5 Tips for Faculty Navigating the Online Learning Curve

Demand for online learning remains near record highs. Even after schools returned to in-person classes, 60% of postsecondary education students in the U.S. took at least one online course. It’s no wonder two-thirds of higher education institutions are adding online programs. 

Despite increased demand, most institutions don’t have enough on-the-ground experience with online learning. Only 22% of schools report having a significant number of full-time faculty members (more than 70%) with experience building online courses. Many faculty members lack comprehensive knowledge about developing online learning environments, and they may overlook the technology tools, institutional support and design best practices necessary for success. 

This isn’t the fault of the faculty. It’s up to higher education leaders to set faculty and their online programs up for success. By developing a robust strategy to train and support faculty and encouraging a mindset of continuous learning, institutions can help identify potential pitfalls, alleviate common challenges and better prepare educators to build and refine online courses. 

In other words, there’s a “teachable moment” for many faculty. Are they ready to learn? 

Online Learning Necessitates Changing Practices 

The trend toward online learning necessitates a paradigm shift in the way faculty design, implement and execute courses. The learning environment itself has completely changed. 

As faculty start to build online courses, they often encounter a daunting array of questions and uncertainties. There may be challenges with adapting traditional classroom content and assignments to an online format, or they might struggle with the flexible, asynchronous nature of online learning as students access course materials and engage with content at their convenience.

In particular, faculty inexperienced with building online courses might harbor misconceptions about the challenges and complexities of online learning. Some mistakenly assume uploading syllabi, putting assignments online or conducting classes via video conferencing is sufficient. But it’s never that easy. 

Too often, faculty underestimate the need for strategic organization and content prioritization, assuming students will intuitively discern the most critical resources. For instance, in a traditional classroom setting, faculty can provide a multitude of resources and most students will discern the most critical ones. However, in the online realm, it’s even more crucial to organize content efficiently, prioritize essential resources and distinguish supplemental material. Identifying and flagging the most important resources ensures students can better manage their time and successfully learn in a supportive online environment.  

It’s also important to map course content and offer clear alignment with learning objectives. Faculty members need to provide relevance and meaning to assignments and assessments so students can understand the purpose and value of each component. 

When faculty build courses with a learner-centric perspective and the right digital tools, they can enhance student engagement, bolster retention rates and improve learning outcomes. Nearly 70% of students say online classes are as good, if not better, than traditional classroom settings—and 77% of educators agree. Institutions also become better as online programs open up more convenient learning opportunities, support enrollment growth and increase student diversity. 

How Schools Can Better Support Faculty 

Successful online course design requires a commitment to continuous improvement from institutions and faculty. Both sides must work together to foster ongoing professional development, resource allocation and strategy. 

As you work to support faculty and foster the design of online courses, several considerations can equip educators with the knowledge and tools for success.  

1. Prioritize Administrative Planning 

Robust project plans and sound administrative management are fundamental to online course development. Critical questions about faculty selection, scope of work, compensation, instructional design, and technology support must be addressed from the outset. Otherwise, institutions risk protracted timelines, misalignment of goals, and poor outcomes. It’s often helpful to have a dedicated project manager to streamline this process, ensuring online programs align with institutional goals.

Likewise, it’s crucial to allocate sufficient resources to ensure sustainability. By investing in programs upfront and planning for long-term resource allocation, institutions can implement an effective, lasting technology solution and avoid excessive costs down the road.

2. Provide Ongoing Training

As online programs evolve and mature, faculty need continuous training and education on best practices for designing and teaching online courses. Training ensures faculty remain skilled, adaptable, and connected. Formal training programs like Quality Matters workshops and courses provide faculty with essential foundational knowledge in developing high-quality online learning experiences. 

Ongoing training helps faculty refine their skills, stay up to date with the latest tools and strategies, and adapt courses alongside evolving technologies. By prioritizing ongoing training, institutions signal a commitment to online education—and set an expectation for faculty members to recognize online teaching as an integral part of their role.

3. Foster Collaboration 

Faculty shouldn’t be on their own as they navigate online course development. Instead, empower them to collaborate with instructional designers or third-party online learning experts to help build courses. 

While the increased focus on collaboration may be uncomfortable for faculty members accustomed to working independently, it ultimately leads to more efficient, effective, and learner-focused online course development. When faculty, instructional designers, and outside partners work together, their combined expertise can create more informed decisions about content delivery, student assessment, and fostering engagement in an online learning environment. 

A culture of collaboration shouldn’t just include instructional designers but also extend to other educators. By opening up opportunities for faculty to connect with colleagues to share their experiences, successes, and challenges, you can build a community where faculty can draw valuable insights, gain timely feedback, refine course materials, and implement improvements over time.

4. Establish Consistency and Standards

Online courses should provide consistency and structure. When courses have a standardized structure, students can easily navigate content, assignments, and assessments. This consistency reduces confusion and allows learners to focus on their studies rather than spend time deciphering course layouts.

Consistency should also extend beyond individual courses and encompass entire programs. In other words, students should not encounter significant variations when moving from one course to another within the same program. Establishing program-level standards and clear guidelines for course design and content delivery provides a cohesive, intuitive learning experience for students—and ensures faculty are meeting your institution’s goals. 

Established standards like the Quality Matters rubric or the Online Learning Consortium’s Quality Scorecard are a good place to start. These rubrics serve as comprehensive checklists, covering various aspects of course design, accessibility, technical support and more. 

In addition, programs should incorporate student feedback to help maintain and improve course quality. By collecting feedback at the end of each course, institutions can gain valuable insights into the student experience and promptly address any issues or concerns raised by students. This data-driven approach ensures courses remain up-to-date, relevant and optimized for effective learning.

5. Leverage Technology Strategically 

Although technology plays a pivotal role in online course design, it should be applied strategically and sustainably. You don’t need every new tool or update hitting the market, but you do need key technological components to support a robust online learning environment. At some point, there are diminishing returns on your technology investments. 

Investing in scalable technology enables programs to grow and sustain themselves over time. Key technological components every program needs to include five key elements.

• Learning Management System (LMS): Every institution should have a robust LMS as its foundation, facilitating content delivery, assessments and communication.
• Video Platforms: These platforms enable content creation and delivery through videos, enhancing engagement and interactivity.
• Content Authoring Tools: Although optional, authoring tools such as Articulate Storyline or Adobe Captivate can enhance the online learning experience.
• Web Conferencing Tools: Real-time communication tools such as Zoom or similar platforms facilitate synchronous interactions.
• Quality Assurance Tools: Rubrics such as Quality Matters or Online Learning Consortium’s Quality Scorecard help ensure course quality.

Create a Culture of Continuous Learning 

The sustained growth and success of online programs require a culture of collaboration and continuous learning. From inception to execution, faculty should feel supported and empowered to build online courses, collaborate with their colleagues and implement evolving improvements alongside new technologies and best practices. 

Better support for faculty ultimately leads to better online learning experiences and more impactful outcomes. Designing online courses may take a little homework—and a willingness to learn—but it’s well worth the effort.