A qualitative embedded single-case study exploring how adjunct faculty create a community of inquiry experience in online graduate programs.

Higher education institutions continuously rely on adjunct faculty members (Guthrie et al., 2019). A subset of adjuncts who primarily teach online report challenges with student motivation and engagement (Bolliger & Martin, 2018). Additionally, adjunct faculty members are often working professionals with limited time, energy, and resources to devote to andragogical principles (Brennan & Magness, 2018; Mueller et al., 2013). The purpose of this embedded single-case study was to explore and describe how online adjunct faculty create a community of inquiry. Limited research has focused on online adjunct faculty and their ability to develop a community of inquiry with their adult students. This embedded single-case study provided dual perspectives of online community members. I applied the Community of Inquiry framework (Garrison et al., 1999) to examine social, cognitive, and teaching presence at one small Midwestern graduate university. This embedded single-case study approach had two sets of participants: Five online adjunct faculty members and 40 of their students. They provided in-depth descriptions of their experiences as members of their online learning communities. The online adjunct faculty participated in semi-structured interviews, and their students submitted responses to an online Qualtrics questionnaire. The data were triangulated with documentation submitted by the faculty participants. Online adjunct faculty who create a community of inquiry are more equipped to engage with their diverse students. Three themes emerged from this research: online communities of inquiry members need to feel psychologically safe; content must be professionally and culturally relevant; and communication and relationship building are the building blocks to thriving, healthy online learning communities. Because online adjunct faculty are geographically dispersed, many need the opportunity to network and build connections with their peers and colleagues. The implications of this study reveal increased professional development programs and the need to build community with online adjunct faculty within their respective universities. The findings inform university administrators and faculty development program facilitators about online engagement between students and their adjunct faculty members. The findings of this study add to the literature about engagement strategies used to create and support a community of inquiry.

Author dc:creator

• Williams, India, 1986-

Contributors dc:contributor

• Pratt, Sarah Smitherman.

• Adjunct.
• Faculty.
• Online education.
• Professional development.
• Part-time faculty.
• Contingent faculty.
• Community of inquiry.
• Faculty engagement.

Statement dc:rights

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Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/2104/13188

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:tdl-ir.tdl.org:2104/13188