Abstract

Expanding enrollment in online programs has concurrently created a demand for qualified faculty to assume the increasing workload. As full-time faculty have been unable to fill the gap due to workload or resistance, organizations are more frequently turning to adjuncts to meet the needs of their online learners. As a result, there has been increasing dialogue regarding the nature of the adjunct-university relationship as well as the quality, rigor, and consistency of courses being facilitated by part-time faculty. Complicating this dialogue are a small but growing number of individuals who do not hold full-time jobs but rely on multiple adjunct positions to fulfill their professional needs. This qualitative study investigates the motivations and demographics of this emerging phenomenon.

Citation

Bedford, L.A. (2009). The Professional Adjunct: An Emerging Trend in Online Instruction. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 12(3),. Retrieved September 1, 2024 from https://www.learntechlib.org/p/76584/.

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Keywords

• Adjunct Faculty
• barriers
• College Faculty
• College Instruction
• content analysis
• distance education
• Educational Trends
• electronic learning
• Employment Patterns
• Faculty Workload
• higher education
• Interviews
• online courses
• Questionnaires
• Teacher Characteristics
• Teacher Motivation
• Teaching Conditions
• Web Based Instruction