5.3 Enhancing online instruction in higher education: professional

Ncpea publications

Editors

• Janet Tareilo, Stephen F. Austin State University
• Brad Bizzell, Virginia Tech

Associate Editors

• Beverly Irby, Sam Houston State University
• Rosemary Papa, Northern Arizona University
• Thomas Valesky, Florida Gulf Coast University
• Theodore Creighton, Virginia Tech

About the Author

• John Shinsky is a professor of Educational Leadership at Grand Valley State University in Michigan.

Introduction

The implementation and use of technology is changing education on a daily basis. Students are using technology to access information from a broad base of resources that were never available in the past. This influx of access to information is requiring faculty and staff in higher education to respond to a student population that views technology as a natural part of their world. However, many instructors in higher education are not as comfortable with the use of technology and the understanding of how to effectively integrate it into their instruction. This paper addresses this problem by focusing on two key areas, using effective professional development strategies and highlighting what good online professors do when teaching. There are an array of methods and techniques for technology training; however, the strategies emphasized in this paper were derived from an ongoing effort to build a support structure that best met the needs of the faculty members who are presently working at our university. In addition, it was important to create a foundation for training that would be sustainable over time. The intent was to establish a culture that valued professional development, emphasized the importance for the training, and built in support structures that were available, responsive, respectful, and created a community of learners. This work is extremely important because it focuses on the faculty and staff needs, with the intent of empowering them to learn in a safe and supportive environment that enhances teaching and promotes learning for students. It also equips the faculty with the 21 ^st century skills that best prepare their students to survive and flourish in a global society that is undergoing significant transformation.