Abstract:

There are many challenges for adjunct faculty who teach in an online, asynchronous environment. Working remotely may cultivate a feeling of isolation which is an enemy of professional improvement and can contribute to a lack of community. A perceived outsider status leads to continued disconnection, lack of belonging, and decreased production and contribution to the teaching and learning process. Yet, it is true that a strong sense of community leads to increased productivity, contribution, belonging, and engagement. The implementation and utilization of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) have many advantages. First, PLCs build a collective capacity in instructors. This capacity serves the entire university by putting the subject of teaching and learning in focus. Since a school’s success depends on the quality of teaching, building capacity and connectedness in instructors should be a primary focus. This paper is the culmination of three studies conducted to understand the isolation, disconnection, lack of belonging, contribution, and senses of productivity faced by remote adjunct faculty, and the benefits of developing a Virtual Professional Learning Communities (VPLCs). Through all three studies, supporting remote adjunct faculty through VPLCs yielded faculty who felt more positively connected to the university and to organizations that will support their professional growth. The researchers will share the lessons learned and the implementation of VPLCs in a large online university.

Keywords:

Online, higher education, faculty, mentoring, coaching, professional learning community.