Evidence of Effectiveness:
The two project objectives were met. Both the end-of-project reports submitted by the faculty researchers and an end-of-project survey conducted by the project coordinator indicated that all research program participants gained a better understanding of their workload in the online environment. Three researchers reported a decreased workload in the online environment, while the fourth reported a comparable workload. All researchers reported that their work resulted in identification of strategies that either they themselves or instructional designers have implemented or plan to implement to decrease the workload. Objective 2 was met by supporting faculty members in a research-to-practice activity that resulted in both improved pedagogical and/or technological strategies and contributions to the larger knowledge and practice base made through publications and conference presentations that enhanced their position within the reward structure of the university. The impact of this project has already extended beyond the faculty researchers themselves to the larger field as a whole. The faculty members' better understanding of their environment has led to identification of tools and strategies that they are already using to enhance their online pedagogy. This knowledge also has been shared with the World Campus Instructional Design & Development unit, which is using the new insights and tools to help faculty members in other programs to improve their experiences and satisfaction. Finally, four researchers have already disseminated their findings through national and international conference presentations, and the project coordinator has been invited to give a presentation on the project as a whole at the Outreach Scholarship Conference in Madison, Wisconsin in October, 2003. One researcher has had an article based on findings accepted for publication and two others are planning to submit articles for publication in fall, 2003.
How does this practice relate to pillars?:
faculty satisfaction: A major determinant in the success of online higher education is a strong faculty commitment to teaching in this new environment. However, the literature indicates some potent barriers to their participation and subsequent satisfaction. Two frequently mentioned barriers are a perception of increased workload and concern that online teaching takes time from activities rewarded by the institution, specifically research and publication. The perception of increased workload has been based almost completely on anecdotal evidence, and the little empirical evidence available is conflicting. The Penn State World Campus developed an innovative approach to addressing this faculty concern: a cross-disciplinary faculty research program to study the workload issue as the basis for improving both the faculty experience and course effectiveness. The project had two main objectives: 1) to better understand the faculty experience in teaching online, particularly as it relates to workload. 2) to provide faculty members an opportunity to contribute to improved practice within a framework recognized and rewarded by the institution (i.e., bringing in research funds and publication of results). The World Campus Faculty Workload Research Team is comprised of six Penn State faculty members and a project coordinator. Faculty members represented five different disciplines and all researchers had taught the courses to be studied at least once prior to beginning their research studies. The approach taken was to fund empirical research studies across disciplines. Four researchers directly compared the categories of tasks and the time involved teaching and administering online courses to the classroom versions of the same courses. Two researchers evaluated the implications for specific online administrative and instructional tool choices on workload, specifically in relation to instructional quality as reflected in levels of interaction. All six researchers strove to identify tasks that consumed a disproportionate amount of faculty time as the basis for developing alternative pedagogical and/or technological approaches. At the conclusion of each study, the principal investigators submitted a report that included objective results, reflective analysis, and recommendations for improving practice.
Estimate the probable costs associated with this practice:
Financial support for the project came from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation as part of a larger grant focused on sustaining faculty commitment through faculty development. Faculty researchers were funded for up to $5,000 each, with funds being used at researchers' discretion to cover a variety of costs associated with the research studies: extra compensation for the faculty member, wage support for other personnel, equipment, travel to present results, etc. Funds were also used to buy out 10% of a professional staff person's time to coordinate the project. The experience of the research team suggests that this model of small research studies, whether supported by an external grant or by institutional research funds, represents an effective and easily replicable approach to examining and addressing the challenges and opportunities of online teaching and learning.
References, supporting documents:
Chizmar, J., and D. Williams. What Do Faculty Want? Educause Quarterly, Number 1: 18-24, 2001.
