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Abstract
<p>Online learning environments provide an unprecedented opportunity to increase student access to higher education. Accomplishing this much needed goal requires the active participation and cooperation of university faculty from a broad spectrum of institutional settings. Although online learning has seen rapid growth in recent years, it remains a relatively small percentage of the entire curriculum of higher education today. As a relatively recent development, online teaching can be viewed through the lens of diffusion of innovation research. This paper reports on research from 913 professors from community colleges, four-year colleges, and university centers in an attempt to determine potential barriers to the continued growth in adoption of online teaching in higher education. It is concluded through factor and regression analysis that four variables are significantly associated with faculty satisfaction and their likelihood, therefore, to adopt or continue online teaching – these include levels of interaction in their online course, technical support, a positive learning experience in developing and teaching the course, and the discipline area in which they taught. Recommendations for institutional policy, faculty development, and further research are included. </p> <p><b>Keywords: </b>online teaching, faculty satisfaction, faculty development, diffusion of innovation, access, higher education, study </p>
Highlights
Online learning in higher education is a topic that has received much attention in recent years, in large measure due to its explosive growth
This study reports result of research on faculty satisfaction with online teaching conducted through a large, state-wide online program – the SUNY Learning Network
90 percent reported that they were satisfied with the course they had just completed, with online teaching in general, and that their students learned a great deal in their online course
Summary
Online learning in higher education is a topic that has received much attention in recent years, in large measure due to its explosive growth. To obtain rapid assistance with technical issues, faculty may contact the SLN’s helpdesk via phone, email, or via Web-based form Providing such support reduces the threat that the complexity of the technology will impede adoption or lead to cessation of use of innovations such as online teaching. A copy of the questionnaire is included in appendix A This survey provides opportunity to assess certain elements of Rogers’ diffusion of innovation theory – the decision and confirmation stages of the model, and to determine whether and how the model applies to the issue of faculty adoption of online teaching within the broad context represented by the SLN. Given the relatively large sample size and number and diversity of institutions represented, other organizations involved in the development of online learning initiatives may be interested in these results for lessons learned and potential obstacles to avoid in diffusing technological innovations to higher education faculty
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