The Evolution of Faculty & Expertise in Higher Education

Paper Presentation

Lisa Johnson, PhD

Lisa Johnson, PhD

lisajohnsonphd@gmail.com

http://reflectivelearning.net

Abstract“Technological changes have accelerated the unbundling and specialization of duties and responsibilities historically aligned to faculty in Unites States’ higher education systems. These changes have redefined the scope and significance of faculty expertise in and outside of the classroom. This paper provides an overview of the evolution of faculty roles and expertise occurring 1956-2016 and was written primarily with the intention of encouraging discussions among legislators, administrators, faculty and learners about the impact these changes are having on the quality of learning and satisfaction of all higher education industry participants and beneficiaries” (Johnson, 2016).

Johnson, L. (2016). The evolution of faculty and expertise in higher education. Distance Learning Administration 2016 Conference. Jekyll Island, Georgia, USA.

1956

Image Sources: parkcityhistory.org, flickr.com, keithwoolliams.last-memories.com

Faculty and their expertise were scarce and often highly esteemed. Knowledge was still very place dependent.

1976

Image Sources: flickr.com, northeastern university archives

Growth of adjunct faculty and use of standard curriculum, yet scarcity and esteem of faculty expertise persists. Knowledge continues to be place-based.

1996

Image Sources: gadgets.ndtv.com, abc.net.au, windows.microsoft.com

Internet, email, desktop (one-click) publishing… Expertise is increasingly distributed as “America Goes Online” & early-adopters of web-based sharing in academia thrive and peer-to-peer networks for student learning and among the masses proliferates.

2006

Image Sources: bu.edu, diaryofaniphone.blogspot.com, onlineuniversitiesorma.blogspot.com

(Micro)Blogs, Wikis, Commercial and Organizational Websites, Social Networks, Explosion in Video/Webinars & Simulations, Localization and Auto-Translation, Global Learning Communities, Online (Library) Databases…

2016

Image Sources: seoupdates4u.net, businessinsider.com

Mobile Computing (Smartphones, Tablets, Wearables), Widespread Wifi & Broadband Access, MOOCs, Self-Teaching, ePortfolios, Adaptive Learning, Competencies, Standards, and Outcomes-Based Learning Models, Enterprise Course Design and Deployment..= reshaping faculty esteem & increasing proliferation of access to knowledge.

Influential Factors

1. Disappearance of geographic monopolies in educational

services

2. Concepts of learners as clients, customers, and

sometimes “students”

3. Increased tuition costs resulting in consumerist behaviors

(e.g., degree shopping/financing)

4. Increased student loan debt

5. Decreased federal, state, and endowment funding for

institutions

6. Increased competition (e.g., public, private, for-profit)

7. Increased use of part-time faculty / rise of the

professional adjunct

8. Increase in adult learners (i.e., “non-traditional” learners

as student populations beyond community colleges)

9. Evolving regulatory procedures (e.g., accreditation, state

& federal)

10. Shifting modalities (i.e., mobile, competency-based,

online, blended/hybrid/enhanced, MOOCs, accelerated

models, etc.)

Turoff, M. (2006). The changing role of faculty and online education. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 10(4) 129-138. Retrieved from http://onlinelearningconsortium.org/jaln/v10n4/changing-role-faculty-and-online-education

Which Factors Have Been Most Influential in Your Experience?

Next Steps...

“Discussions are needed among legislators, administrators, faculty and learners about the impact the evolution of faculty roles is having on the quality of learning and satisfaction by every participant in and beneficiary of the higher education industry” (Johnson, 2016)

Lisa Johnson, PhDAssistant Professor - Instructional Design & Technology

Thank You for Participating!LISAJOHNSONPHD@GMAIL.COM | HTTP://REFLECTIVELEARNING.NET