Abstract
As higher education institutions increasingly rely on adjunct faculty, this chapter delves into their role and explores how institutions can better support and develop these adjuncts. Often working part-time and teaching at multiple institutions, adjunct faculty typically lack formal preparation in instructional strategies or best practices. This chapter proposes an alternative approach to faculty onboarding, one that focuses on providing professional development in adult learning theory, instructional best practices, and time management strategies. By implementing an onboarding program at a large online university, responsive professional development has effectively supported adjunct faculty in the current academic climate. This program serves as a replicable model for faculty support and development, addressing the pressing need to provide substantial support to part-time faculty members who are likely to teach a significant portion of students at an institution.
TopIntroduction
It was the first day of fall, a season Alex usually associated with fresh starts and getting organized. Alex sat at the small desk in the corner of her living room, staring blankly at her laptop screen. The semester had just begun, but she was already overwhelmed. Alex taught as an adjunct professor at several online universities and colleges, never knowing when or if she would be invited to teach again. Because of this, she hesitated to decline courses, fearful that a school would not ask her next year or that they would not offer the classes she typically taught in the spring semester. Like most falls, she had been offered more courses than she was comfortable teaching this year, but there were never enough courses to fill her schedule in the spring. Last month, a small college where she often taught offered her a last-minute course. The department chair was a long-time colleague, and the college paid twice as much as some other schools. Alex found it difficult to say no, even though she had already committed to teaching more courses than she should have this semester. Ultimately, she accepted 11 courses between August and January. Now, her inbox was full of “getting started” emails, and she felt a little lost.
Her real name is not Alex, but her story is true. And for those who serve as adjunct faculty members, it is not all that uncommon, though perhaps on a smaller scale for most instructors. This story represents the collective experience of contemporary adjunct faculty members in a gig economy. This gig economy has evolved slowly but steadily from various factors in the academic marketplace over the last half a century. As the definition of a college student has expanded since the turn of the millennia, especially in the online environment (EDUCAUSE, 2020), so has the conception of a typical faculty member. The ratio of adjunct faculty to full-time faculty has risen steadily since the 1970s, signaling an industry-wide shift from full-time, tenured faculty to contracted adjunct faculty (Danaei, 2019). According to Bickerstaff et al. (2018), most adjunct faculty teach at multiple institutions and still fall below poverty-level earnings. These adjunct faculty are often dedicated professionals committed to their students and instructional practice (Bickerstaff et al., 2018). As contract workers juggling multiple contracts, however, adjunct faculty are less likely to have a thorough knowledge of a specific institution's policies, processes, mission, and culture. Despite their desire to support their students, adjunct faculty's lack of knowledge about institutional processes, resources, and requirements often keeps them from providing the most effective support. As such, adjunct faculty are more likely to provide instruction that may convey content effectively but is inconsistent with the institution's policies, mission, and culture. Unsure of where to turn, adjunct faculty are often left feeling confused and disconnected (Davis, 2018).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Active Learning Strategies: Active learning strategies are instructional methods that require learners to participate beyond listening and note-taking. Common examples of active learning strategies are discussions and problem-solving activities.
Best Practices: Best practices are methods or techniques that have been widely accepted based on research and experience as superior to alternative methods or techniques.
Professional Development: Programs intended to provide continuing education opportunities for participants.
Andragogy: A theory of instructional practices pioneered by Malcolm Knowles that posits that adults have specific learning preferences and needs that differ from those of children.
Expert Learner: An expert learner is someone who has engaged in high-level of learning and research. Expert learners have specific characteristics as learners. They are often highly engaged and self-directed and have developed personal strategies for knowledge acquisition. They often are characterized by a low tolerance for nonautonomous learning activities.
Adult Learning Theory: A theory of learning that holds that instruction for adult learners should be differentiated from child learners. Adult learning theory suggests that adult education should emphasize learner autonomy, problem-solving, application, and transfer.
Mentor: A mentor is a more experienced practitioner who acts as an advisor and field-specific resource to aid a junior practitioner in their professional development. This role may be formal or informal.
Learning Theory: The study of the process by which humans acquire new knowledge and skills.
Simulated Classroom: A classroom that provides a low-stakes training environment with sample student assignments and interactions. To maximize effectiveness, the simulation should strive to mimic the active classroom as closely as possible.
Learning Outcome: A statement of the desired knowledge, skill, or attitude to be gained from a learning activity, such as a course, that identifies a measurable criterion for that gain.
Asynchronous Course: A course that is designed so that participants can complete the learning on a self-paced schedule that requires no real-time meetings or participation.
Pedagogy: The art and science of instruction, particularly the instruction of students in the K-12 environment.
Synchronous Course: A course that is designed so that participants complete the learning on a pre-determined schedule that typically requires real-time meetings and participation.