Abstract
Deans, associate deans, and department chairs in higher education institutions manage not only their departments’ course offerings but also faculty and students who teach and learn both in person and online. Possessing a good understanding of how to plan, supervise, and evaluate online degree programs for maximum efficiency, optimum student learning, and optimum faculty support is imperative for these professionals. The purpose of this study was to investigate administrators’ perceptions, attitudes, and experiences managing various online learning environments. A basic qualitative research design was applied to this study. Current and former administrators were invited to participate in individual in-depth interviews that were transcribed and analyzed for emerging themes. Results indicated that administrators need multiple levels of support, including supervisor’s support as well as instructional and technology support, among others. It is concluded that administrators find themselves in “a continuum” in terms of the need for different types of support. Implications for further research are discussed.
Highlights
The purpose of this research was to examine administrator perceptions and attitudes regarding online learning as well as their experiences in various online learning environments
Online learning has become a ubiquitous feature of instructional programming in institutions from middle school through post-secondary education
About one in six college students is enrolled in a 100% online program and more than 33% of college students are enrolled in at least one online class [3]
Summary
The purpose of this research was to examine administrator perceptions and attitudes regarding online learning as well as their experiences in various online learning environments. Understanding administrators’ experiences and perceptions can facilitate better course design for future courses, which can result in better student and instructor experiences and may even improve class retention [1]. Online learning has become a ubiquitous feature of instructional programming in institutions from middle school through post-secondary education. The demand for online teaching continues to steadily increase according to data from the U.S. Today’s university leaders, department chairs, associate deans, and deans face multiple challenges as they create, plan, and implement their institutions’ strategic plans as they relate to the inclusion and expansion of online courses, programs, and degrees. Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations
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