Best Practices Framework for Online Faculty Professional Development: A Delphi Study

Abstract

Online learning is now a common practice in higher education. Because of the continued growth in enrollments, higher educational institutions must prepare faculty throughout their teaching tenure for learning theory, technical expertise, and pedagogical shifts for teaching in the online environment. This study presents best practices for professional development for faculty teaching online. In this study, the Delphi Method was used to gain consensus from a panel experts on the essentiality of professional development items to help faculty prepare for teaching in the online environment. This study included four survey rounds with a panel experts to develop consensus and identify best practices consisting of essential professional development and institutional/organizational strategies for supporting faculty teaching online. These results are significant for planning new or improving existing faculty development programs that enhance teaching and learning in the online classroom.

Keywords

• online faculty development
• online faculty training
• teaching