Date of Award
2003
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Programs for Higher Education
Advisor
Christine Sorenson
Committee Member
Soledad Argüelles
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Committee Member
Maryellen Maher
Keywords
adjunct online instructors, Blackboard, course management software, faculty development, feedback, gradebook, higher education, inservice teacher training, instructional technology, online courses, online faculty, online instruction, online pedagogy, self-reported needs, staff development, student feedback, technical skills, web based instruction, web based training, workshops
Abstract
This applied dissertation examined the inservice needs of adjunct online instructors in higher education, and offered training based on their self-reported needs and interests. One of the goals was to have the participants learn ways to improve their feedback to students. Another goal was to investigate the interest in staff development of online faculty. Online instructors often have an initial training course or workshop before beginning to teach online. Although this may teach the basics, enough to allow them to manage, it usually does not cover the finer points of the course management system, nor does it cover much pedagogy of online instruction.
Three workshops addressing online pedagogy, use of Blackboard course management software, and technical skills in online instruction were developed and delivered to online faculty. Some of the results indicated that instructors needed to learn much more about the technology and course management software (Blackboard); many were not aware of or did not know how to use advanced features such as the Gradebook. Instructors who mastered the technology were more interested in discussing pedagogical issues. All training participants agreed that online instructors need ongoing staff development, and 100% believed the training helped them to be better online instructors.