An Exploration of Adjunct Faculty Experiences: An IPA study
Format Type
Plenary
Format Type
Paper
Start Date
12-1-2021 4:50 PM
End Date
12-1-2021 5:10 PM
Abstract
Adjunct faculty represent the fastest growing segment of the academic workforce. As such, the support of adjunct faculty is critical to both adjunct faculty satisfaction and the successful achievement of student learning outcomes. Yet, institutions often struggle when it comes to knowing how to best support this growing and diverse component of the academic workforce. This study, using IPA methodology, investigated the experiences of eight adjunct faculty members at a small, private, nonprofit university in New England to understand their perceptions of their role at their institution and their identified needs in regards to support and development. This presentation will present the results of this study and offer several easily-implemented strategies for improving the experience of, and better supporting, an institution’s adjunct faculty workforce. Strategies emphasize the importance of cultivating “small” relationships and how those relationships can positively impact adjunct faculty development, satisfaction, and effectiveness.
Keywords
adjunct faculty, faculty support, higher education, interpretative phenomenological analysis
An Exploration of Adjunct Faculty Experiences: An IPA study
Adjunct faculty represent the fastest growing segment of the academic workforce. As such, the support of adjunct faculty is critical to both adjunct faculty satisfaction and the successful achievement of student learning outcomes. Yet, institutions often struggle when it comes to knowing how to best support this growing and diverse component of the academic workforce. This study, using IPA methodology, investigated the experiences of eight adjunct faculty members at a small, private, nonprofit university in New England to understand their perceptions of their role at their institution and their identified needs in regards to support and development. This presentation will present the results of this study and offer several easily-implemented strategies for improving the experience of, and better supporting, an institution’s adjunct faculty workforce. Strategies emphasize the importance of cultivating “small” relationships and how those relationships can positively impact adjunct faculty development, satisfaction, and effectiveness.