What training do online faculty members need?

Like all educators, online faculty need ongoing professional development in educational technology, teaching methods, and their areas of discipline to ensure their knowledge and skills stay up to date. Mastering virtual teaching platforms and learning management systems also means staying informed about their updates and changes.

How can we make our online curriculum more engaging for students?

Your content must reflect current industry trends and future projections. Replace static words on a page or screen with interactive, multimedia elements. Consider using instructional designers to make lessons that encourage more active participation.

How can faculty get targeted feedback to improve instruction?

End-of-semester surveys are beneficial, but more frequent pulse surveys provide real-time insights. Data analytics can show how much students are participating in class and identify students who need intervention before problems escalate.

6 Ways to Support Online Faculty and Boost Teaching Effectiveness

The success and reputation of your online programs hinge on student outcomes. While student motivation matters, your faculty support system plays an equally critical role.

You’ve hired the most qualified people. But are you giving your faculty everything they need to be effective, successful educators in an online classroom? Ongoing training, updated and engaging tools and materials, and regular feedback are a must.

Not sure where to start? We’ve got you covered. Here are six evidence-based strategies for supporting online faculty and improving program effectiveness.

1. Offer Professional Development Opportunities

Most institutions require professional development for online faculty. But providing meaningful opportunities requires some wise investing—including time off and funding. If you want your programs to remain competitive, your faculty need to stay on top of changing educational technology, teaching methods, and trends in their academic disciplines.

Take artificial intelligence: Three years ago, AI became widely accessible. Today, it’s transforming education across disciplines. It’s a perfect example of a growing trend your faculty should be one step ahead of, regardless of the subject they teach.

You can support faculty development through:

Seminars and workshops
Teaching and learning center resources
Funding for conferences and professional development activities
Mentorship programs pairing experienced and junior faculty

2. Offer Technical Training (and Flexibility)

The difference between teaching online and teaching in a brick-and-mortar classroom is technology. Learning management systems like Canvas are a given, but these platforms evolve constantly. Make sure your IT department provides regular updates about system changes and new features.

If they’re new to virtual teaching, it may take professors some time to adjust to being a “talking head.” Some people can deliver lectures to a camera exactly as they would a classroom of human faces, and some won’t adapt as naturally. Be flexible! Consider filming campus-based class sessions and using them as the basis of your online modules.

3. Create Engaging, Interactive Content

Your online faculty may be well trained, but are their presentations making the grade? Static words on a page or screen will be up against an attention-grabbing loop of online content at students’ fingertips. Today, student engagement requires dynamic, interactive lessons. Work with instructional designers to develop multimedia content that encourages active participation.

4. Update Curriculum Regularly

Does your program’s curriculum reflect industry changes and market demands? Regular updates ensure that your program stays relevant and valuable to students and their career aspirations.

Make sure your courses cover:

Industry developments and emerging trends
Current research and best practices
Future market projections and skill requirements

5. Tailor Surveys for Targeted Student Feedback

You’re already conducting end-of-semester student surveys, right? They provide valuable feedback for faculty and institution alike. But are you asking the right questions for an online program? Standard campus-based surveys might be missing crucial online-specific issues—even if you ask, “Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?”

Be sure to include questions like:

Was this online program engaging?
What could we do to make this program more beneficial to online students?
Were your professor and classmates accessible?
Were you able to get assistance if you needed it?

Also: Don’t wait until the end of the term! Track progress with surveys at different points, like the middle and the end of the semester. Ask similar questions each time and see if anything changes.

6. Rely on Data Analytics

Analytics can tell you how engaged online students really are—not in their own words, but in measurable data. Use data analytic platforms to track:

How often students log into your LMS
How long they’re staying on the platform
Whether they’re completing assignments
If they’re participating in class discussions and activities

What will you do with this data? Identify at-risk students, enabling faculty to step in before you lose a student. Educators are most effective when they can finish the job.

Frequently Asked Questions

Let’s review the main categories of best practices we’ve discussed here.

What training do online faculty members need?
Like all educators, online faculty need ongoing professional development in educational technology, teaching methods, and their areas of discipline to ensure their knowledge and skills stay up to date. Mastering virtual teaching platforms and learning management systems also means staying informed about their updates and changes.
How can we make our online curriculum more engaging for students?
Your content must reflect current industry trends and future projections. Replace static words on a page or screen with interactive, multimedia elements. Consider using instructional designers to make lessons that encourage more active participation.
How can faculty get targeted feedback to improve instruction?
End-of-semester surveys are beneficial, but more frequent pulse surveys provide real-time insights. Data analytics can show how much students are participating in class and identify students who need intervention before problems escalate.

Partner With Online Learning Experts

You don’t have to do it all yourself! Apollidon Learning is your proven partner and consultant in all things online learning, from program promotion to support services and technical architecture. And each solution we provide can be fully tailored to you.

Want to increase enrollments? We can help. Wonder what the competition is up to? We’ll show you! Don’t yet have any online programs? You really need us!

Sources:
https://www.edutopia.org/article/7-high-impact-evidence-based-tips-online-teaching
https://kwiga.com/blog/how-to-provide-support-and-communication-with-staff-and-teachers-in-online-courses
https://element451.com/blog/how-to-measure-student-engagement
https://www.raftr.com/pocket-guide-to-tracking-engagement-strategies/