Distance Education is Here to Stay

by P.D. Lesko

September is a very busy month for part-time faculty. Some aren’t sure what their final teaching schedules will look like, others have their courses, but need to construct course descriptions and syllabi in record time. There are texts to be selected, course Web pages to be constructed, and supplemental materials to be chosen.

On top of all of this, we present you with a hefty issue of Adjunct Advocate to read. This bimonthly issue is devoted to the theme of distance education. Our writers look at what it takes to get started teaching on-line, what it takes to keep your students engaged, what you need to think about before adapting materials for your courses, and where to find the distance education teaching resources to keep you up to date on the latest developments in the field.

A recent study concluded that despite the lackluster adoption practices of faculty when it comes to the use of technology in the classroom, student demand is extremely strong for distance education courses, and the use of technology in the classroom. Whether or not the Boomers teaching the courses like it, Gen Y students expect to be able to take advantage of technology in the form of distance education courses, e-books, course Web pages, e-mail, blogs and instant messaging.

Colleges are plowing ahead with distance education course offerings and staffing, on average, half of those courses with part-time faculty. Over 80 percent of America’s 4,000 + colleges offer distance education learning in one form or another. The sheer number of students who have taken advantage of distance education courses over the past five years is staggering–almost 4,000,000.
To adjuncts who are ready to learn new skills and instructional techniques, this means more teaching opportunities than ever. On the flip side, of course, distance education employment pays no better than on-campus teaching, and frequently results in more work–thanks to e-mail messages and larger enrollments in distance education courses.

The truth of the matter is that there are advantages and disadvantages to teaching within distance education programs, but despite that fact, distance education in the United States is here to stay. Not only that, it’s very likely that, thanks to relatively low course development and technology costs, institutions will continue to expand their distance education offerings.

Enjoy the theme issue, and good luck with your courses this Fall.