Exploring Support Structures for Online Adjunct Faculty听
By Rheanna Reed, DM.听 and Jennifer Carriere, Ph.D.
Project team members: Laura Pipoly, Ed.D.鈥, Anthony M. Bennett, DM听
Introduction
Online adjunct faculty play a pivotal role in the higher education system as a primary support for student learning outcomes. As the higher education industry continues to change and evolve, so do the innate pressures online adjunct faculty face. Online adjunct faculty may face uncertainty stemming from a lack of support, resources, and skills, creating an unfavorable environment for students鈥 success (Butters & Gann, 2022; Gelman et al., 2022). With听student success as a pivotal outcome, how can online adjunct faculty be supported throughout their lifecycle?听听
To address the question we conducted a study as a follow up to our 2023 study,听Online Adjunct Faculty Burnout | 澳门天天彩开奖记录 with the Center for Educational and Instructional Technology听 Research Center.听Last year, the university was studied quantitatively to determine the burnout levels among online adjunct faculty, a prevalent issue in many higher education institutions. The research was necessary because 鈥淏urnout and organizational cynicism may be significant concerns based on the commitments and obligations of practitioner faculty. Adjunct faculty must be engaged to ensure students' academic success and institutional effectiveness to build collegiality and meaningful connections鈥 (Reed & Carriere, 2023, para. 4). Their research found that the average burnout levels in the university are much lower than those of other post-secondary teachers and recommended that further research be done to understand why. That is precisely what we did this year.听听
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Online Adjunct Faculty Support Cycle鈥
The management of online adjunct faculty can best be viewed as a cycle of support provided throughout the lifecycle from recruitment to separation. As faculty progress through each life cycle step, varying levels and types of support may be available. The framework provided by the Communities of Practice (CoP) theory permits understanding听the significance of collaboration, support, and sharing knowledge within and between those who share common interests, goals, and expertise (Wenger-Trayner & Wenger-Trayner, 2015). The application of CoP cannot be understated because it becomes the foundation for support, trust, training, mentorship, and collaboration (Wenger-Trayner & Wenger-Trayner, 2015).听听
Our Study at the Center for Educational and Instructional Technology Research
A deeper understanding of the support lifecycle and the support structures for online adjunct faculty may contribute to institutional and student success (Kelley & Kilburn, 2023; Purdum & Evans, 2024).听This university has a highly engaged faculty. So, this qualitative exploratory case study aimed to understand the connection between adjunct faculty, the university staff, and the policies and procedures that contributed to such an engaged group of online adjunct faculty.听
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Research Questions
What are online adjunct faculty鈥檚 perceptions of the support practices provided through the faculty support lifecycle?听
What are the college leaders鈥 perceptions of online adjunct faculty support throughout the faculty support lifecycle?听
What are the support services departments' perceptions of the support practices throughout the faculty support lifecycle?听
What processes and policies are used for online adjunct faculty support throughout the faculty support lifecycle?
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Method
An鈥痚xploratory case study鈥痺as employed to investigate the experiences and practices within an online higher education institution. Using a case study allowed for an in-depth exploration of the online adjunct faculty lifecycle and the support structures that support it. Previous studies have focused on challenges adjunct instructors face, such as burnout, high course loads coupled with long work hours, increased student numbers, excessive administrative work, lack of training, high level of competition in academics, role ambiguity, and lack of wellness promoting activities in higher education the purpose of the aim for this research was to better understand the support structures for online adjunct based on faculty perceptions and the efforts of the university (Reed et al., 2023; Hyatt, 2022; Hegney et al., 2021; de Ara煤jo et al., 2020; Strasser, 2019; Mula-Falc贸n, 2022).听听
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Data Collection
Open-ended surveys were distributed to 158 Online Adjunct Faculty onboarded in the last 5 years, 63 College Leaders, 40 Curriculum personnel, and 32 faculty engagement department personnel. Response rates were impressive; 10% of the online adjunct faculty, 37% of the college leaders, 28% of the faculty engagement personnel, and 10% of the curriculum personnel responded. Participants received questionnaires designed to capture their experiences with the faculty lifecycle. A detailed review of existing policies and procedures was evaluated and triangulated with the survey responses from each perspective.听The results are preliminary but have some clear themes already identified.
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Preliminary Results and Discussion
The Holistic Faculty Support and Development听theme contained code definitions highlighting the comprehensive support structure necessary for online adjunct faculty, encompassing effective coaching, supportive performance evaluations, professional development opportunities, and听community and belonging. Primary takeaways from excerpts included acknowledgment of online faculty support throughout the lifecycle, the value of mentorship, the need for technological understanding, and the inherent merit of supportive supervisors and staff.听
A deep understanding of the lifecycle of an online adjunct faculty is an essential framework to consider when trying to understand the support mechanisms in place. Knowing that this university鈥檚 primary goal is to provide a high-quality education that connects to the student鈥檚 career is crucial. Faculty are sought out for their subject matter ability and experience, not their classroom facilitation skills. Indeed, the university invests much in training these practitioners on the facilitation skills that successfully engage students, provide helpful feedback, create a community within the classroom, and help the students meet the learning objectives.听听
A thorough review of the open-ended surveys and university policies and procedures resulted in a deeper understanding of the university鈥檚 support structures related to each phase of the lifecycle. The support structures that a faculty experiences are based on what phase the faculty member is in the lifecycle, with听more directive support and training being offered earlier in the lifecycle while more focus on autonomy and professional development as the faculty becomes more practiced in the role. Respect for the faculty perspective is听apparent within all processes and procedures. The university values the faculty perspective on issues, process improvements, curriculum development, and assessment. Faculty improvement coaching or guidance emphasizes the relationship with the faculty supervisor and balances academic freedom and adherence to faculty requirements.
Underneath the support structures that actively support faculty are other areas like the Center for Teaching and Learning, which partners with colleges and faculty subject matter experts to develop, maintain, and improve curricula for all offered classes. The university invests heavily in providing high-quality and relevant curricula to the faculty, who are experts in their content areas and are encouraged to enhance the curriculum by sharing their practitioner knowledge and expertise with students.听 Other support structures include听the Faculty Engagement Department's policies, procedures, and personnel. The university's immense scale means that colleges and faculty supervisors depend on these departments to help them effectively support faculty.听
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Recommendations
Due to the increasing reliance on online adjunct faculty, higher education institutions must find ways to provide support that meets the needs of the faculty and inspires engaged interactions with students and quality outcomes (Gelman et al., 2022). Online adjunct instructors may need help with the necessary skills to deliver effective online education confidently and inconsistently receive the required preparation and development in impactful teaching practices, which can result in adverse student outcomes (Butters & Gann, 2022). The rapid increase in online education offerings resulting in the increased use of online adjunct faculty requires understanding the best practices of established online higher education institutions.听
The Recommendations for Comprehensive Support and Development for Online Adjunct Faculty theme contained codes that collectively highlight the multifaceted needs and recommendations for enhancing the experience and effectiveness of online adjunct faculty. This includes technological improvements, adequate compensation, effective communication strategies, better course preparation resources, and professional development. Additionally, structured mentorship and onboarding processes, targeted training for underperforming faculty, improved support for student accommodations, and balanced performance reviews are crucial for fostering a supportive and engaging teaching environment for online adjunct faculty.听
Higher education institutions that wish to balance high-quality course facilitation with keen and insightful practitioner knowledge may find the support structures observed at this university helpful. Indeed, a balance between academic freedom and quality assurance procedures supported by staff provides faculty with a matrix of resources, support, and guidance. This results in high faculty engagement, improved student outcomes, and adherence to the university's mission and vision.听The team will continue evaluating the data and publish the results in a peer-reviewed journal in the coming months.
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References
Butters, D., & Gann, C. (2022). Towards professionalism in higher education: An exploratory case study of struggles and needs of online adjunct professors. Online Learning, 26(3), 259鈥273. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v26i3.2801鈥
de Ara煤jo Leite, T. I., Costa Fernandes, J. P., da Costa Ara煤jo, F. L., de Brito Fernandes Pereira, X., de Azevedo, D. M., & Souza Lucena, E. E. (2020). Prevalence and factors associated with burnout among university professors.鈥Revista Brasileira de Medicina Do Trabalho: Publicacao Oficial Da Associacao Nacional de Medicina Do Trabalho-ANAMT,鈥17(2), 170鈥179. https://doi.org/10.5327/Z1679443520190385鈥
Gelman, C., Gandel, J., & Bausman, M. (2022). A multi-faceted, adjunct-centered initiative to support part-time faculty. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 42(1), 82鈥99. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2021.201300鈥
Hegney, D., Tsai, L., Craigie, M., Crawford, C., Jay, S., & Rees, C. (2021). Experiences of university employees of the impact of mindful self-care and resiliency program on their well-being.鈥疕igher Education Research and Development,鈥40(3), 524鈥537.鈥
Hyatt, K. (2022). Stressors in higher education that lead to burnout and solutions to avoid it.鈥疛ournal of Business & Educational Leadership,鈥12(1), 110鈥125.鈥
Kelley, S., & Kilburn, M. (2023). Adjunct faculty satisfaction with online teaching.鈥疩uarterly Review of Distance Education,鈥24(3), 31鈥42.听听
Mula-Falc贸n, J., Cruz-Gonz谩lez, C., & Lucena, C. (2022). Burnout syndrome in university teachers: A review of the literature.鈥疘nternational Journal of Educational Organization & Leadership,鈥29(2), 33鈥46. https://doi.org/10.18848/2329-1656/CGP/v29i02/33-46鈥
Purdum, A.B. & Evans, A.L. (2024). Impacts of need and culture in higher education. International Journal on Social and Education Sciences (IJonSES), 6(1), 164-173. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijonses.646听听
Reed, R., Carriere, J., (2023, December 20). Online adjunct faculty burnout.听CEITR Research Center.听/research/news/2023/online-adjunct-faculty-burnout0.html
Reed, R., Carriere, J., & Pipoly, L. (2023). KWB: Abstracts: Burnout, cynicism, and performance: A correlational examination of adjunct online instructors at a private higher education institution. Phoenix Scholar, 6, (7).鈥
Strasser, T. (2019). An analysis of online adjunct faculty perspectives of institutional support at Do帽a Ana Community College. 18F156D9737DD790 http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/37916/1/1127_Strasser_Dissertation_1024_AS.pdf鈥
Wenger, E., McDermott, R., & Snyder, W. M. (2002). Cultivating communities of practice: A guide to managing knowledge. Harvard Business Review, 80(1), 139鈥146.听听
Wenger-Trayner, E., & Wenger-Trayner, B. (2015). Introduction to communities of practice: A brief overview of the concept and its uses. Journal of Learning for Development, 2(3), 9鈥19.听
Rheanna Reed, D.M.
ABOUT THE AUTHORs
Dr. Reed, a CEITR research center fellow, has been in the higher education industry since 2006, has been an associate faculty member since 2014, and earned her Doctor of Management and Organizational Leadership in 2019. Dr. Reed holds the Faculty Quality Assurance Manager position at the 澳门天天彩开奖记录. In this role, she provides leadership and guidance to Faculty Quality Assurance Specialists and partners with college leaders to uphold high-quality instructional practices based on institutional and industry research. She aims to inspire effective teaching methods that support student success and enhance program quality.
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Jennifer Carriere, Ph.D.
Jennifer Carriere earned a Ph.D. in Industrial Organizational Psychology and conducted her doctoral research on Psychological Capital (PsyCap) and its effect on adjunct faculty. Through her research, Jennifer developed an interest in the power of resilience and how it can be leveraged to lead a more productive and content life by helping people use resilience to overcome obstacles and live more successfully. Based on this direction, Jennifer is currently enrolled in the Master of Science in Counseling program and is actively engaged as an employee of the university as well as faculty in the College of Doctoral Studies.
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Laura Pipoly, Ed.D.听听
Laura Pipoly earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in psychology from Hiram College. She then received a master鈥檚 degree in school and community counseling from Youngstown State University and holds a doctorate from Nova Southeastern University in special education, instructional听technology, and distance education.听 Laura enjoys research and publication opportunities and has co-authored the book Meeting the Challenge of Bipolar Disorder: Recovery, Remission, and Prevention. She has presented at the national level. She is a faculty member at the 澳门天天彩开奖记录 in the College of General Studies.
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Anthony M. Bennett, D.M.听听
Anthony Michael Bennett, DM, is an adjunct professor at the 澳门天天彩开奖记录 in the United States, where he earned his Doctor of Management degree. Dr. Bennett has also received a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from Troy University in the United States. His 32-year career in federal government includes experience in construction, real property, facility management, government contracting, public affairs, and information management. He has 23 years of experience in homeowner association governance and has served as President, Treasurer, and Secretary in his local homeowner association. He is a member of local civic associations and has extensive experience in local planning, environment, land use, and public transportation.
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