From Classrooms to Keyboards: Teaching Psychology in an Online University

Liz Clark, PhD, Adjunct Faculty, Graduate Psychology - ChairEdward Cumella, PhD, Full-Time Faculty, Graduate Psychology

Alison Humphreys, MS, Adjunct Faculty, Undergraduate PsychologyNicole Bertke, MS, Assistant Chair, Undergraduate Psychology

Presentation slides available now at:kappsych.wordpress.com

From Classrooms to KeyboardsLiz Clark, PhDKaplan University

The Big Picture

Broad Accessibility in Underserved Areas

• 20% Military

• 40% Racial/Ethnic Minorities

• High %age in Rural Areas

• Invitations For Those With Special Needs

From Classroom to KeyboardEdward Cumella, PhDKaplan University

Mentoring Students Electronically: Theses and Dissertations in an Online

Psychology Graduate Program

From Classroom to KeyboardEdward Cumella, PhDKaplan University

Mentoring Research

Mentoring research is not simply an offshoot of being a researcher. It is an

area of professional practice in itself with an evidence basis and best practices.

7 Steps

Confidence Building

Accompanying

Sowing

Catalyzing

SHOWING

HARVESTING

Professional Identity formation

Confidence BuildingAssessing student’s confidence level, building

realistic confidence

•Challenge: Newness

•Resolutions:

– Assessment: Excited, confused, overwhelmed, overconfident

– Connection

– Assurance

– Valuing

– Organization

Accompanying

Making a commitment to each other

•Challenge: Roles/Boundaries

•Resolution: Mentor controls the boundaries

Sowing

Preparing the learner before s/he is ready to change

•Challenge: No context for understanding

•Resolution: Repetition with increasing detail

Catalyzing

Change reaches critical level of pressure, learning escalates

•Challenge: Unexpected obstacles

•Solution: Outreach & problem solving

Example

• Correlation Matrix – “It’s 162 pages!”

Showing

Making understandable by visual or verbal example

•Challenge: Teaching statistics & APA tables

•Solution: Adobe Connect

Harvesting

Creating awareness of what was learned

•Challenge: Lack of context

•Resolution: Professional connections

Professional Identity Formation

Subtle transition from teacher to colleague

•Challenge: Lack of face to face contact

•Solution: Shifting language & interaction style

ADVANTAGES OF ONLINE RESEARCH MENTORING

• The world is our apple!

• Research relevant to local communities but still generalizable– Hearing the voices of people who don’t

often get to share their views– Inspirational to local groups

• Leveraging free resources and energy around the nation

THE FUTURE OF PSYCHOLOGY EDUCATION: REFLECTIONS

Broader penetration of psychology into under-represented populations

– 20% military– 40% racial/ethnic minorities– Large % live in rural areas– Many students with chronic illness and

disabilities

Resources

Abdallah, F., Hillerich, K., Romero, V., Topp, E. A., & Wnuk, K. (2010). Supervision of a master’s thesis:Analysis and guidelines. Retrieved from

https://www.lth.se/fileadmin/lth/genombrottet/konferens2010/42_Abdallah_etal.pdf

Brew, A., & Peseta, T. (2004). Changing postgraduate supervision practice. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 41, 5-22.

Murray, R. (2002). How to write a thesis. Buckingham, England: Open University Press.

Scarborough, J. L., Bernard, J. M., Morse, R. E. (2006). Boundary considerations between doctoral students and master's students. Counseling and Values, 51, 53-65.

Trafford, V. N. & Leshem, S. (2002). Starting at the end to undertake doctoral research: Predictable questions as stepping stones. Higher Education Review, 35, 31-49.

Wisker, G. (2012). The good supervisor: Supervising postgraduate and undergraduate research for doctoral theses and dissertations. New York: NY: Palgrave Macmillan.

Zuber-Skerritt, O. (2002). Supervising postgraduate students from non-English-speaking backgrounds. Buckingham, England: Open University Press.

From Classrooms to KeyboardsAlison Humphreys, MSKaplan University

The Benefits, Challenges, and Opportunities of Teaching

Psychology Online: The Adjunct Perspective

Why the Adjunct Perspective is Important

• Almost ¾ of undergraduate courses in the United States are taught by part-time or contingent faculty (American Federation of Teachers, 2010)

• Adjunct faculty members account for almost half of all faculty (American Association of University Professors, 2014)

Benefits of Being an Online Adjunct Instructor

• Same benefits as all adjuncts:

– Avoid politics

– Different Expectations

• Additional benefits:

– Standardized classes

– Flexibility

Challenges of Being an Online Adjunct Instructor

Some challenges all adjuncts face:

– No guarantee of work– Unsteady work load– No set salary/benefits – Salary and/or course load limits– No tenure– Not always consulted

Additional Challenges

– Professional isolation - not as many opportunities for personal connections with supervisors and colleagues

– Have to be mindful that - not everyone will understand the tone of e-mails and posts in Discussion Boards… use humor carefully

– Many online adjuncts - teach at multiple schools and/or have other jobs

Professional Isolation

• Attend online faculty meetings

• Volunteer for positions and opportunities outside of the classroom

• Reach out to colleagues and supervisors

Best Practices in Online Teaching• Check e-mail often

• Load professional photo• Post permanent announcements to the

course• Post weekly announcements• Regularly (daily if possible) go into classroom• Provide asynchronous seminars• Post grades in a timely manner • Provide specific, personalized, positive, and

constructive feedback in the Gradebook

Time Management

• Organization

• Efficient use of time

• Development and execution of an effective schedule

• Planned separation of professional and personal time

Making The Online Classroom Work

Relate to students personally Similar experiences

Time Management Manage personal and professional

obligations

From Classrooms to KeyboardsLiz Clark, PhD - ChairEdward Cumella, PhDAlison Humphreys, MSNicole Bertke, MSKaplan University

The Meeting

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYu_bGbZiiQ

From Classrooms to KeyboardsNicole Bertke, MSKaplan University

What Administrators Need to Know About Managing Faculty in an On-

Line Setting

Challenges

• Nature of discipline

• University culture – mission, goals, values

• Employee selection

• Required infrastructure and resources

(Greer & Payne, 2014; Monochehri & Pinkerton, 2003)

Challenges

• Legal considerations

• Managerial control

• Mentoring

• Monitoring and performance measurement

(Greer & Payne, 2014; Kurland & Bailey, 1999; Monochehri & Pinkerton, 2003)

Challenges

Employee isolation and communication

– Concerns over fairness– Anxiety over job security– Promotion potential– Influences on job satisfaction and

turnover

(Dahlstrom, 2013; Monochehri & Pinkerton, 2003)

Challenges

Employee isolation and communication– Interdependence of teamwork

– Informal information sharing or “in-place career development” and synergy

– Missed face-to-face contact and non-verbal cues

Dahlstrom, 2013; Greer & Payne, 2014; ; Kurland & Bailey, 1999; Monochehri & Pinkerton, 2003; Young, 1991)

Overcoming the Challenges: Monitoring and Performance Measurement

• Hiring suitable employees

• Training, mentoring, and support

• Clear expectations, goals for performance, coaching & feedback

(Schraeder & Jordan, 2011; Young, 1991)

Overcoming the Challenges: Monitoring and Performance

MeasurementMonitoring

– Random classroom visits

– Classroom visits (daily, weekly, or EOT reports)

Performance appraisals

– Regular meetings

– Employee engagement/empowerment

(Schraeder & Jordan, 2011; Young, 1991)

Overcoming the Challenges: Monitoring and Performance Measurement

Relationship-oriented behaviors versus task oriented behaviors

• Support, communication, and trust

• Responsiveness, thoroughness, and communicating to maintain connectedness

(Dahlstrom, 2013; Kowalski & Swanson, 2005; Timmerman & Scott, 2006)

Overcoming the Challenges: Employee Isolation and Communication

• Use advanced technologies

– Google chat or other IM options

– Google Hangout, Skype, Adobe Connect

– Community web pages (SharePoint, Google sites, Facebook, Google Community, etc.)

• Phone calls

(Greer & Payne, 2014)

Overcoming the Challenges: Employee Isolation and Communication

• Be accessible

• Semi-structured temporal boundaries

• Encourage collaboration and information sharing

• Regular meetings and updates

(Greer & Payne, 2014)

Overcoming the Challenges: Employee Isolation and Communication

• Recognizing and sharing personal and professional accomplishments/milestones

• Promoting and sharing best practices

• Brainstorm sessions

ResourcesDahlstrom, D.R. (2013). Telecommuting and leadership style. Public Personnel Management,42, 3, 438-451.

Greer, T.W. & Payne, S.C. (2014). Overcoming telework challenges: Outcomes of successful telework strategies. The Psychologist-Manager Journal, 17 (2), 87-111.

Kowalski, K., & Swanson, J. (2005). Critical success factors in developing teleworking programs. Benchmarking, 12, 236-259.

Kurkland, N. B., & Bailey, D. E. (1999). Telework: The advantages and challenges of working here, there, anywhere, and anytime. Organizational Dynamics, 28, 53– 68.

Manochehri, G., & Pinkerton, T. (2003). Managing telecommuters: Opportunities and challenges. American Business Review, 21, 9-16.

Schraeder, M. & Jordan, M. (2011). Managing performance: A practical perspective on managing employee performance. The Journal for Quality & Participation, 34 (2), 4-10.

Timmerman, E., & Scott, C. (2006). Virtually working: Communicative and structural predictors of media use and key outcomes in virtual work teams. Communication Monographs, 73, 108-136.

Young, J. (1991). The advantages of telecommuting. Management Review, 80 (7), 19-21.

Contact Information

Liz Clark, PhD lizclark@kaplan.edu

Edward Cumella, PhD ecumella@kaplan.edu

Alison Humphreys, MS ahumphreys@kaplan.edu

Nicole Bertke, MS nbertke@kaplan.edu

Presentation Slides Available Now At:

kappsych.wordpress.com