Transforming the Teacher: Examining Personal Transformations of Faculty Redesigning Courses from Face-to-Face to Online
Keywords:
transformative learning theory, online teaching, face-to-face, adult learningAbstract
This study investigated faculty’s personal transformations when redesigning face-to-face courses for online delivery. The transformative learning theory provided a rich context for ascertaining transformed frames of reference. Eight mid to late career faculty from a college of education participated. Qualitative methods were employed, with data collected using semi-structured interviews and inductively analyzed for themes. Findings revealed two frames of reference about online teaching and learning were transformed while one remained intact. A transformed frame of reference was that quality learning can be achieved online, thus it is not inferior to face-to-face instruction. Second, faculty’s self-identity as an exemplary, face-to-face teacher was transformed, as they identified the need for increased organization and detail. Faculty’s frame of reference not transformed was that pedagogy is at the forefront of decision-making, not technology. Implications are that challenging experiences can be provocations for growth and that pedagogy can remain constant across the two environments.
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