Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Nuanced Perspectives about Online Teaching: Mid-Career and Senior Faculty Voices Reflecting on Academic Work in the Digital Age

  • Published:
Innovative Higher Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Students’ demand for online learning continues. At the same time, results of multiple studies from the early 2000s through the present day point to a set of common concerns that may explain faculty members’ hesitation and resistance to online teaching. However, less is known about how faculty members experience online teaching, especially the “essential elements” of work that the literature shows relate to positive workplace outcomes. Essential elements of work, as defined by Gappa, Austin, and Trice (2007) include flexibility and balance, academic freedom and autonomy, professional relationships, and professional growth. Findings from interviews with 19 faculty members showed that online teaching simultaneously enabled and frustrated faculty’s experiences of the “essential elements.” We recommend ways in which administrators can address these frustrations and highlight the positive aspects of online teaching.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allen, I.E., & Seaman, J. (2011). Going the distance: Online education in the United States. Retrieved from Babson Survey Research Group at http://www.onlinelearningsurvey.com/reports/goingthedistance.pdf

  • Allen, I.E., & Seaman, J. (2012). Conflicted: Faculty and online education. Retrieved from Babson Survey Research Group at https://www.insidehighered.com/sites/default/server_files/files/IHE-BSRG-Conflict.pdf

  • Allen, I.E., & Seaman, J. (2013). Changing course: Ten years of tracking online education in the United States. Retrieved from Babson Survey Research Group at http://www.onlinelearningsurvey.com/reports/changingcourse.pdf

  • Allen, I.E., Seaman, J., Poulin, R., & Straut, T.T. (2016). Online report card—Tracking online education in the United States. Retrieved from Babson Survey Research Group and Quahog Research Group at https://onlinelearningsurvey.com/reports/onlinereportcard.pdf

  • Austin, A. E. (2010). Supporting faculty members across their careers. In K. J. Gillespie & D. L. Robertson (Eds.), A guide to faculty development (pp. 363–378). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bacow, L. S., Bowen, W. G., Guthrie, K. M., Lack, K. A., & Long, M. P. (2012). Barriers to adoption of online learning systems in US higher education. New York, NY: Ithaka.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bailey, C. J., & Card, K. A. (2009). Effective pedagogical practices for online teaching: Perception of experienced instructors. The Internet and Higher Education, 12(3-4), 152–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2009.08.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Betts, K. S. (2014). Factors influencing faculty participation & retention in online & blended education. Online Journal of Distance Education Administration, 17, 1–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Betts, K. S., & Sikorski, B. (2008). Financial bottom line: Estimating the cost of faculty/adjunct turnover and attrition for online programs. Online Journal of Distance Education Administration, 11, 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolliger, D. U., & Wasilik, O. (2009). Factors influencing faculty satisfaction with online teaching and learning in higher education. Distance Education, 30(1), 103–116. https://doi.org/10.1080/01587910902845949

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, D. D. (2011). Contingent and tenured/tenure-track faculty: Motivations and incentives to teach distance education courses. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 14(3):1–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen, B. (2009). Barriers to adoption of technology mediated distance education in higher education institutions. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 10, 333–338.

    Google Scholar 

  • Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gappa, J. M., Austin, A. E., & Trice, A. G. (2007). Rethinking faculty work: Higher education's strategic imperative. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glass, C. (2012). Professing on the screen: The subjective dimensions of professors’ experiences learning to teach digitally-mediated courses. (Unpublished dissertation). Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI.

  • Glesne, C. (2010). Becoming qualitative researchers (4th ed.). White Plains, NY: Longman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Green, T., Alejandro, J., & Brown, A. H. (2009). The retention of experienced faculty in online distance education programs: Understanding factors that impact their involvement. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 10(3), 1–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heijstra, T. M., & Rafnsdottir, G. L. (2010). The internet and academics’ workload and work–family balance. The Internet and Higher Education, 13(3), 158–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2010.03.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hixon, E. (2008). Team-based online course development: A case study of collaboration models. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 11(4), 1–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hunt, H. D., Davies, K., Richardson, D., Hammock, G., Akins, M., & Russ, L. (2014). It is (more) about the students: Faculty motivations and concerns regarding teaching online. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 17(2), 62–71.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaschik, S., & Lederman, D. (2013). The 2013 Inside Higher Ed survey of faculty attitudes on technology. Inside higher education. Retrieved from https://www.insidehighered.com/news/survey/survey-faculty-attitudes-technology

  • Jaschik, S., & Lederman, D. (2016). The 2016 Inside Higher Ed survey of faculty attitudes on technology. Inside higher education. Retrieved from https://www.insidehighered.com/booklet/2016-survey-faculty-attitudes-technology

  • Keengwe, J., & Kidd, T. T. (2010). Towards best practices in online learning and teaching in higher education. MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 6, 533–541.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lloyd, S. A., Byrne, M. M., & McCoy, T. S. (2012). Faculty-perceived barriers of online education. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 8(1), 1–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maguire, L. L. (2005). Literature review–faculty participation in online distance education: Barriers and motivators. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 8, 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Major, C. H. (2010). Do virtual professors dream of electric students? University faculty experiences with online distance education. Teachers College Record, 112, 2154–2208.

    Google Scholar 

  • McQuiggan, C. A. (2012). Faculty development for online teaching as a catalyst for change. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 16, 27–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, K. A. (2012). The influence of online teaching on faculty productivity. Innovative Higher Education, 37, 37–52. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-011-9183-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, K. A., & Murrell, V. (2014). A national study of training content and activities for faculty development for online teaching. Online Learning, 18(1), 3–18. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v18i1.355

    Google Scholar 

  • Moskal, P., Dziuban, C., & Hartman, J. (2013). Blended learning: A dangerous idea? The Internet and Higher Education, 18, 15–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2012.12.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O'Meara, K., Terosky, A. L., & Neumann, A. (2008). Faculty careers and work lives: A professional growth perspective. ASHE Higher Education Report, 34(3). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

  • Oomen-Early, J., & Murphy, L. (2009). Self-actualization and e-learning: A qualitative investigation of university faculty’s perceived barriers to effective online instruction. International Journal on E-Learning, 8, 223–240.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orr, R., Williams, M. R., & Pennington, K. (2009). Institutional efforts to support faculty in online teaching. Innovative Higher Education, 34, 257–268. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-009-9111-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schuster, J. H., & Finkelstein, M. J. (2006). The American faculty: The restructuring of academic work and careers. Baltimore, MD: John Hopkins University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shea, P. (2007). Bridges and barriers to teaching online college courses: A study of experienced online faculty in thirty-six colleges. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 11, 73–128.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shih, M., & Sorcinelli, M. D. (2007). Technology as a catalyst for senior faculty development. The Journal of Faculty Development, 21, 23–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simpson, C. M. (2010). Examining the relationship between institutional mission and faculty reward for teaching via distance. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 13(1). http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/detail?accno=EJ877535

  • Tabata, L. N., & Johnsrud, L. K. (2008). The impact of faculty attitudes toward technology, distance education, and innovation. Research in Higher Education, 49(7), 625–646. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-008-9094-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turkle, S. (2012). Alone together: Why we expect more from technology and less from each other. New York, NY: Basic books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Windes, D. L., & Lesht, F. L. (2014). The effects of online teaching experience and institution type on faculty perceptions of teaching online. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 17 (1). https://www.learntechlib.org/p/155627

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty Center for Ignatian Pedagogy, Loyola University, Chicago, IL, USA

    Jessica Mansbach

  2. Michigan State University College of Education, East Lansing, MI, USA

    Ann E. Austin

Authors
  1. Jessica Mansbach
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ann E. Austin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jessica Mansbach.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Mansbach, J., Austin, A.E. Nuanced Perspectives about Online Teaching: Mid-Career and Senior Faculty Voices Reflecting on Academic Work in the Digital Age. Innov High Educ 43, 257–272 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-018-9424-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-018-9424-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation