I've mentioned that the other article (besides salaries) that is being negotiated this summer is about distance learning. It's time to poll the faculty.
Should faculty who teach a full load via distance learning have to come on campus for office hours? All of the office hours? A percentage of the office hours? A certain number each week? How much is enough?
Should faculty strictly adhere to the virtual office hours they post each term? That means only being online and/or answering emails when you said you would - not "just checking my email" and then spending half an hour or more during unscheduled office hours.
What suggestions do you have for reassuring admin that they are getting their money out of faculty who teach online?
7 comments:
I think the big question here is what do we mean by "full-time" faculty? I don't know that a person teaching solely online should be required to have office hours on campus. I certainly don't think the faculty member should have to be on campus five days a week. But I do think all full-time faculty members should have a campus presence. In other words, the faculty members should be active in department and college committees and activities, nearly all of which require campus attendance.
As for getting their money's worth, the question itself is highly annoying to me. I teach both on campus and online. No matter where I teach, I expect administrators to trust my teaching abilities. Location is irrelevant.
I see many, many faculty members who teach only in the regular classroom, not online, yet claim they are far too busy to worry themselves with committee work, SPD, or other activities. Are administrator's "getting their money's worth from these on-campus faculty members?
I would encourage PJCFA not to stand for administration tying our teaching location (campus or online) to the concept of "getting their money's worth." In fact, considering where PJC stands in faculty pay, especially adjunct faculty pay, I would expect administration to be ashamed even to use the phrase "getting their money's worth." What money?
If a faculty member is teaching on-line classes, it makes sense that they their office may be on-line (or not if that faculty member chooses). We know that we are put in more work not less work than what those door schedules indicate.
I'm going to take probably the opposite position of most instructors. I believe that online instructors should have the same number of on-campus office hours as instructors who teach in classrooms. If our position is that online teaching is equal to inroom teaching, then the two should not be treated differently. Equality is equality.
Two issues here. Keeping office hours and location. The location is irrelevant as long as the student has easy access to the instructor. If he or she is taking a class online, office hours should also be online. (A mix could be considered that is proportional to the times taught in the different dilivery mediums).
As for the former, scheduled hours are scheduled for a reason, so that students will have a specific time for access. While I kept hours, I tried to do so at times that students would be able to contact me. In spite of that, the vast majority of contact was asynchronous, through e-mail. However, being available at specific times allowed me to improve the course by doing research on the web at a regular time.
Full time faculty have an obligation to participate in the school committees and functions. It is part of their job description. However, if the administration were truly serious about it they could reward such participation with promotions, and more importantly respect by following "recommendations" from the various committees. In other words, the committees need to have teeth so they will not be gumming the issues until the pap is tasteless and some administrator can say they were involved in his or her decision.
A few colleagues have sent emails to me rather than posting to the blog so I thought it would be good to include them here. Hhere's the first:
1. If a faculty member is conducting the course correctly (and the majority do), they may spend more time on it than on face-to-face classes. At the very least, they will spend as much time. So, time itself shouldn't be an issue. For anyone who is skeptical of this, maybe offer the opportunity to create, plan, and teach an online course themselves.
2. Full-time online faculty should have on campus office hours. However, only a percentage, say 10-20%. The reason for this is that the students who are taking distance learning are not generally going to be on campus. However, what about "distant" distance learning faculty? I know that we have at least one faculty member who I believe lives in Tallahassee.
3. I personally check email and "converse" with my online students nearly every day, if not every day. If we were to have office hours imposed on us by administration, I'd be more likely to only converse (i.e. check email and discussion board) during office hours.
4. Lastly, the hand-wringing over "are we getting our money's worth" by the administration is a waste of their mental energy. Anyone who has planned and taught an online class knows that they are a lot of work. Further, because we don't have to use classroom space and resources, I'd say that these classes are very economically sound. When they start paying faculty as the professionals that we are, then maybe do a little hand-wringing about costs. (I know you can't say that last line outloud - just put it in for your benefit!)
I have looked at someof the other union contract in Fl, and theyare recognising virtual office hours. Primarily in the same ratio as the amount of in class vs online class load.
This is the approach I think we should take.
Also, they are recognizing OPA more as a concept than as absolute hours, basing sick leave on a 25 hour work week.
I support on-campus office hours being an percentage of the on-campus
courses taught -- ex: two on-campus office hours for each course taught on
campus; up to five courses.
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