EXPLORING THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ORGANIZATIONALLY-SPONSORED ONLINE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY FOR ADJUNCT FACULTY: THE INTERSECTION OF THEORY, RESEARCH, AND PRACTICE

Abstract

The use of part-time and adjunct faculty continues to grow within the United States, as they offer current experiences for students while offering flexible and low-cost options to post-secondary educational organizations. Adjunct instructors can represent as much as half of instructional staff in some post-secondary organizations. Along with the benefits of employing adjunct faculty are challenges, specifically in providing professional development opportunities for adjunct faculty that are flexible and accessible to their schedules, as well as activities and opportunities that provide the encouragement and motivation for faculty to participate. Therefore, there continues to be a need to research programs and venues for adjunct instructors that balance their need for professional growth with their need for flexibility in venue and delivery.

This insider action research study describes the three-year journey of one Career and Technology School toward the implementation and enactment of an online purported professional learning community (PLC), BISConnect, designed for the purpose of providing professional development and instructional support for adjunct instructors. For this study, technology was the venue used to address the constraints that can prohibit adjunct faculty in participating in professional constructivist learning in the form of professional development and the promotion of social capital, thus reinforcing the applicability of social constructivism as the preferred learning theory framing this study. Results were derived and analyzed from the cumulative qualitative and quantitative data gathered through two survey questionnaires (n=38 and n=34), website usage reports, a focus group comprised of nine adjunct faculty members, adjunct instructor professional development reports, and journal observations made by the researcher.

This study resulted in three primary findings. The first finding was that there was not the ability to form a collaborative, online community for adjunct faculty as defined by the accepted definition of PLC. Although the online PLC environment was created to support the perceived needs and recommendations of the adjunct faculty gathered through Survey Questionnaire #1, there was limited community involvement by adjunct faculty. The participating adjunct instructors indicated through data and actions that they did not have the time for or identify the importance of participating in a PLC.

The second finding was that, although an online PLC was not developed, the online venue of BISConnect provided adjunct faculty the access to and encouragement for involvement in professional development and instructional support activities. The technology-based format of BISConnect afforded the adjunct faculty with direct and immediate access to professional development opportunities, just-in-time instructional support for student or curricula issues, operational information, and other assistance needed by the instructors both inside and outside their classrooms. Data collected showed a significant increase in adjunct instructors participating in professional development activities as well as total number of hours of professional development with the implementation of BISConnect.

The last finding indicates an organizational benefit from the implementation and enactment of BISConnect through the growth of an organizational learning culture. Data collected through this study indicated that there was an increase in organizational value and emphasis on professional development and instructional support over the three-year period. The increase in organizational importance was then translated into more opportunities and activities available for adjunct faculty. The adjunct faculty participants reported that this change resulted in their feeling more connected to the organization.

Although this study was not able to confirm or disconfirm the effectiveness of using the online venue for PLC for adjunct faculty, it did result in data that supported the determination that an online venue is effective in providing professional development opportunities and instructional support.