Abstract
Online adjunct faculty encounter a unique set of stressors compared to traditional face-to-face faculty. This chapter provides a history of concerns raised by online faculty and one of the author's experiences in mentoring them. It also centers on a two-part study intended to identify the most prominent stressors perceived by online adjunct faculty. Part 1 consisted of individual in-depth interviews with online adjunct faculty members. The results were then applied to create a 30-item rating survey of the importance of identified stressors. The items clustered into five factors perceived as most stressful: student readiness, student communications, administrator communications, teaching load, and teaching expectations. The chapter then identified implications for administrators, including recommendations for practical application to create maximally effective and minimally stressful teaching environments for online faculty.
TopStatement Of The Problem
Our research study was initially motivated by concerns we heard from online adjunct faculty members regarding terse communications from their supervisors. Such communications of “call me” or “get back to me” without detail created additional stress for some faculty members due to inevitable delays in connecting with their supervisors. Phone tag and email response delays caused confusion and frustration. “What have I done? Is there something wrong?” In the online employment setting it is not as simple as walking down the hall to your supervisor’s office to find out what they want. Instead, the logistics of connecting invariably cause delays, further exacerbating the stress for online adjunct faculty.
Additional stressors for online adjunct faculty include the following:
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The contingent status of online adjunct faculty. No tenure means heightened concerns about keeping one’s job and staying employed. Contracts for classes may be issued at the last minute, but they can also be retracted shortly before time to set up the course. This instability can be challenging.
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Increased competition for online teaching jobs. An increasing number of people entering the gig economy for adjunct teaching has resulted in as many as 200 applicants for positions. While the gig economy can be an asset for adjunct faculty who work at multiple schools, the instability and unpredictability can be a stressor (Nelson, Monson, &Adibifar, 2020). The high number of people looking for jobs can result in adjunct faculty feeling disposable, particularly when the university does not reinforce the sense of community and the importance of online faculty.
The teaching environment in higher education has changed and as more schools are competing for students. This focus on the student as consumer places additional demands on faculty members. The increased competition among schools and programs and the emphasis on the percentage of students who get a D or an F, or withdraw, or request an incomplete (commonly referred to as DFWI rates), effectually places the faculty member in more of a customer service agent than that of an educator (Sallustio, 2019). This is added pressure, since faculty members understand their future contracts are contingent on student satisfaction. Faculty may find themselves with little support with a disruptive student.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Online Learning Readiness: Requires a stable connection to the internet and adequate security to protect the confidentiality of the classroom. Students pursuing online learning should have sufficient time management skills so that they can meet the required deadlines, and should be able to work collaboratively in an asynchronous environment.
Online Communication: Is the interaction between two or more people via digital messages, email, video recordings, Zoom or other teleconference platforms, or social media. Communication in the online learning environment generally occurs via a learning management system, emails, or video conferencing.
Online Education: Education that occurs in a virtual classroom through online courses using digital resources.
Technology Skills: Refers to the faculty and the student’s ability to navigate and communicate through the appropriate learning management system via the learning management system and email.
Stress: Is a situational response that can be physical, mental, or emotional, and occurs usually in response to a situation that is challenging or threatening. While a certain amount of stress is normal, chronic stress can manifest itself in physical symptoms and mental health issues.