Interview Results From Long-Term Online Instructors: Perspectives, Experiences, and Lessons Learned

This webinar is part of our OLC Innovate 2021 Best-in-Track (Research: Designs, Methods, and Findings) summer webinar series!

As online education continues to evolve, it is important to learn from stakeholders who are highly experienced in the field. While some recent literature (e.g. Mansbach & Austin, 2018) has explored the online faculty experience, less research has investigated the perceptions of faculty with several years of experience in online environments. The Oregon State University Ecampus Research Unit (ECRU) is contributing to this literature with the Long-Term Instructor Project. Members of the ECRU have interviewed 33 faculty from diverse disciplines at Oregon State who have taught online for 10 years or more. This presentation shares results from the first four studies that have come out of the Long-Term Instructor Project. These results have useful implications for online faculty development.

The presentation focuses on results of four analyses from this study. A qualitative analysis of the instructor responses to the following questions will be discussed: What has kept you teaching online?; What skills do you think are most valuable for online instructors to have?; What advice do you have for new online instructors?; and What do you think is the future of online learning?

Participants will leave this webinar with:

  • an understanding of what motivated the instructors in the study to keep teaching online for over ten years
  • an awareness of important skills for teaching online
  • useful information and advice about online teaching that can be applicable for participants in diverse roles and institutions
  • implications for future online faculty development
Speaker Bio

Dr. Mary Ellen Dello Stritto
Director of Research – Oregon State University Ecampus

Mary Ellen Dello Stritto, Ph.D., is the Director of Research for Oregon State University Ecampus, where she designs and conducts research studies on online teaching and learning, provides support for faculty research on online education, and produces tools to promote research literacy. Her background is in psychology with a specialization in quantitative methodologies, survey design, and statistical analysis.
Dr. Rebecca Thomas
Postdoctoral Scholar – Oregon State University Ecampus

Rebecca Thomas, Ph.D., is a Postdoctoral Scholar for Oregon State University Ecampus. She has earned a master’s degree in Instructional Psychology & Technology and a Ph.D. in Psychology, and has experience with qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. She supports the mission, values, and goals of Oregon State University Ecampus, and contributes to the Ecampus Research Unit’s current projects.
About the Ecampus Research Unit: The ECRU responds to and forecasts the needs and challenges of the online education field through conducting original research; fostering strategic collaborations; and creating evidence-based resources and tools that contribute to effective online teaching, learning and program administration. The ECRU is part of Oregon State Ecampus, the university’s top-ranked online education provider. Learn more at ecampus.oregonstate.edu/research.