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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Institutions of Higher Education have refocused their instructional methods toward online or remote options. This is a result of environmental changes due to the Covid-19 virus and advances in technology. In the United States, this necessitated system of delivery calls for a modernized class of faculty. The traditional structure of faculty does not include a rank dedicated to online only instruction. A faculty rank of Online Professor seems to be warranted. This paper explores the effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic on higher education. Followed by a review of the types of instruction offered, the faculty structure, a call for an additional online education-based faculty rank, to include logistics, and recommendations.
Keywords: faculty, faculty ranks, online instruction, online faculty, university faculty
INTRODUCTION
Within higher education because of the Covid-19 Pandemic there has been a seismic shift to toward teaching online. While an argument could be made that many institutions were gravitating into the online realm previously, the Pandemic forced an urgency that had been unheard of in modern times. With the majority of institutions canceling face-to-face classes (Smalley, 2020), moving to online instruction only has become a major disruption to college life. These disruptions include everything from teaching, to student life, to financial issues for the universities.
The rapid transition to online teaching brings to life a host of issues that are problematic within the higher education realm. One of the major points used to disparage online teaching has been quality of education. The aspect of quality is particularly worrisome because of the short timeframe many schools moved totally online. It has been suggested that to develop a fully online course, best practices recommend a 5-month timeline (Suny Broome n.d.). The Pandemic has resulted in converting entire campuses to a virtual presence within weeks.
This crisis is compelling many schools to "reimagine how we deliver an engaging and holistic learning experience for the students" (DePietro, 2020). Moving online changes the dynamics. Gone (for now) are the intimacy of small classes and most likely one-on-one instruction. In addition, the comradery, athletics, and the building of lifelong friends does not translate well to a virtual setting. The traditional college on-campus experiences that affords the opportunity to help participants grow both in and out of the...