How to Train and Maintain Your Distant Faculty

August 14, 2009

By: Christopher Hill in Distance Learning Administration

When online instructors work off-campus, as many often do, it can pose unique challenges. The lack of contact with colleagues and the institution can lead to isolation, and drifting out of the main currents of technological and pedagogical innovation.

What’s more, distance faculty may not be aware of the degree of presence they need to have in a course, and may effectively just “sit them out,” rather than provide appropriate levels of input to the course. Isolated teachers can also find that they have missed opportunities for professional advancement, not being surrounded by colleagues and associates who can train them in the pedagogical application of new technologies. The missed professional development opportunities may eventually frustrate them, interfere with their career development, and cause them to leave the institution.

Technology also can create challenges. That’s why at Canada’s online Athabasca University, the faculty are shown that there is a pedagogical grounding for the use of the new technology, and it’s not just technology for technology’s sake. A survey of faculty there revealed that faculty weren’t very interested in new technology but if it increased their effectiveness as instructors they would make the effort to attend training sessions. The lesson seems to be that to keep faculty up to date you have to focus on the pedagogy, and why the technology supports more effective pedagogy.

According to the survey, faculty said some of the biggest obstacles to teaching online are: