Is It Common to Have to Author An On-Line Course?
I have been adjunct teaching for several years, but always done so in-person. The schools have always provided a syllabus and instructor guide, which saves me the trouble of developing them. Usually the school wants to control what is being taught and how, due to accreditation and regulatory issues. I'm new to teaching courses on-line and I wasn't expecting much to change. Why would a school want to trust "me" with developing a syllabus and instructor guide, whether I was teaching in-person or on-line?
Kim,
Consistency is good, but I hope as an instructor you have flexibility in how you teach. Many times those who are not teaching do not necessarily make the best rubrics or projects to reach all students. Thanks for your input.
My school provide syllabus and instructor guide which is a big help. I agree with you about why would a school want to trust anyone to develop a syllabus? When the school develops the syllabus it creates consistency with all the courses in the that department.
Kim Colston
Sarah and David,
Thanks for continuing the conversation about faculty responsibilities and credentials. You are right in that the collaboration should benefit the students. Thanks!
David,
In the same way that other professionals are credentialed and have experience which supports the role into which they are hired, professors and facilitators bring with them a wealth of knowledge and experience. Often, when someone is hired into an academic program, their credentials are mined and examined for all the potential contributions they might be able to make to the institution and program. Sometimes, those who are in charge of deciding on faculty responsibilities see creative potential and ability in their faculty that we don't always see ourselves. This results in wonderful creative opportunities and collaborations that benefit students, the institutions,and the individual faculty. Kudos to you for this development opportunity!
Regards
Sarah Whylly
David,
Institutions should hire adjuncts they trust to develop syllabi and to teach the content in a variety of ways to help students of all learning styles achieve the set learning outcomes. Even if they do provide a syllabus and instructor guide, you should have flexibility to edit the syllabus to add your "flair" and teach in a project-based environment that relate to real world issues. You should be trusted if they are hiring you. Thanks for your questions.
