This document summarizes a survey on optimizing faculty workload and learning effectiveness. The survey was conducted between 2008-2012 with 29 institutions responding. Preliminary findings show a wide range in faculty teaching loads, from 9-72 credit hours per year for full-time faculty and 9-60 hours for adjuncts. Factors like class size, preparation time, and communication time vary significantly. Respondents identified the number of classes taught and administrative duties as most impacting workload. The document discusses further analyzing the findings and continuing the national dialogue on relating workload to student outcomes.

1. OPTIMIZING FACULTY WORKLOAD
AND LEARNING EFFECTIVENESS
2010 WCET Conference
Karen Hutcheson – 212.251.5381
Dana Offerman, PhD – 518.464.8583
Karan Powell, PhD – 304.724.2816
November 12, 2010
Copyright ©2010 by The Segal Group, Inc., parent of The Segal Company and its Sibson Consulting Division. All Rights Reserved

2. 1
Session Objectives
Present preliminary data on survey for assessing online faculty workload
 Workload definitions as they relate to full time and to adjunct faculty
 Optimal workload for full-time online faculty and for online adjunct faculty
 Effect workload has on student learning outcomes and success
Discuss interrelationship between these issues and other factors that
relate to faculty and student success
Participate in ongoing national dialogue around this topic:
 Dialogue about the findings
 Discuss further research and next steps based upon these findings

3. 2
Introduction to the Survey
 Study began in 2007 with questions:
 At APUS: optimal workload for online faculty
 At Excelsior: faculty workload satisfaction
 APUS Pilot Study 2008 – 2009
 Faculty survey: self rating on perception of workload
 Classroom observations of top 20 performing faculty based upon complexity, size and interactivity
 Interviews with faculty regarding observations and their experience
 Establish a baseline norm for optimal student load and course load for further testing
 Nationwide study 2009 – 2012
 Refine survey
 WCET email list—29 institutions responding to date
 Extend survey to other venues for participation in survey and qualitative discussion
– Elearn in Orlando October 2010
– WCET in LaJolla November 2010
– Online Education Conference in Honolulu January 2011
– Others TBD
 Collect additional data for surveys (nationally and extend it internationally)
 Analyze findings
 Publish findings late 2011 – early 2012

4. 3
Questions and Data Gathering Methodology
 Type of Institution: On ground / online / hybrid of both
 Faculty teaching load:
 Typical teaching load
– Full time / adjunct
– On ground / On-Line
– Semester Hours
– Number of Students
 Factors influencing optimal annual faculty workload
 Comparisons between on-line and on-ground
 Time spent preparing
– First time course is taught
– Each term taught
 Time spent communicating with students
 Time spent traveling
 Optimal number of students
– Simultaneously in one semester
– Over the year
 Differences in presentation, assessment and instruction

5. Survey Respondents
Total Institutions to Date = 29
 Associates 16
 Bachelors 19
 Masters 24
 Doctoral 9

6. 5
Initial Findings: Current Workload
Adjunct Faculty Only
Teaching Load Per Year
 Semester Hour Range = 9 to 60
 Most frequent = 18 semester hours
 Student count max = 225 – 250
Full-Time Faculty Only
Teaching Load Per year
 Semester Hour Range = 9 to 72
 Student Count Range = 40 to 800
 Most Frequent = 36 semester hours
Optimal Number of Overlapping
Sections
 Full Time = 2.75
 Adjunct = 2.11
Workload Dependencies and Variable
Factors
 Focus of school: teaching or scholarly
work
 FT and online are not same
 Few universities are fully online
 Online class sizes vary with a maximum
of 15 – 35 students
 University policy related to cancellations
for class size
 Variation in length of semester 4 to 16
weeks (8 and 16 being primary )

7. 6
Initial Findings: Factors Influencing
Teaching Load and Student Success
Sum of All Responses
(Sum of 3 and 2 responses)
Factor Full Time Adjunct
# online classes taught in year 55 (44) 61 (53)
# on ground classes taught in year 56 (44) 53 (42)
# total students taught in a year 44 (34) 47 (31)
Research and scholarship engagement 44 (27) 31 (4)
Administrative responsibilities 64 (46) 35 (11)
Amount of writing required for grading by
faculty member in particular classes
50 (39) 42 (25)
Whether teaching Grad or undergrad class 38 (16) 34 (9)
Whether teaching research class 34 (10) 34 (9)
Whether class is capstone or thesis 41 (21) 36 (12)
Discipline specific consideration of course 44 (26) 43 (24)
Other factors 35 (9) 35 (9)
3 = Very Important 2 = Important 1 = NA

8. 7
Course and Section Load
AVERAGE NUMBER OF COURSES/SECTIONS
PER FULL-TIME OR ADJUNCT FACULTY
20
27
27
20
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Average # of Unique Courses Taught Per Year Average # of Overlapping or Concurrent Sections
Average
#
of
Courses/Sections
Full Time Adjunct

9. 8
Online Teaching Load – Full Time Faculty
Do full-time faculty teach online as part of
normal load or overload?
20%
27%
Normal Load Overload
Percent
of
Total

10. 9
20%
27%
20%
27%
Weekly Quarterly/Semester Annual
Average
Percent
of
Time
Research and Scholarship Applied Practice
Research/Scholarship – Full Time Online Faculty
What percentage of full-time online faculty time is expected to be
contributed to research/scholarship and applied practice?

11. 10
Are Full-Time Faculty Required to Conduct Research and/or engage
in scholarship and or engage in practice related to their discipline?
Yes = 9
Expect range of 15% – 50% of their time to be
spent in scholarship; average 20%
No = 20
Question: What is impact of these findings on
higher education and scholarship?
Research/Scholarship – Full Time Online Faculty

12. 11
Preparation For Online Courses – 3 Credit Course
Findings and Observations
 Preparation for teaching online can be a labor intensive process
 Variations are significant in terms of how courses are developed
* Total time a faculty member spends in preparation for the class, participation in the class, and grading of assignments.
20
27
90
20
Hours per week needed from teacher
for preparation and monitoring
At least 1 class of experience
preparation before 3 credit class start
New teacher preparation time before
3 credit class start
Total time for a 3 credit online class*
Average Hours

13. 12
Workload Distribution – Duration of Online Classes
Findings and Observations
 Majority of online classes are 13 weeks in duration, followed by 8 and 16 week respectively.
4%
3%
4%
1%
14%
5%
6%
1%
3%
19%
2%
5%
14%
0%
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
14%
16%
18%
20%
4 weeks 5 weeks 6 weeks 7 weeks 8 weeks 9 weeks 10 weeks 11 weeks 12 weeks 13 weeks 14 weeks 15 weeks 16 weeks 19 weeks
Percent
of
Total
Responses

14. 13
Measures Used to Assess Quality
of Learning as Related to Faculty Workload
Notable: Most used source of assessment is end of course
evaluations and student satisfaction
 Other sources (used by one or two institutions):
– Virtual class and faculty observations
– Faculty participation in course and monitoring this involvement in LMS
– Faculty assessment process
– Quality Matters Rubric
– Grade distribution
– Withdrawal and failure rates
– Department assessment data (including faculty satisfaction, peer review,
student complaints, program review process, course review process)
Notable: A couple universities stated they have not measured work
load in relation to student learning outcomes
 Not a conversation institution has ever had
 Seriously lacking in our program are standards for online education

15. 14
Write-in Factors Identified by Respondents as Impacting
Faculty Workload
Enterprise wide course development so that faculty only have to teach
 Use of master courses impacts and reduces workload
Important to note and compare size of class (F2F versus Online)
Campus committee work and community involvement
How leave is taken in online
How to account for email time
Frequency of semester starts and impact on overload
With so many adjuncts teaching at so many institutions simultaneously how do you
monitor their overall workload or can you?
There are few standards or guidelines for online teaching at many schools other
than the for profit online.
Need to understand more deeply each institution and their approach to faculty, to
online and quality, to standards

16. 15
Summary Findings To Date
No factor is statistically significant
 Great variability across institutions
 Some themes and factors are emerging
 Requires additional study
Themes of Interest
 Research and scholarly work is not a significant factor
 Inability to really measure and monitor workload of adjunct faculty (whether in
another industry or teaching at multiple institutions)
 Administrative responsibilities are distinguishing factor between full-time and
adjunct faculty workloads
 Online teaching and student success are linked to faculty/student interaction,
quality of feedback, and engagement in class by faculty
 End of course surveys are primary measure used
 Lack of evidence of standards for effective and quality online learning in primarily
on ground campuses

17. 16
Discussion of Open Ended Questions
What are the similarities and differences in online and F2F
faculty teaching workload?
How does faculty workload in online courses impact student
learning and student success?
What measures do you use to assess the quality of learning as
related to faculty workload?
What other factors about faculty workload were not addressed
here that you believe should be included in this study?
Describe why they are important

18. 17
Thank You!
What additional questions do you have?
333 West 34th Street
New York, NY 10001-2402
212.251.5381
www.sibson.com
Karen Hutcheson
Senior Vice President, Sibson Consulting
khutcheson@sibson.com
Karan Powell
American Public University System
American Military University | American Public University
111 West Congress Street
Charles Town, WV 25414
304-724 2816 (office) 304 919 0423 (blackberry)
kpowell@apus.edu