Faculty Perceptions of Condensed Online Learning in Higher Education
In the past 10 years the realm of distance and online education has been expanding very fast. With the help of the Internet, it has cut the need for a student to be in the same space as the instructor in order to receive information and be assessed for learning. As more universities are using distance-learning platforms, faculty members are having issues adjusting and being successful. While the educational landscape continues to be reformed with technology in the United States, there are individuals and institutions that are engaging in distance learning to better serve a larger population of students. It is agreed that faculty support is necessary for a successful distance program and it is up to the administration to make this happen. One of their biggest suggestions is that instructors join and communicate in professional networks and organizations to continue to push the field forward. The purpose of this study is to explore faculty perceptions of online learning in condensed degree programs at a traditionally “brick and mortar” campuses. This research will seek to consider the context of online learning no longer being considered the exclusive right of ‘virtual universities’ and how faculty feel it will influence the future of higher education. Qualitative methods of data collection and analysis were used in this case study with interviews being conducted with each participant. Rogers’ (2003) Change Theory guided the interview questions. The findings of the study indicated that faculty member’s perceived online education to be valuable when used to help people that would otherwise not have the ability to receive an education. Also, they agreed that online education would continue to grow as more universities see its value in educating the masses and expanding their brand. Although this study is based on perceptions of current faculty members, the findings also provide data on ways to support faculty members in the online environment in the condensed format.
online learning, distance education, adult education, condensed courses
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