While this might be the reality for some instructors, online learning has given birth to a new kind of full-time adjunct professor. This “professional adjunct” has very often chosen a life that includes a variety of adjunct appointments with a number of institutions, managing this workload from a location of their choice.

Laurie A. Bedford, Ph.D., is an adjunct professor in the school of education at Capella University. In an article in the Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration titled “The Professional Adjunct: An Emerging Trend in Online Instruction,” she details results of her qualitative study of adjuncts who have chosen this path for themselves.

The growth of professional adjuncts

The reliance on professional adjuncts is born of simple demand. Bedford writes: “Expanding enrollment in online programs has concurrently created a demand for qualified faculty to assume the increasing workload. As tenured or full-time faculty have been unable to fulfill these roles due to workload or resistance, organizations are more frequently turning to adjuncts to meet the needs of their online learners. (Carnevale, 2004).”

This need for adjunct instruction has sparked a great deal of debate, much of it surrounding the quality of instruction delivered by these adjuncts. “Much of the dialogue has focused on the organizational structure of the institutions that rely on adjuncts as well as the ability of part-time employees to deliver high-quality instruction (Shakeshaft, 2002),” Bedford writes.

However, these debates often overlook a new class of instructor: the professional adjunct. Bedford explains: “These full-time part-timers, as described by Schnitzer & Crosby (2003), make up a portion of individuals who seek online, adjunct work and, according to Carnevale (2004), are finding that they can build a network of opportunities with an entrepreneurial spirit. They capitalize on the need for organizations to hire competent, part-time professors who have significant expertise in their discipline as well as the demonstrated skills necessary to successfully mentor online learners. They are also finding that they have negotiating power as organizations struggle to fill their teaching vacancies and full-time, tenured faculty resist. Furthermore, as more online programs emerge, adjuncts are not bound by scheduling or geography to fill their employment needs (Carnevale). They are finding that, as they build their competencies, they are situated to capitalize on a growing market for their skills that involves multiple opportunities for part-time positions with diverse organizations.”

Professional adjuncts respond
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Bedford conducted a qualitative study that sought to understand the perspectives and motivations of these professional adjuncts. Some of the most interesting findings include:

All of the adjuncts surveyed considered online positions to be their primary employment. One participant explained, “This makes sense because of the logistical challenges associated with teaching on multiple campuses.” Bedford also found that her respondents felt this arrangement better suited their own teaching style and work preferences, which might also include short-term consulting.

• Far from the stereotype of adjuncts eager for the pay, benefits, and stability of a traditional faculty appointment, Bedford found that many respondents thought of themselves as entrepreneurs who could design their own work. One respondent explained: “I am self-employed. That means I don’t get benefits. I understand that and that’s okay. Self-employed people can successfully plan for retirement, budget for vacations, and organize health insurance coverage through sources such as professional affiliations. I have been able to do that, too.” Another said, “Perhaps as adjuncts, we can redefine ourselves as entrepreneurs who can take charge of our own needs rather than plead with organizations for added benefits and more appropriate compensation. … This might mean seeking employment elsewhere.”
• Professional adjuncts reject the notion that they are less prepared than their full-time counterparts. “Some people believe that my part-time status somehow makes me less qualified. This I don’t understand. I have the same degree and much more experience in the online classroom than many of the full-timers,” said one respondent. Another maintained that a professional adjunct may be uniquely qualified to occupy these positions: “Since most of the faculty I know are more comfortable in traditional classrooms, I have found a niche for myself in the online world. I feel like I have the skills and the temperament better suited for online learning so when schools are in need of online faculty, I am a good fit.”
• Most respondents included reasons such as flexibility and ability to work from home as motivations for choosing to become a professional adjunct, but only a few took this to the extreme of noting the benefits of working in one’s pajamas. “I wish they would stop with the ‘teach in your pajamas’ crap,” one adjunct commented. “Who cares what you’re wearing. It’s about serving students and my discipline. This kind of garbage gets in the way of the advancement of all online teachers.”
• Finally, professional adjuncts identified the ability to determine their own scholarly engagement as a benefit. These adjuncts did not want to avoid scholarly involvement, but rather celebrated their independence as scholars. “I engage in all of the scholarly activities that I would if I was vying for a tenure role—research, publishing, service, etc. The only difference is that I engage in the activities that I enjoy and interest me with no pressure from an organization to find something that will benefit them,” one said.

Overall, the professional adjunct appears to be a permanent faculty type that universities will need to work with. Bedford concludes that institutions should “acknowledge the full-time professional adjunct as a legitimate career path. In this way, efforts can be made to understand the characteristics associated with those professional adjuncts that can bring quality, rigor, and unique expertise to the instructional staff….Rather than consider all adjuncts a homogenous group, they need to be seen as entrepreneurial consultants in command of their own work environment and professional growth. Through this perspective, they can be seen as collaborative partners in the educational process and be treated as unique individuals with diverse needs and assets.”

Reference: Bedford, L., (2009) The Professional Adjunct: An Emerging Trend in Online Instruction. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, v12 n3.

Excerpted from Understanding the Professional Online Adjunct. Distance Education Report, 14.1 (2010): 3, 6.

So what does this mean for distance education administrators? It means you need to make your program stand out, and you can do that by providing the training and support online faculty need to be effective in their positions, to feel connected to the institution, and to grow professionally. In the end, a stable roster of skilled and happy educators will not only save you money, but will result in a better learning experience for your students.

During the seminar, 10 Ways to Support Adjunct Faculty in Small Online Programs, Jeanne Widen, PhD,chair of the English Department at Ellis University, outlined how Ellis is able to establish a strong connection with the approximately 265 online adjuncts it employs.

The first step is a comprehensive training program which is conducted online over a two-week period with the expectation that new faculty spend about 10 hours per week taking part in the training. The orientation is led by an experienced facilitator and covers Learning Management System functionality, policies (including institution-wide policies on things like academic integrity and policies where instructors can use their discretion, such as whether to accept late work), expectations and evaluation criteria, online pedagogy and best practices, and institutional values.

Once new faculty complete the initial training, they are assigned to a mentor who will interact with them via phone and email throughout their first few courses. In some cases the mentor is the department chair. The mentor also observes their classes and provides detailed feedback, and conducts the performance evaluation.

“I think performance evaluation can be optimized to support online faculty and to establish that strong connection you want,” said Dr. Widen. “You should use it as an opportunity to get to know the individual instructor and make it as personal as possible instead of treating it as some impersonal process. You can focus on the strengths and contributions and recognize them formally. To make the evaluation a constructive process, you should try to make it formative rather punitive, meaning you should give concrete goals and suggestions for how an instructor can improve performance instead of simply pointing out where the instructor fell short.”

Many of the other practices Ellis University uses to train and retain its online adjuncts involve providing low-cost incentives and rewards, such as giving exemplary instructors their choice of specific courses, $100 gift cards, and recognition in departmental emails and on the Center for Teaching and Learning website. The university also works to integrate online adjuncts into the teaching community by including members on the faculty senate and its various committees, creating an online discussion space for sharing best practices as well as institutional information, supporting their professional development through conferences and webinars, and involving adjuncts in curriculum review and revision.

Whether one views this as “an alarming trend or necessary change to an unstable tenure system, American colleges and universities will increasingly rely on adjunct faculty to teach courses, face-to-face and online,” says Dana Offerman, PhD., provost and chief academic officer at Excelsior College.

Last week Offerman led an online seminar titled Engagement Strategies for Online Adjuncts in which she shared policies and procedures used to foster a deeper connection between adjuncts and the institution where they teach. Similar to the widely accepted beliefs regarding student engagement, the best practices help create a framework for a successful and sustainable online teaching experience.

Some of the best practices Offerman shared for engaging online adjuncts include:

Mandatory orientation – Regardless of previous face-to-face or online teaching experience, Offerman recommends institutions require all new online adjuncts to participate in a structured orientation program facilitated by an experienced online instructor.

Expectations and standards – Be sure to establish and communicate clear expectations of what you require of your online adjuncts. For example, how often must the adjunct be “present” in his or her online class? (Be sure to define what you mean by “present.”) Also, let them know how you will be evaluating their practices and be prepared to provide faculty development activities to address any deficiencies.

Recognition – There are many small things you can do to recognize and reward outstanding adjuncts, including an awards program, mention in the department newsletter, and an invitation to a graduation ceremony or other campus event. If possible, offer your best adjuncts a multi-year contract or, instead of paying adjuncts a flat-rate, create a salary scale that rewards seniority and performance.

Professional development – As budgets tighten, professional development is often one of the first things on the chopping block, but Offerman says there are many low-budget ways to keep your adjuncts current on the latest teaching strategies —starting with leveraging the expertise of other faculty through a mentor program. She also recommends conducting an annual needs assessment to learn which skills adjuncts are most interested in developing.

Governance – As the number of adjuncts continues to increase, many are starting to wonder what their role can and should be in institutional decision-making. While acknowledging it’s a sensitive issue, Offerman recommends starting small by getting adjuncts involved on ad hoc committees or advisory councils.

References
National Center for Education Statistics, “2004 National Study of Postsecondary Faculty (NSOPF:04),” http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2005/2005172.pdf (Accessed February 17, 2010).

Offerman, Dana. “Adjunct Faculty in Online Education: Expectations, Accountability and Quality Assurance.” Distance Education Report, vol. 14, no. 4, 5-7.

Engagement Strategies for Online Adjuncts

When it comes to faculty engagement, you face a “double whammy” with online adjuncts. They’re online…which means they’re not necessarily tied physically to the campus. And they’re adjuncts…operating outside many of the institutional processes and policies that define your relationship with full-time faculty. And yet, online adjuncts are an important part of your team; their success impacts institutional success.

What can you do to better integrate your online adjuncts into the campus community, improve communication, and keep them engaged and committed?

In Engagement Strategies for Online Adjuncts, Dana Offerman, Ph.D., provost and chief academic officer at Excelsior College, provides best practices and a solid strategic framework for dealing with online adjuncts.

In this 75-minute audio presentation, she discusses:

• Trends and concerns regarding the use of online adjuncts.
• The importance of adjunct engagement to academic quality.
• The value of mandatory orientation programs, and what to include.
• How to engage adjuncts in institutional decision-making.
• How to craft policies and plans for adjunct professional development.
• How to communicate expectations regarding workload and performance.
• And much more.

If adjunct faculty are a part of your distance-education strategy, this is a presentation you really shouldn’t miss!

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This seminar is intended for:

• Department chairs
• Faculty development directors/coordinators
• Provosts
• Chief academic officers
• Vice presidents for academic affairs
• Deans

Learn how to bring online adjuncts into the fold, and fully integrate them into your campus community with a copy of this informative seminar!

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Q: How do you create a bond to the institution with part-time adjuncts who are at remote locations?

Hardy: There are several ways to connect with remote adjuncts. Consistent and effective communication is one of the key aspects in creating and maintaining this bond. Providing an online community where adjuncts can connect with those at the institution, as well as with each other, is one method of building that relationship. Additionally, offering live events, such as webinars and chats, where adjuncts can actively participate and interact with staff and other faculty, is another great approach to bridging the long-distance relationship.

Hardy: Adjuncts provide an enormous service to institutions, particularly when course demand is beyond what the current faculty load can handle. It is therefore crucial to ensure that these adjuncts have the support necessary to be productive members of the team.

There are many aspects to creating an adjunct support program that do not require additional funds, just time and creativity. Once you are able to implement some of these programs and are able to show positive outcomes, you will have a good basis for requesting administrative support for a program.

Q: How can you tell when your adjuncts are running low on energy and inspiration?

Hardy: There are a number of ways that you can be “in tune” with your adjuncts, even though you may not be able to see them on a daily basis. For instance, if you find a lack of responsiveness on their part, or an increased number of student complaints, you may find that there is a breakdown in communication, perhaps due to a lack of enthusiasm or feeling of connectedness. Additionally, encouraging discussion through an online community can be a proactive mechanism to finding out how they are feeling, what kinds of support they might need, and areas with which they are struggling.

For more information on training and supporting online adjuncts, check out Hardy’s online seminar presented last fall, and now available on CD. Learn more.

Training and Supporting Online Adjuncts: Practical Ideas

As the number of online courses continues to grow at a steady pace, quality online adjuncts are in short supply. Even if you’re lucky enough to find them, and get them properly trained, you’re still not out of the woods. Defections are common as online adjuncts report feeling disconnected from the campus community they serve, and there’s always competition from others schools who may offer a better pay rate.

Growing your online course catalog takes much more than simply making sure all the technical requirements and pedagogical issues have been addressed. One of the most critical needs – and one that seems to be lagging in terms of leadership support – is locking down a stable roster of qualified online adjuncts that you can count on each semester. But when you don’t see them on a daily basis, how can you develop an outstanding online adjunct faculty, and encourage them to stay loyal to your institution?

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If your campus is struggling to keep online adjuncts happy and engaged, you won’t want to miss Training and Supporting Adjuncts: Practical Ideas. Presented by Dr. Kimberly Hardy, Florida Community College at Jacksonville, this seminar shows how to successfully compete for good adjunct talent, how to train and support adjuncts effectively, and how to retain them for your institution.

Drawing from the success of the online adjunct program at FCCJ, this seminar will provide you with details on a wealth of initiatives you can undertake at your institution, including:

• Creating an online mentoring program
• Helping adjuncts with development and preparation of courses
• Ensuring adequate technical assistance
• Developing a robust communication platform of information, tools and forums
• Building a technical and emotional support network
• Connecting offsite adjuncts to the campus
• Establishing professional development opportunities

Training and Supporting Adjuncts: Practical Ideas is an essential learning opportunity for anyone faced with a tight and competitive market for adjuncts. In 60 fast-paced minutes, you get no-nonsense strategies for integrating online adjuncts into your campus community, including small, inexpensive steps that will make a big difference when it comes to training, supporting and retaining online adjuncts.

Who will benefit from this seminar:

• Academic deans
• Directors
• Program managers of distance learning programs
• Technical staff
• Department chairs
• Faculty development professionals

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At Florida Community College at Jacksonville (FCCJ), the key to retaining quality online adjuncts is a comprehensive support program that has grown to keep pace with the school’s web-based offerings. With more than 300 part-time adjuncts in 38 different states, it is critical to make these online instructors feel they are as much a part of the team as regular, full-time faculty, says Dr. Kimberly Hardy, dean of instruction and student success at FCCJ.

In the recent seminar Training and Supporting Online Adjuncts: Practical Ideas, Hardy, outlined the strategies the school uses to support its online adjunct faculty members and help them succeed.

The FCCJ program features a network of support that includes components in four major areas: building communities, professional development, communication, and social and technical support.

1. Online Communities: Each new online adjunct is required to attend orientation. Hosted in Blackboard, the orientation includes modules on a variety of topics ranging from course policies and procedures to syllabus information and other resources. There’s also a virtual community with active discussion forums on specific disciplines, such as social sciences, math and business, as well as broader issues such as proctoring tests and online pedagogy.

2. Professional Development, Training and Certification: FCCJ offers a number of professional development opportunities that are free to all faculty and staff, including full- and part-time adjuncts. Further, completion of the Online Professor Certificate Program earns the instructors an honorarium of $500 and a pay-per-course increase.

3. Proactive and Consistent Communication: To keep adjuncts connected and inspired, FCCJ relies heavily on its communities in Blackboard but also sends regular communiqués on accomplishments, announcements and other relevant information, and conducts live webinars and podcasts that provide adjuncts with the opportunity to ask questions.

4. Social and Technical Support: An online mentoring program supports new online adjuncts in their first year. These peer mentors serve as liaisons between the adjuncts and the distance learning office, while providing both technical and emotional support.

Although the FCCJ program is well-established and quite robust, Hardy notes many of the components outlined here can be created with small, inexpensive steps that will make a big difference when it comes to training, supporting and retaining online adjuncts.

“We have to keep in mind that our adjuncts are teaching not only for us, but for other institutions as well,” Hardy says. “So, we’re in competition with other colleges. Colleges who oftentimes can pay them more than we can, especially if they’re teaching for for-profit institutions or some private colleges that do have good pay rates. So, we have to come up with other ways of retaining our adjuncts rather than compensation, and really be creative in our support that we provide, because that can have a big impact on retaining good, quality instructors.”