The impact of Web -enhanced distance learning technology on the concerns of faculty

David S Magill, Salve Regina University

Abstract

This study examined the impact of internet-enhanced distance learning technology on professors of intermediate-level correspondence courses in Joint Professional Military Education (JPME). While the successful use of web-based instruction has been demonstrated in a wide variety of training and lower-level educational venues, the affective impact of this technology on those who teach with it has yet to be fully assessed. A study of the attitudes and concerns of faculty who are called upon to teach these courses provides a valuable addition to the growing body of research investigating this rapidly growing field. Data was collected by survey of the faculties of Intermediate-level Colleges in the Department of Defense Professional Military Education system. The instruments used were the Stages of Concern Questionnaire (SoCQ) and a companion model for assessing open-ended statements of concern, both products of the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) project at the University of Texas. These methodologies are the result of extensive research and development in the field of change in education and have been rigorously tested for validity and reliability. How does the incorporation of web-enhanced distance learning technology affect the concerns of faculty at Intermediate-level correspondence programs in Joint Professional Military Education? This is the central research question investigated by this study. Results indicated that the faculties of these institutions were in the early stages of using web-enhanced teaching technology. It appeared that most faculty members had a positive attitude toward the innovation and their chief concern was in learning more about it. There was also a secondary degree of personal concern indicated. They also indicated some concern for cooperation with other practitioners, most frequently expressed as a desire to learn from their counterparts at other JPME schools. In contrast to the generally upbeat profile derived from the SoCQ, open-ended statements provided by the respondents expressed some concerns about external support from their respective leadership and management chains. Military distance educators were generally positive and optimistic about the educational value of technology enhanced learning programs, but somewhat less so about how the military bureaucracy would provide necessary support. Findings from this research are expected to yield insight into the concerns faculty members have as a web-enabled teaching innovation is implemented at their institutions. Analysis of these data will help us understand the impact of the technology on teachers, especially in the military education environment, and provide a deeper understanding of what it means to be human in an age of rapidly growing technology.

Subject Area

Curriculum development|Educational technology

Recommended Citation

Magill, David S, "The impact of Web -enhanced distance learning technology on the concerns of faculty" (2005). Doctoral Dissertations. AAI3206136.
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3206136

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