Increasing demands for higher education online courses have implications for educational institutions and instructor course design, teaching, and workload. From the institutional perspective a shift to systems thinking is required – looking at how change involves all parts of the organization and how the parts influence one another within a whole. When traditional higher education institutions consider including online education in their offerings, they should:
- address institutional and instructional issues and challenges
- ensure that the same type of services provided for traditional face-to-face programs be adapted for the online environment (such as student services, technology support, instructor support, and so on)
- look closely at the impact on instructor teaching and workload. Both institutional and instructional issues need to be considered and the challenges they present addressed.
As more instructors move their courses online, they will be rethinking their courses, using new technologies, adapting course design, and modifying teaching strategies.
What will the impact be on their time and the management of their workload? If institutions are aware of these issues and appeal to instructors with understanding and extrinsic motivators (such as policy change, instructor support, incentives, and rewards), institutions can begin to meet the online challenges. Since higher education institutions benefit from the rewards of online courses, it is crucial that they also realize the impact on their instructors.
Reference
Conceição, S. C., & Lehman, R. M. (2011). Managing Online Instructor Workload: Strategies for Finding Balance and Success. Jossey-Bass.
