutions regarding online teaching, faculty’s emotional exhaustion and autonomous motivation in online teaching, and their satisfaction in teaching. Since the pandemic, regardless of the capacities of universities where faculty work, there has been an increasing sense that the quality of online education and institutional decisions to offer more online courses and programs would be one of the most significant strategic steps for the universities. This has brought new job demands and at the same time new resources, for faculty’s work in the area of teaching. Situated in the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, we collected survey data from 261 faculty members at US higher education institutions who teach online courses. The findings indicate the significant effect of job demands associated with online teaching on faculty’s emotional exhaustion. The study also highlights the mediating role of faculty exhaustion from online teaching on the relationship between job demands and satisfaction with their teaching. Moreover, emotional exhaustion mediates the relationship between job demands and motivation for online teaching. This study contributes to the current literature by sharing insights on the motivation and well-being of university faculty who face constantly changing job demands and workplaces. Implications for future research and practices to extend and apply the findings are discussed.
... Then, peer observation allows instructors to offer feedback and suggestions with respect to design, facilitate, and assessment, as well as sharing their successes and challenges in e-learning (Baran & Correia, 2014). Peer mentoring could be part of a formal program or take place under the auspices of an informal relationship (Herman, 2012). ...
This case study observes the development of the teaching capacity for electronic learning (e-learning) initiatives at a Saudi University, focusing on the progression a novice to an advanced level. This study employed a purposeful sampling approach, selecting an instructor who redesigned and taught an e-course, along with an instructional designer, who supported this. Data collection methods included semistructured interviews and documents. The findings highlight the critical role that strong leadership plays in establishing a clear vision and strategic plans for the implementation of e-learning. This leadership was present in the provision of essential infrastructure, opportunities for educational development, and incentives. However, this study also identified significant challenges, including a culture that is deeply rooted in traditional teaching methods, heavy teaching workloads, and a lack of recognition and reward for e-learning efforts. This study contributes to the understanding of e-learning capacity development in higher education, particularly in the Saudi Arabian context.
... Recent progress in education and technology has led to changes in the traditional faculty PDPs. These programs now encompass self-directed learning supported by institutions, peer mentoring, collaborative course design, workshops, online training, and quality assurance evaluation activities (Herman, 2012). By recognizing the professional needs of faculty and providing essential training and support, institutions can promote more effective teaching and learning. ...
This action research was designed to examine the professional development program (PDP) of lecturers and the effects of the program’s processes on educational administrators and lecturers. The study involved 2 administrators and 10 lecturers from an English preparatory school at a private university in Istanbul. During the program, to gather insights into the achievements, challenges, and suggestions related to the program, semi-structured one-on-one interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with administrators and lecturers, alongside the use of reflective journals and observation forms. Content analysis was employed to analyze the data. Education administrators believe that the PDP enhanced internal communication within the organization, provided insights into organizational functioning, fostered the adoption of student-centered teaching methods, and contributed to the personal development of lecturers through self-criticism and increased self-confidence. Lecturers highlighted benefits such as experience sharing, critical thinking enhancement, student-centered teaching integration, and improved teaching skills. Time management is a common challenge for both administrators and lecturers, with the added concern among lecturers about being perceived as ineffective by students during teaching observations. In light of the findings, it is recommended to tailor activities to lecturers’ needs, offer a flexible program structure, and provide support mechanisms to help lecturers cope. Future research might involve larger samples and explore emotional states and challenges independently.
... The Cognitive Coaching Techniques employed in our Coaching Conversation serve the following purposes: 395 members consider their institution's support for online instruction to be average or below, and nearly 20% of institutions provide no support for faculty teaching online. Additionally, over one-third of faculty members who have developed or taught an online course report that the process demands considerably more effort than traditional courses (Herman, 2012). In Kuhlenschmidt's (2010) study, four key responsibilities were delineated when effectively incorporating technology into their work. ...
The central focus of this study is the development of an instructional coaching rubric and the delineation of training activities. The research aims to address the nuanced challenges faced by educators during this transformative process. The primary objective is to craft a comprehensive instructional coaching rubric and training regimen seamlessly integrating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principals. This endeavor unfolds under the mentorship of an instructional coach, unraveling layers of intricate processes, best practices, and emergent patterns characterizing the shift to online teaching. By dissecting these elements, the study endeavors to provide valuable insights into the development of effective coaching strategies tailored to unique demands of online learning environments. As the educational landscape undergoes a digital transformation, understanding the intricacies of this transition becomes paramount. This research contributes not only to the practical knowledge of instructional coaching but also addresses the critical need for adapting teaching methodologies for educators specializing in reading and dyslexia. Through uncovering the dynamics of successful online education, this study aspires to establish a foundation for future endeavors instructional coaching and teaching training. Ultimately, it aims to foster an environment where seasoned educators can thrive amidst the evolving educational landscape, ensuring their continued efficacy and impact in the digital era.
... Academics typically understand faculty development in terms of how each faculty member advances their knowledge, abilities, attitudes, and methods connected to teaching in a particular institution using a variety of competency development models [2]- [4]. For faculty development programs in the HEIs, these writers placed a strong emphasis on online learning, cooperative coursework design, seminars, workshops, evaluation, mentoring, coaching, and action learning. ...
One of chemistry’s most fundamental ideas is the chemical bond. It explains why chemical reactions take place or why atoms are drawn to one another. Several features of chemical compounds in a molecular structure can be identified using the mathematical language offered by several types of topological indices. In actuality, a topological index links the molecular structure of chemical compounds to some of its physical characteristics, such as boiling point and stability energy. Such an index specifies the topology of the structure and is an invariant understructure that maintains mappings. It is produced by transforming a chemical network into a numerical value related to a molecular graph. The Ghani Mersenne temperature molecular descriptors are suggested in this article by fusing the central ideas of the Mersenne number of silicate and silicate chain network. We compute the first and second temperature, hyper temperature indices, the sum connectivity Ghani Mersenne temperature index, the product connectivity Ghani Mersenne temperature index, the reciprocal product connectivity Ghani Mersenne temperature index and the F Ghani Mersenne temperature index by using the new temperature T(Gm)u_i = \frac{2^{d_{u_i}-1}}{|V_G|-2^{d_{u_i}-1}} of temperature of a molecular graph Silicate network and Silicate chain network.
... Academics typically understand faculty development in terms of how each faculty member advances their knowledge, abilities, attitudes, and methods connected to teaching in a particular institution using a variety of competency development models [2]- [4]. For faculty development programs in the HEIs, these writers placed a strong emphasis on online learning, cooperative coursework design, seminars, workshops, evaluation, mentoring, coaching, and action learning. ...
The study examines faculty development strategy choices in Ethiopia using data from Adama Science and Technology University (ASTU) and Arba Minch University (AMU). It found trends in legislative faculty development between 1961 and 2019, but no clearly stated policy components directing faculty expatriation procedures. Foreign workers’ faculty development percentage decreased from 75\% in 1961 to 5\% in 2018, but the brain drain increased. Academic unrest is caused by the ongoing expatriate professor compensation scales, which are over eight times higher than colleagues in 2023/24 academic years. The current expatriate salary scales also makes it difficult to attract qualified international professors. Academic employment policies that offer low costs attract uncertain foreign academics, but the significant pay disparity between foreign and domestic staff makes it difficult to stop the brain drain. Consequently, a clearly defined faculty employment policy is required to protect the origin citizens’ faculty employment rights and uphold equitable expatriate faculty employment in diverse academic environments. Hence, internationalizing higher education requires unlocking faculty development options that help to attract competent faculty from diverse academic labor market conditions.
... Graduate students or future educators who have little or no experience with online learning platforms, such as students or educators, also express negative views regarding online teaching and learning [32]. The concerns of faculty members related to online learning are intensified because of limited or no experience teaching online [33]. Additionally [34], acknowledged and justified the idea that teachers aged older than 50 years have difficulties and are less likely to incorporate cell phones into their lessons. ...
This study delves into the attitudes of educators toward online teaching, their technological proficiency, and access to technology, with a particular emphasis on examining potential gender distinctions. Employing a quantitative-descriptive-correlational research design, this research meticulously examines the intricate relationships among these variables. The primary objectives of this investigation involve scrutinizing teachers' attitudes toward online instruction, evaluating their technological competency, and gauging their accessibility to technology. The results reveal that, by and large, teachers exhibit a moderately favorable disposition toward online teaching, signifying their eagerness to embrace this pedagogical approach. Furthermore, these educators demonstrate a commendable level of technological competence, showcasing their adeptness in harnessing technology for instructional purposes. In the context of technological accessibility, most teachers report encountering minimal impediments; however, science teachers disclose relatively restricted access.
A gender-based analysis of the data suggested a notable absence of significant disparities in attitudes, technological proficiency, and access between male and female educators. This finding substantiates the assertion that gender exerts a negligible influence on shaping teachers' perspectives regarding online teaching and their technological adeptness. Moreover, this research revealed a substantial positive correlation between teachers' attitudes toward online teaching and their technological competence, as well as their access to technology. This implies that educators endowed with enhanced technological proficiency and enhanced access are more likely to harbor favorable attitudes toward online teaching.
The implications of these findings underscore the paramount significance of supporting teachers in augmenting their technological competence while simultaneously ensuring equitable access to technology resources. These two factors emerge as pivotal catalysts for facilitating the seamless integration of online teaching into contemporary education. In the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, where online instruction has become indispensable, the imperative for ongoing professional development and support has become unmistakably evident. This study calls for a sustained commitment to nurturing and further enhancing teachers' affirmative attitudes toward online teaching to effectively navigate the ever-evolving landscape of education.
... Section 3 Content issues Based on: - (Herman 2012) Can you elaborate on issues concerning content development for online courses in higher education in the UAE? What do you think are the challenges in the use of multimedia for content creation and delivery of online courses in higher education in the UAE? ...
The government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) considers technology to be one of the main pillars of its vision for moving towards a knowledge-based society. Due to several factors such as globalisation, demand for information technology infrastructure and COVID-19 lockdowns, e-learning has become a popular method of delivery across higher education institutions in the UAE. In a first step, the authors of this article conducted a systematic review of existing literature (49 items published between 1999 and 2020). They found that the existing literature on online learning predominantly focuses on student-specific challenges, while there is still a dearth of published work covering faculty members’ specific challenges in facilitating online learning in the UAE. The second part of this exploratory study drew on stakeholders’ reflections of several years of designing and delivering online courses, analysing faculty members’ perspectives on online teaching and learning in the UAE. The authors present their qualitative research, which involved open-ended semi-structured interviews with 15 faculty members, followed by a thematic analysis of their responses using NVivo 12 pro software. The most critical themes which emerged were learners’ expectations, culture, perception, pedagogy and technology. The article also reveals how these topics contribute to the various strategies for seamless adoption and delivery of online education in the UAE.
... When looking at the literature on faculty development, pre-pandemic scholarship shows a robust body of literature on how institutions have supported pd by integrating technology. Studies on the topic evidence that institutions generally select the approach that best suits their context and resources, use role models, ask students for help using technology, and develop strategies to overcome technophobia (Gregory & Martindale, 2016;Herman, 2012). What can be extracted from the above information is that teachers, in an emerging online environment, need to develop technological knowledge and match the content with the appropriate technology. ...
The unprecedented situation of COVID-19 compelled many universities and colleges worldwide to reconsider both the management and delivery of classes, forcing faculty to use innovative online and mobile means. The transition also caused faculty to reevaluate their professional development (PD). This qualitative exploratory study focused on the pd experienced by a group of foreign language university instructors in Colombia during this crisis. Specifically it identified the challenges encountered and how these were tackled. Data were collected through an open-ended survey and analyzed using content analysis. Results show ten main challenges, which were then categorized into three themes: (a) adaptation to emergency remote teaching, (b) promotion of student engagement, and (c) handling of emotions. Conclusions reveal that professors embraced the crisis with a positive attitude, engaging in different PD opportunities, displaying agency, responsibility, and flexibility. Therefore, the challenges and their reaction to them fostered their PD and learning. These findings suggest that institutions should allow instructors to give input into the types of PD programs that they need for specific situations.
... E¤itimde ve teknolojideki son geliflmeler geleneksel olarak y›llard›r sürdürülen ö¤retim eleman› mesleki geliflimi programlar›n›n farkl›laflmas›na neden olmufltur. Bu programlar aras›nda; kurumlarca desteklenen kendi kendine ö¤renme olanaklar›, akran dan›flmanl›¤›, iflbirlikçi ders tasar›m›, atölye çal›flmalar›, çevrimiçi e¤itim ve kalite güvence de¤erlendirme etkinlikleri s›ralanabilir (Herman, 2012). Günümüzde öne ç›kan baz› modeller ise Biliflsel Ç›rakl›k, Öncü Ö¤retim Elemanlar›, Mentorluk ve Uygulama Topluluklar›d›r (Cox, 2004;Dennen, 2004;Hoffmann ve Dudjak, 2012). ...
Globalization and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic have disrupted the way we live, work, and learn, which has resulted in an inevitable digital shift and transformation in education. In addition to the need for lifelong learning, continuous self-improvement, and renewing knowledge, the current digital transformation requires academics to apply their pedagogical and technological skills on their teaching and learning to address the newly-emerging needs. This study aims to determine the demographics, administrative and organizational structures, and the activities of Teaching and Learning Centers that strive to contribute to the professional development of faculty members in Turkish higher education institutions. The data from the centers were collected in a three-step process and analyzed qualitatively. The findings revealed that most of the centers, other than the pioneer ones, were recently established and were affiliated with and supported by university senior management, where the center administrators undertake most of the workload. Therefore, ensuring faculty members' participation in professional development activities organized by these centers is important to increase their awareness of using technology as a tool in teaching.
... Allen and Seaman (2010) noted that support for teaching in either format is essential to optimize course delivery design but presents several challenges. The wide range of professional development opportunities include just-intime training (i.e., getting help at the time of need) to intensive multi-day professional development, commonly delivered by teaching and learning centers in higher education institutions that support e-learning efforts (Herman, 2012). In the current study, we explored a year-long faculty professional development program that focused on both technology and pedagogy supports for online and blended course delivery. ...
... Of utmost importance in this stage is the choice of development topic, identification, and selection of the presenters (i.e., trainers), preparation for delivering the training, a preparation that facilitates learning, and structuring events that enable participation, and including evaluation in the process. Developers can utilize many formats in structuring faculty development programs such as institutionally supported self-teaching, cohort mentoring, peer-led mentoring, collaborative course design, workshops, online training, and quality assurance evaluation programs (Herman, 2012). ...
Economic turmoil has forced higher education institutions (HEI) to reduce expenditures in many areas, including human resource operations such as talent development. Before considering these cuts, HEI should conduct robust assessments of their efficacy, including whether they generate more revenue than they cost to administer. These assessments were critical contextually as state divestment in higher education and mounting public pressure against tuition hikes forced HEI to heavily rely on external funding sources, which became essential in these economically uncertain times.
This three-article dissertation critically examined existing evaluation methodologies of a type of talent development initiative, faculty research development (FRD) programs, that seek to enhance faculty grant acquisition skills. Building on the scholarship, this work proposes a new comprehensive talent-centric evaluation model known as The Comprehensive Evaluation of Return-on-Talent-Investment Model (CERTi) (Aziz & Tran, 2022). An exhaustive review of existing measurement and evaluation methodologies of FRD program efficacy in the literature precedes the novel CERTi Model presentation.
The model combines multiple evaluation frameworks from varying scientific disciplines into a comprehensive approach to evaluation that advances theory on talent development at HEI. CERTI's holistic Macro-Micro assessment approach employs an overarching (Macro-level) adult-learner faculty-centric theoretical framework for this research while simultaneously incorporating (Micro-Level) qualitative, quantitative, and economic evaluations to assess FRD efforts at HEI jointly.
This dissertation presents a case study of an FRD program for grant acquisition to demonstrate the utility of the model and its application for practice and scholarship. The dissertation utilizes a sequential explanatory observational study design. The first article of the dissertation examined the program’s effectiveness (i.e., quantitative assessment), the second examined its’ implementation (i.e., qualitative assessment), and the third its’ return-on-investment (i.e., economic assessment). As HEI face an organizational environment characterized by state divestment, accountability demands, and requests for financial returns-on-investment, the CERTI approach is critical for efficacious assessments of talent development efforts at HEI.
... Faculty come to the learning environment with varying levels of pedagogical expertise. However, regardless of the faculty member's ability, high-quality professional development is also necessary to ensure current, research-based practices are being implemented (Herman, 2012;Pesce, 2015;Saroyan & Trigwell, 2015). From the organizational perspective, the primary role of professional development in higher education is to improve faculty performance in the classroom (Bonura, et al., 2012). ...
Coaching is increasingly being used in higher education as a mechanism to meet the individualized professional development needs of faculty. Faculty coaching has been associated with positive organizational and pedagogical outcomes. However, missing from the research is insight into why faculty choose to participate in coaching and how the coaching process addresses the faculty members' individual learning goals. To address these questions, an explanatory case study design was employed to focus on the bounded system of the coaching program within a Teaching and Learning Center of an online university. Data collection included faculty focus groups, responses to written, open-ended questionnaires from faculty coaches, and a review of the coaching registration database. An inductive analysis approach resulted in four themes, Affirmation of Current Practices, Expectations for the Coaching Experience, Reciprocal Institutional Relationships, and Teaching Support, and added to the body of knowledge about faculty coaching in online higher education.
... As emphasised in the literature, several professional development programs have been implemented such as dedicated workshops or seminars (Johnson 2015), online professional development programs (Herman 2012), as well as the establishment of Technical Support Offices (TSOs) or similar support-based mechanisms (Arslan, 2013). However, such professional development programs each have their own limitations as they provide generic professional development over a limited time, which thereby naturally cannot fully address faculty members' unique needs (Kurtts and Levin 2000). ...
The main purpose of this study was to examine a case in the context of a Faculty Technology Mentoring (FTM) program that provided customised technology integration support to faculty members in different disciplines. The FTM was implemented as a university-wide professional development model to enhance faculty members’ adoption of technology into their teaching practices. Following the embedded-case design method, this study investigated a one-to-one mentoring process within the program using TPACK as a framework for the analysis. The analysis of faculty experience revealed that the mentoring project had a positive influence not only on the teaching strategies of the instructor whilst delivering the content, but on the attitudes towards technology utilisation in general within the higher education context.
... Administrators can support faculty by providing release time and reduced class sizes for instructors to provide them with the time needed to participate in professional development opportunities. Other support can include incentives and recognition for quality teaching and/or course design (Herman, 2012;Martin, Wang, et al., 2019b;Palloff & Pratt, 2011). Some significant differences in responses were found based on personal characteristics such as prior online teaching experience and years of online teaching. ...
It was the purpose of the study to investigate the readiness of faculty members at two private universities in the United States to teach online when a pandemic caused a shift to emergency remote or online teaching. Results show that instructors were somewhat ready to accomplish tasks related to online teaching. Participating instructors reported they felt most competent with course communication and least competent with time management. Significant differences in responses were found based on online teaching experience prior to the pandemic and years of online teaching experience. Results show that instructors who had confidence in online teaching were more prepared for the task than those who were not confident. This study has implications for online instructors, support staff who provide professional development opportunities and training for instructors, and administrators who provide resources for faculty and staff to support quality online course and program offerings at their institutions.
... A future study could thus compare the fidelity of PBL between novice, emerging practitioners, and more seasoned teachers. This approach could have implications for targeted professional development, which is important for teacher training (Herman, 2012;Peterson & Scharber, 2018). ...
Teachers adapt their instructional strategies over time based on a variety of contextual constraints. In response to these challenges, teachers often have to make changes to their PBL approaches. While the literature has documented generally positive results of initial PBL implementations, less is known about the degree to which teachers adapt their usage of PBL over time. Some adaptations include a refined approach to teaching strategies, while others include significant diversions from the original PBL model. A better understanding of the changes teachers enact provides important insight as to fidelity and thus the expected learning outcomes of PBL. To address this gap, this research conducted semi-structured interviews with experienced K-12 educators who employed PBL over multiple years. In terms of preparing for PBL, themes that emerged from the interviews included more emphasis on reimagining the problem scope and design thinking. During classroom time, teachers described shifting perspectives in terms of the following: problem-solving skills over content knowledge, student control and teacher facilitation, and embracing failure. Relating to technology, teachers described more adoption trends towards collaborative tools, while also describing opportunities and challenges with digital literacy. Finally, teachers described strategic approaches to assessment in light of the ill-structured problems posed by PBL. Implications for practice and theory are discussed.
... Many higher education instructors who never taught an online course tend to have a negative opinion about online instruction because of the lack of professional development that supports online courses in their institutions (Herman, 2012). Some studies found that the teaching practice among disciplines was more generic than expected (Anderson & Barham, 2013). ...
Online learning has been developed in higher education offering a flexible environment for learners. Faculty knowledge is among the most important domains required to be updated in order to ensure a successful integration of instructional technology and online learning in higher education. This update can be performed by providing faculty training on how to use technology. However, this should be integrated with pedagogical knowledge, which is represented in the Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge framework (TPACK). This paper reviewed the literature to find how higher education institutions support online instructors with professional development programmes and, moreover, to discover how these programmes are shaped by the TPACK framework. The paper also summarises the effective online teaching practices based on the TPACK framework presented in the literature. Teaching online is a challenge and does not mean having to move traditional instructions and activities into the online platform, but this does mean a shift might require building a whole new material to ensure the quality of online teaching and learning. Reviewing the previous literature regarding the available professional development programmes increases the need to integrate online teaching competence as a main objective into teacher education and professional development programmes to follow up with the skills of the 21st century students. The framework includes three main domains of teachers’ knowledge: Content (CK), which is related to the subject matter and answers the question “what will be taught?” such as concepts, theories and terms; Pedagogy (PK), which refers to teaching strategies required for addressing the students’ learning needs; and Technology (TK), which refers to the variety of technologies and instructional materials used, such as learning management systems.
... These university-wide policies, which constitute the framework for online education, provide the appropriate guidance, standards and systems for the assessment of the quality of online education at the university. In fact, the university's 2017 online and multimode policy stipulation of mandatory training before moving into the online teaching environment is considered a best practice in online education with several authors including Marek (2009), Herman (2012, Baran et al. (2013), Cicco (2013), Baran and Correia (2014) and Frass et al. (2017) supporting its importance and contribution to quality in online education. ...
This article explores the status of quality assurance provisions, internal and external, for online education in the Anglophone Caribbean region and provides a comparative analysis of current global trends. The findings of that analysis show that there is a misalignment between the provisions of the external quality assurance agencies and needs of the online institutions, particularly in the region. However, it also highlights the existence of a regional framework policy for quality assurance of online programmes which, if implemented, could alleviate much of the disconnect between the national external quality assurance agencies and the online institutions. Finally, it suggests the need for greater harmonisation between the standards of the various national quality assurance agencies and alignment to regional and international quality assurance for online models.
... Mentorship was selected as the alternative, and for the institution it was a novel and experimental move because the standard practice at the time was to offer workshops for the professional development aspects. Mentorship was chosen as the workshop approach has been severely critiqued for being ineffective, especially the once-off approach (Herman, 2012;Ono & Ferreira, 2010). The focus of this article is on the mentoring component, namely, the pedagogical and content knowledge of MST teachers and its implications for teacher professional development. ...
This study explores the link between a mentorship program for in-service teachers and their professional development. The participants are under-qualified mathematics, science, and technology teachers employed in junior secondary schools. Using a mixed-method approach, data were collected through a questionnaire responded to by 163 mentees, and semi-structured interviews with 4 in-service teachers. Despite tensions between mentors and mentees, the results show a strong link between mentoring and the professional development of in-service teachers. The majority of the sampled teachers learnt new teaching approaches and improved their content knowledge. The findings are emergent, suggesting that experienced in-service teachers require different models of mentoring relationships between mentors and mentees to those suggested in the literature.
... Furthermore, it does not suffice to receive appropriate professional training before teaching online. To improve teachers' effectiveness, they need to receive support beyond initial training as well as professional development relevant to teaching a subject online using specific tools and technology (Derbel 2017;Herman 2012;Lao and Gonzales 2005). A lack of training and ongoing support around the technology can negatively impact teaching effectiveness; for example, teachers may run into timeconsuming and counterproductive issues related to technological problems. ...
Given the effects of natural and social crises that disrupt face-to-face education, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, many teachers have been forced to use online tools to provide their students with distance learning. Luckily, with expanding access to online learning technologies, this transition is more possible than it ever has been before. There are many considerations that schools and teachers need to consider when they redesign face-to-face instruction to meet the needs of distance or online learning. This chapter outlines some of the elements of the online learning environment that teachers must address in order to be successful, such as technical professional development, online resources for teacher collaboration, recognition of time and skill constraints, or the “new normal” for education during the coronavirus pandemic, and the role that teacher perceptions and beliefs around technology plays in the classroom.
... The university offers over 70 different fully online programs, many which are nationally ranked in their disciplines. In line with prior studies (Brinkley-Etzkorn, 2018;Elliott et al., 2015;Herman, 2012), faculty members at this institution commented on being dissatisfied with the current professional development opportunities for online instruction within the institution. In this design case, many of the university' PD opportunities were not on-demand, seen as irrelevant to the targeted audience, and perceived as boring. ...
Researchers in the field of Learning/Instructional Design and Technology have been engaged in productive scholarly endeavors at the intersection of Learning Design, User Experience, Human-Computer Interaction, and associated disciplines for some time. This edited volume captures the collective voices of authors working in this area. This book focuses on explicating the ontological and epistemological underpinnings of user-centered design and user experience as applied in the field of Learning/Instructional Design and Technology with the goal of foregrounding the importance of learner experience as an emerging design paradigm for the field. This volume is comprised of 15 chapters and organized into three parts: (1) Methods and Paradigms (5 chapters), (2) Conceptual and Design Frameworks (6 chapters), and (3) LX Design-in-practice (4 chapters). This volume serves as a contribution to an emerging, transdisciplinary, and complex phenomenon that requires multiple literacies. LX is not only concerned with the effectiveness of designed learning interventions, but also with the interconnected and interdependent relationship between the learner- (or the teacher-/instructor-) as-user, the designed technology, novel pedagogical techniques or instructional strategies, and the learning context. The diversity and breadth of perspectives presented herein serve as a topographical sketch of the emerging focus area of learner experience and represent an opportunity to build upon this work in the future.
... Institutions have various approaches to support faculty new to teaching online, ranging from highly structured to very informal types of training and support (Herman, 2012;Meyer, 2013;Meyer & Murrell, 2014). On one end, there are institutions that use a for-profit "enterprise" type of model where they centralize online course development and online teaching; at these institutions, among other things, faculty are often required to complete formal programs before teaching their first course online (Lowenthal & White, 2009). ...
There is an increased demand for online courses and programs. As a result, institutions are experimenting with different ways to train and support faculty to teach online. There is very little recent literature, though, describing the various ways that institutions actually train faculty to teach online. In this article, we report on the results of our inquiry into how institutions with large online programs train faculty to design online courses and teach online.
... For a high quality online education, institutions need to support faculty members with effective faculty development programs. There are faculty development programs in various formats that universities offer to support online faculty including structured in-service training programs, collaborative course design, online training programs, workshops, meetings, peer review programs, hybrid programs and mentoring programs (Herman, 2012). ...
... Studies have found that faculty report a preference for sessions that involve individual or small group settings, are less-time intensive and involve flexibility between online resources and in person support (Alexander et al. 2019;Georgina and Olson 2008;Seale 2014). Herman (2012) highlights that due to the seasonal cycles of an academic calendar, there is a differing work schedule and intensity for faculty than the rest of the personnel at higher education institutions. Further, some faculty have heavier teaching loads than others during a given semester. ...
Faculty members at Institutions of Higher Education have access to more technology than ever before and are teaching college and university students who use technology constantly in their personal lives. However, barriers still exist that limit how technology can enhance teaching at colleges and universities. This study examined the perspectives of faculty members, administrators, and technology support staff to examine the barriers and desired supports related to faculty members’ use of technology in their teaching. Findings indicated that the primary barriers were the amount of time needed to learn technologies and determine how to teach with them as well as the tension between focusing on teaching and other job responsibilities, including research. Desired supports included one-on-one, just-in-time support that was efficient and personalized to meet the needs of faculty members.
This paper investigates how Wedman & Graham’s performance pyramid model can be a valuable tool to strengthen partnerships between faculty and instructional designers in higher education. The performance pyramid provides a framework with three key performance support dimensions to evaluate needs and incorporate various contextual elements within personal, instructional, and organizational settings. Faculty development programs can adopt a more systematic approach to assessing needs and implementing instructional design within higher education institutions. The paper presents a practical guide based on the performance pyramid model, offering instructional designers proven methods and best practices for strategically conducting needs assessments and planning instructional design within faculty development efforts; it meanwhile provides stakeholders with valuable insights involved in policy-making and strategic planning for faculty development. The paper also explores the model’s constraints and proposes areas for further study.
Faculty professional development in international higher education institutions differs from such programs in secondary schools in that college faculty normally are required to add to the body of knowledge through published research. Depending on the distance from major higher education hubs in the US and UK, as well as the limited resources available, such faculty face more obstacles in trying to engage face-to-face with their colleagues from around the world. Generally, faculty development can take formal and often informal characteristics. The types of programs include theoretical programming, applied, and institutional. However, specific topics on college faculty development in addition to pedagogical, technological, and discipline-specific workshops, often include diversity training and adjunct faculty training. Increasingly international schools are adopting the model of Teaching and Learning Centers which are responsible for faculty development programs. Finally, international colleges often take advantage of regional consortia in order to share the costs of faculty professional development. The chapter outlines one international college’s PD program as an example.
Faculty development programs (FDPs) play a vital role in empowering educators and improving academia's dynamic realm. It is considered the lifeblood of many educational institutions as it helps to nurture the institution's growth and vitality. The present study examines the importance of faculty development programs in the accreditation of higher education institutions. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify the main factors that are needed in faculty development programs and how they impact the accreditation of institutions. Previously published studies that talked about the same were used for the study. Three main online databases were used for finding previously published papers: Scopus database, JSTOR, and Google Scholar. The search was without any time restriction to include a broad range of research. Study found that FDPs play a very important role in empowering educators to not only meet accreditation requirements but also to exceed them, thus ensuring that educational institutions remain at the forefront of educational excellence in the 21st century.
This chapter explores faculty development's role in online curriculum design for higher education. It highlights the importance of effective design in online learning and the challenges faced by instructors. It emphasizes pedagogical considerations, instructional design, and technological competencies to overcome these challenges. The chapter discusses how faculty development programs support instructors in designing dynamic curricula, exploring strategies for online learning and integrating technology tools. It also explores best practices in faculty development for online curriculum design, providing practical guidance for faculty and institutions. Overall, it emphasizes the significance of faculty development in creating dynamic online curricula and supporting effective online learning experiences.
Because of the increase of online learning on college campuses, some researchers primarily concern themselves with student perceptions to online learning (Jain, Jain, & Jain, 2011). Others are concerned with the changes they would consider beneficial through the instructor perspective (Lederman & Jaschik, 2013). Both groups want to determine the breakdown between the structure of online courses and student success. Therefore, attention needs to be turned to the academic leaders such as the coordinators, directors, and deans of distance learning.
Despite dramatic increase in online education and the benefits associated with this instructional pedagogy, many challenges exist with the design and delivery of online learning. Faculty play a critical role in the process of quality online education. Yet, development opportunities for faculty are too few, often lacking a comprehensive approach needed for faculty to function optimally in the online learning environment. The interconnection among pedagogy, technology, context, students, faculty, key decision makers, and administrators in higher education complicates the online teaching and learning processes. The purpose of this chapter is to address development issues related to faculty who teach online by embracing training and other critical developmental support needed to ensure success of online education. Various training and development frameworks and models are recommended as ways to prepare and support faculty to teach effectively online.
This study supports the significance of professional development for online instructors to design and develop online courses. Data collection from an e-survey of 100 instructors, a focus group, and review of online course syllabi revealed that instructors who teach fully online courses lack on-going university wide support for training in using the learning management system (LMS) to launch their courses, as well as knowledge of research-based pedagogies such as constructivism, to teach their courses. In particular, instructors want more training and support in order to teach effectively in an online environment. Results include the need for university wide training and support for online instructors, available centralized resources, software training for instructors, especially adjuncts, a course in online pedagogies such as constructivism, peer mentoring for instructors, formal and informal sharing opportunities, and support for the online students themselves.
Online learning is not something new. Since 1972, Ministry of Education (MOE) has established Educational Technology Division to encourage the usage of online learning. During movement control order, online learning has become the mainstream to provide teaching and learning services. As most industries are facing a complete shutdown of business operation, universities still able to continue providing services to their students. Online learning provides different experience to both lecturers and students from the classic classroom environment. Thus, this study attempts to discuss the faculty members' perception on providing online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. This conceptual paper aimed to contribute to the educational institutions in preparing better supports to the lecturers in delivering online learning.
With the spread of COVID-19 to Latin America, higher education institutions were forced to transition to emergency remote teaching in a short period of time, shaking the foundations of education around the region. Particularly, at our institution, emphasis had traditionally been placed on face-to-face education; therefore, our foreign language faculty lacked conceptual and practical knowledge of online course design and delivery. To support teachers through the transition, a professional development program (PD) was implemented. Therefore, this chapter explores what a group of Colombian professors learned as they moved out of their offline comfort zone and transitioned to online teaching through the application of an informal survey at two time points. Nine categories of teacher learning emerged from the survey and were grouped into three main themes: (1) technical aspects of online teaching, (2) development of a more “humane” view of teaching and learning, and (3) learning from others and about themselves. In sum, the crisis served as a stimulus for teachers to develop themselves as people and practitioners. It is hoped that this chapter may guide the PD of faculty around the world, bearing in mind that education will likely face other challenges in the future.
This chapter describes the professional development experience implemented at a Colombian university at the onset of COVID-19 to help alleviate concerns resulting from transforming face-to-face to emergency remote courses. After a review of the literature, we implemented a program for faculty that focused on three key points: (1) exploring the types of technology available for each modality and how to successfully integrate them into the teachers’ practice; (2) clarifying the concepts around each modality and how they are implemented; and (3) supporting educational and emotional needs to help faculty and their students during this time. Feedback from faculty was positive although some professors felt overwhelmed at the beginning of the process. In addition, many professors took active roles to help their colleagues promoting emergent learning communities. Future implications show that despite having institutional professional development to meet immediate needs in crisis situations, it also could be useful to tap into the knowledge and experiences of the institution’s faculty. Furthermore, continuing professional development for online teaching and learning is essential, thus allowing sufficient time for faculty to learn, adopt, and adapt to new technological tools.
As adult learners, faculty bring a range of experiences, content knowledge, and motivations with regard to the learning environment. With the continued growth of online enrollment, colleges and universities are focusing on learning theory, course design, and pedagogical shifts for teaching in today's classroom. Faculty development staff can use adult learning theories to guide the creation of alternative ways to deliver professional development. The authors highlight instructional design and program assessment as critical areas in supporting quality faculty development programs. This chapter will discuss trends in online education, adult learning theory research, the role of the instructional designer, and assessment of faculty development programs.
This chapter provides a description of five models for professional development (PD) for online instruction and analyzes each model according to domains of effective online instruction (i.e., faculty stance, student self-regulation, faculty support, authentic practice, engagement, community development, and cognitive demand). Additionally, a decision model is provided for K-12 and university administrators, teacher educators, and policymakers to guide strategic decision making in the determination of a model for PD best suited to the needs and resources of their institution.
Institutions of higher education are faced with the challenge of developing faculty who are ready, willing, and able to teach online. Standard approaches towards faculty develop-ment often miss the dynamic and complex relationship be-tween content, pedagogy, and technology. Our approach has faculty members and graduate students participate in a unique seminar where they work collaboratively to design online courses. We describe our "learning by design" ap-proach and present evidence of how this approach respects the realities and complexities of teaching online. We use evi-dence from multiple sources (interviews, surveys, observa-tions, and artifacts developed) to develop a model of online teaching that posits successful courses require the careful in-tegration of three components that coconstrain each other: content, pedagogy, and technology.
The study reported in this paper examined the types of professional-development activities, support systems, and organizational structures necessary for community college faculty to make transitions from traditional teaching to Web-based teaching. Results indicate that (a) instructional change can by initiated through sustained professional development; (b) change is more meaningful and effective when it occurs in context over a sustained period of time; (c) faculty can embrace innovations when supported by knowledgeable professionals and their peers; and (d) students welcome the use of Web-based components in course work. The implications for practice may be useful to those wishing to increase faculty's online instructional competence.
Purpose – This study was conducted to examine how proficiencies, motivation, and training impact the success of faculty development for web-based instruction (WBI) at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the USA. Design/methodology/approach – Data in this mixed-design exploratory study came from responses to an online questionnaire and follow-up interviews. Seven four-year public HBCUs that offered online curricula and provided faculty development opportunities in various forms such as workshops and seminars were examined. Findings – The results of the study indicated that faculty were proficient in basic technologies, but less proficient in more demanding technologies; provision of incentives such as time off to attend training was motivating for WBI participation; and faculty preferred individualized training and workshops. Research limitations/implications – Successful faculty development is as a complex process that involves several integrated components which should be viewed as an intentional, ongoing, and systemic process. Nonetheless, it plays an important role, particularly if programs are available to help faculty link effective delivery in their own teaching and research areas. Practical implications – Meaningful faculty development should be extendable to all instruction, whether in-class, web-based, or web-enhanced. Faculty development opportunities extending beyond the basic uses of technology and seeking connections between curriculum, pedagogy, technology, and administration to technology success is paramount. Originality/value – Feedback from this study can serve as a resource for decision-making about WBI projects. The results of the study should provide data and information that supports the technological mission of institutions.
This study's purpose was to examine the perceptions of Florida's full-time community college faculty members who teach by distance learning concerning the ten policy areas set forth by Berge and Muilenburg (2000). Focus group sessions indicated that faculty members felt certain barriers related to their online experiences. Faculty time and compensation, which deals with how much time faculty members spend and how much they are compensated, seemed to be the greatest barrier while access seemed to cause faculty members the least amount of concern. But factors such as training, size of the institutions, and complexity of the programs seemed to play a role in their perceptions.
Les avancees technologiques de la fin du XXe siecle dans le domaine informatique principalement ont permis d'offrir dans le champ de l'enseignement a distance de nouvelles possibilites. Malgre tout, dans un milieu en constante evolution, le potentiel reste largement inexplore. C'est justement cette inexperience dans l'exploitation pedagogique des ressources multiples de l'informatique et de l'Internet qui pose probleme aux concepteurs de programmes d'enseignement actuellement. Cet article propose dans une analyse comparative un releve des problemes poses par l'elaboration d'un programme d'enseignement traditionnel et ceux d'un programme en ligne.
Despite the proliferation of online education, concerns remain about the quality of online programmes. Quality assurance (QA) has become a prominent issue, not only for educational institutions and accreditors, but also for students and employers alike. This paper describes some of the rather unique QA processes used at Universitas 21 Global (U21G), one of the new breed of online academic institutions, and its relation to U21pedagogica, the independent agency that approves U21G’s programmes. These distinctive QA processes relate to five main areas, namely, content authoring, courseware development, adjunct faculty recruitment, pedagogy and delivery. The authors believe that these QA processes have contributed significantly to student satisfaction and student retention at U21G. Furthermore, these QA processes can also be adapted to suit more traditional ‘brick-and-mortar’ universities offering online programmes.
Adult education principles have impacted the approach used by many faculty development programmes. Underlying themes of immediacy of application, task centered opportunities to practice skills, and feedback on efforts are common to most popular approaches. Less common are instances where the need to know is initially communicated, or provision of opportunities to direct course content. Incorporation of sound adult educational principles into the design of faculty development programmes should enhance its reception by the faculty, and increase its value to the school.