Assessing Faculty Readiness Assessing Faculty Readiness for Online Teaching: for Online Teaching:

An Attractive Approach An Attractive Approach

John SenerJohn SenerSener Learning ServicesSener Learning Services

1212thth Annual Sloan-C Int’l Conference Annual Sloan-C Int’l ConferenceOrlando, FL, November 9, 2006Orlando, FL, November 9, 2006

Presentation ObjectivesPresentation Objectives

Understand a conceptual framework for Understand a conceptual framework for attracting faculty to online teachingattracting faculty to online teaching

Review an attractive approach to assessing Review an attractive approach to assessing faculty readiness for online teachingfaculty readiness for online teaching

Become familiar with recent relevant research Become familiar with recent relevant research on faculty attitudes toward online teachingon faculty attitudes toward online teaching

Discuss possible applications for the proposed Discuss possible applications for the proposed attractive approach attractive approach

What’s the Big Idea?What’s the Big Idea?

Use faculty readiness assessment to Use faculty readiness assessment to attract faculty to online teaching attract faculty to online teaching

Assessing Online Readiness: Assessing Online Readiness: The Glut and the VoidThe Glut and the Void

"Is Online Learning for Me?""Is Online Learning for Me?" – ~19,900 Google hits [11/6/06]~19,900 Google hits [11/6/06]– 100s of readiness assessment surveys100s of readiness assessment surveys

“Is Online Teaching for Me?”“Is Online Teaching for Me?”– 66 hits [11/6/06]; only 1 survey66 hits [11/6/06]; only 1 survey– Only one survey (Onlinelearning.net)Only one survey (Onlinelearning.net)– Fine as far as it goes, but…Fine as far as it goes, but…

The Onlinelearning.net Survey as The Onlinelearning.net Survey as Faculty Readiness AssessmentFaculty Readiness Assessment

Is Online Teaching for Me?Is Online Teaching for Me?TMTM Self-evaluation QuizSelf-evaluation QuizCategories:Categories:– Computer skills assessmentComputer skills assessment– Experience, qualifications in OL environmentExperience, qualifications in OL environment– Attitudes toward OL teaching & learningAttitudes toward OL teaching & learning– Teaching styles, habits needed to teach OLTeaching styles, habits needed to teach OL– Training and commitmentTraining and commitment

Onlinelearning.net Survey: Onlinelearning.net Survey: Sample QuestionsSample Questions

2. Are you willing to upgrade your computer equipment 2. Are you willing to upgrade your computer equipment and/or purchase new software if needed? and/or purchase new software if needed? 10. Have you used online quizzes, a discussion board 10. Have you used online quizzes, a discussion board or chat room as part of your teaching? or chat room as part of your teaching? 13. Do you believe that lecturing is the best method for 13. Do you believe that lecturing is the best method for delivering education in your field? delivering education in your field? 19. Are you able to create schedules for yourself and 19. Are you able to create schedules for yourself and stick to them? stick to them? 24. Are you willing to spend time rethinking and 24. Are you willing to spend time rethinking and redesigning your teaching materials to fit the redesigning your teaching materials to fit the needs of the online environment?needs of the online environment?

[= all stick and no carrot][= all stick and no carrot]

An alternative: What If…An alternative: What If…

……a faculty readiness survey was a faculty readiness survey was designed to designed to attractattract faculty instead, faculty instead, …w/questions like:…w/questions like:

Does this aspect of online teaching Does this aspect of online teaching interest you? interest you? Would doing x, y, or z sound Would doing x, y, or z sound attractive to you?attractive to you?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------How does this idea sound to you?How does this idea sound to you?What would such a survey look like?What would such a survey look like?

What the Research Says:What the Research Says:Motivating Factors for ParticipantsMotivating Factors for ParticipantsMeeting student needs, providing accessMeeting student needs, providing access

Flexibility Flexibility

Better interaction/learningBetter interaction/learning

Personal motivation to use technologyPersonal motivation to use technology

Release timeRelease time

Monetary support (> salary, stipends, et al.)Monetary support (> salary, stipends, et al.)

Recognition of workRecognition of work

Credit toward tenure and promotionCredit toward tenure and promotion

Opportunity to use technology innovatively, enhance course quality; Opportunity to use technology innovatively, enhance course quality; develop new ideasdevelop new ideas

Consistent with belief systemConsistent with belief system

What the Research Says:What the Research Says:Inhibiting FactorsInhibiting Factors

Concern about workloadConcern about workload

Lack of technical supportLack of technical support

Lack of training provided by institutionLack of training provided by institution

Lack of release time/compensationLack of release time/compensation

Lack of grants for materials/expensesLack of grants for materials/expenses

Concern about quality of courses [non-parts]Concern about quality of courses [non-parts]

ComplexityComplexity

Participants Participants ≠≠ Non-participants Non-participants

What the Research Doesn’t SayWhat the Research Doesn’t Say

A consistent patternA consistent pattern– Key factors vary by 2/4-yr, experience, FT/PT*Key factors vary by 2/4-yr, experience, FT/PT*

Have factors changed over time? How?Have factors changed over time? How?– Maguire (2005): lit review, but all pre-2003Maguire (2005): lit review, but all pre-2003– *Hiltz, Dziuban and Shea 2006; Shea and Li in press: *Hiltz, Dziuban and Shea 2006; Shea and Li in press: – E.g.: tech support? E.g.: tech support?

Much about Much about prospective participantsprospective participantsParticipants Participants ≠≠ Prospective participants Prospective participantsNon-participants Non-participants ≠≠ Prospective participants Prospective participantsVery little research on Very little research on prospective participantsprospective participants

From Skeptical to Satisfied: From Skeptical to Satisfied: A(n Informal) Research StudyA(n Informal) Research Study

Target audience:Target audience:– Initially skepticalInitially skeptical– Tried it anywayTried it anyway– Now ‘converted’ to advocatesNow ‘converted’ to advocates

Contacted ~15-20 online facultyContacted ~15-20 online faculty

Small sample (n=10), ‘ethnographic’ studySmall sample (n=10), ‘ethnographic’ study

EdPathEdPath article (Sener 2005) article (Sener 2005)

Results of “Skeptical to Satisfied”: Results of “Skeptical to Satisfied”: Towards an Attractive ApproachTowards an Attractive Approach

Intrinsic (‘Individual’) Motivational Intrinsic (‘Individual’) Motivational FactorsFactors – Desire for flexibilityDesire for flexibility– Desire for convenienceDesire for convenience– Desire to become a better teacherDesire to become a better teacher– Desire to provide a good experience for Desire to provide a good experience for

studentsstudents– Desire for changeDesire for change– Interest in reaching new audiencesInterest in reaching new audiences

An Attractive Approach: An Attractive Approach: Other Possible FactorsOther Possible Factors

Extrinsic (“Organizational”) Motivational Extrinsic (“Organizational”) Motivational FactorsFactors (informed by Herzberg) (informed by Herzberg)– Tenure and promotionTenure and promotion– Desire to increase enrollment/revenueDesire to increase enrollment/revenue– Desire to maintain enrollment/revenueDesire to maintain enrollment/revenue– Material incentives for developing online Material incentives for developing online

courses/programscourses/programs– Professional developmentProfessional development– Emergency preparednessEmergency preparedness– Become more productive in doing one’s jobBecome more productive in doing one’s job– Supportive administrationSupportive administration– Supportive supervisorsSupportive supervisors

Toward an Attractive Approach: Toward an Attractive Approach: Underlying Strategies  Underlying Strategies 

Help them find their attractors – find Help them find their attractors – find out what they want to doout what they want to do

Help them figure out how OL will Help them figure out how OL will help them do what they want to dohelp them do what they want to do

Identify concerns and address themIdentify concerns and address them

Add sweeteners as necessaryAdd sweeteners as necessary

Toward an Attractive Approach: Toward an Attractive Approach: Sample Survey Question  Sample Survey Question 

Having more flexibility in my teaching schedule appeals to Having more flexibility in my teaching schedule appeals to me. me. If yes, why? (Check all that apply)If yes, why? (Check all that apply)

______ It allows me to pursue personal interests that are not It allows me to pursue personal interests that are not work-related.work-related.

______ I like having more flexibility to decide when I do my I like having more flexibility to decide when I do my work.work.

______ It enables me to accommodate other life needs (child It enables me to accommodate other life needs (child care, other family needs, etc.). care, other family needs, etc.).

______ It gives me more free time for other professional It gives me more free time for other professional activities (attending conferences, consulting, etc.)activities (attending conferences, consulting, etc.)

______ Other (specify)Other (specify) ______________________________ ______________________________

Toward an Attractive Approach: Toward an Attractive Approach: Other Possible Survey Questions Other Possible Survey Questions Having a more convenient way to teach would be Having a more convenient way to teach would be important to me.important to me.

I’m interested in becoming a better teacher.I’m interested in becoming a better teacher.

I’m interested in providing a better learning I’m interested in providing a better learning experience for students.experience for students.

I’m ready for a change of pace in my teaching I’m ready for a change of pace in my teaching career – something new.career – something new.

Actively facilitating online courses appeals to me, Actively facilitating online courses appeals to me, but I have some concerns about it.but I have some concerns about it.

[same format: If yes, how? + choices][same format: If yes, how? + choices]

Discussion  Discussion 

Reaction: ?s, comments, +/-, opptys./threats Reaction: ?s, comments, +/-, opptys./threats – Does the proposed approach have value IYO?Does the proposed approach have value IYO?

Share your examples of attractive assessment Share your examples of attractive assessment

What would help you/your What would help you/your institution/organization implement this institution/organization implement this approach?approach?– Question bankQuestion bank– Customized surveys?Customized surveys?– Case studies?Case studies?– Other resources/services/products?Other resources/services/products?

    Contact InfoContact Info

jsener@senerlearning.comjsener@senerlearning.com

240-461-2841 [mobile]240-461-2841 [mobile]

www.senerlearning.comwww.senerlearning.com [website to be re- [website to be re-developed w/resources “soon”]developed w/resources “soon”]