Community Building in a Virtual Teaching Environment

Abstract

In 2010, the University of Southern California School of Social Work launched its Virtual Academic Center (VAC) to deliver online MSW programming to students located around the country. USC's platform is a significant innovation in offering online education and has transformed the traditional educational model for both students and faculty. This research explores the experiences of faculty teaching via the VAC. Twenty-five in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with USC faculty of different ranks. Inductive data collection using a grounded theory approach with thematic analysis examined experiences teaching in an online program, revealing the strengths and challenges associated with geographic diversity and community-building. Findings warrant the development of innovative practices to build community and to facilitate collaboration among geographically diverse faculty and students in a virtual education program.

Innovative Strategies for Building Community Among Faculty Who Teach in Virtual Environments

“…As the profession continues to advance its use of technology and more virtual education programs are launched, it is imperative to examine how this new paradigm shift is experienced by the people who spend considerable time working in virtual spaces. Schwartz et al's (2016) findings that virtual instructors often feel disconnected from the larger university culture and alienated from geographically distant colleagues is reflected in other published work examining online education. Dolan (2011) and Curry (2016) found that online adjunct faculty often feel disconnected from the larger organization, that they are not presented opportunities to get to know and trust their colleagues and that they are often not recognized as valuable resources for the organization.…”

“…In an effort to examine faculty experiences and reflections on delivering MSW education via the University of Southern California Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, Virtual Academic Center (VAC) during its first four years of operation, an exploratory cross-sectional study was launched in 2014 (see Schwartz et al, 2016). Nonprobability quota and purposive sampling strategies were used and semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 25 faculty members.…”

“…These hires ensure that all students regardless of academic center enrollment (on-the-ground versus virtual) have instructors who bring exceptional academic and real-world experiences to their classroom, thereby creating an optimal learning environment. The current paper focuses on how the school of social work has addressed the theme of community building gleaned from the Schwartz et al (2016) study and emerging research on the needs of geographically dispersed virtual instructors. Wenger et al's (2002) Community of Practice Model considers the vital roles played by organizational communities in facilitating knowledge management, learning innovation, and outcome achievement.…”

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A previous qualitative study (Schwartz, Wiley, & Kaplan, 2016) described the faculty experiences and reflections of delivering Master of Social Work (MSW) education via a virtual platform at the University of Southern California, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work during its initial years of operation. Thematic analysis revealed a need for community building amongst geographically diverse faculty.

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“…Here we define virtual education as comprising synchronous live classroom discussions where students and faculty interact at the same time and virtually face-to-face through Adobe Connect technology (as opposed to online programs comprised of only asynchronous course work). Recent and emerging literature informs us that virtual faculty are largely satisfied with their instruction, particularly appreciating the flexibility, work-life balance, and student diversity in the virtual classroom (Huang & Hsiao, 2012;Peach & Bieber, 2015;Schwartz, Wiley, & Kaplan, 2016). Challenges identified by virtual faculty include technology comfort level, availability of support and training, and feelings of alienation from peers and the larger organization (Curry, 2016;Dolan, 2011;Levin, Whitsett, & Wood, 2013;Lloyd, Byrne, & McCoy, 2012;Milton, Sinclair, & Vakalahi, 2016;Smith, 2015).…”