Date

12-7-2023

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)

Chair

Sharon Farrell

Keywords

higher education, asynchronous learning, adult learning, instructional design, faculty subject matter expert, online learning, distance learning

Disciplines

Curriculum and Instruction

Abstract

This transcendental phenomenological study had the objective of examining the experience of faculty subject matter experts in higher education as they collaborated with instructional designers to develop online learning courses at a college in the northeast United States. The theory guiding this study was Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy. The central research question was: What are the SME reflections on their previous pedagogical and instructional skills, and what growth, if any, can be identified after the course design process? Additional questions examined the faculty's perspective on their past and present pedagogical knowledge. The study took place at a four-year private college in the northeast. The sampling included 12 adjunct faculty members who have completed at least one online course design collaboration with an instructional designer. Data collection included one-on-one interviews, observations of course design documents, and faculty journal reflections. The researcher examined themes regarding the faculty perspective on what knowledge they acquired from the course design process and in what areas they determined professional growth. Five major themes emerged from the data analysis: (a) excited but cautious, (b) streamlined process, (c) relationship is critical, and (d) a new adventure. The examination encompassed the interpretation of the study's findings, an exploration of its limitations, and the formulation of recommendations for future research.

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