Lisa Johnson presented on the evolution of faculty roles and expertise in higher education from 1956 to 2016. Technological advances have led to the unbundling of traditional faculty responsibilities and the increased distribution of expertise. Faculty were once scarce and highly esteemed, but now expertise is more widely available through online resources and adjunct faculty are more common. Discussions are needed on how these changes impact quality of learning and satisfaction for all involved in higher education.

1. The Evolution
of Faculty
& Expertise
in Higher Education
Paper Presentation
Lisa Johnson, PhD

2. Lisa Johnson, PhD
lisajohnsonphd@gmail.com
http://reflectivelearning.net

3. Abstract
“Technological changes have accelerated the unbundling and specialization of duties and
responsibilities historically aligned to faculty in Unites States’ higher education systems.
These changes have redefined the scope and significance of faculty expertise in and
outside of the classroom. This paper provides an overview of the evolution of faculty roles
and expertise occurring 1956-2016 and was written primarily with the intention of
encouraging discussions among legislators, administrators, faculty and learners about
the impact these changes are having on the quality of learning and satisfaction of all
higher education industry participants and beneficiaries” (Johnson, 2016).
Johnson, L. (2016). The evolution of faculty and expertise in higher education.
Distance Learning Administration 2016 Conference. Jekyll Island, Georgia, USA.

4. 1956
Image Sources: parkcityhistory.org, flickr.com, keithwoolliams.last-memories.com
Faculty and their expertise were scarce and often highly
esteemed. Knowledge was still very place dependent.

5. 1976
Image Sources: flickr.com, northeastern university archives
Growth of adjunct faculty and use of standard curriculum,
yet scarcity and esteem of faculty expertise persists.
Knowledge continues to be place-based.

6. 1996
Image Sources: gadgets.ndtv.com, abc.net.au, windows.microsoft.com
Internet, email, desktop (one-click) publishing… Expertise is
increasingly distributed as “America Goes Online” & early-
adopters of web-based sharing in academia thrive and peer-to-
peer networks for student learning and among the masses
proliferates.

7. 2006
Image Sources: bu.edu, diaryofaniphone.blogspot.com, onlineuniversitiesorma.blogspot.com
(Micro)Blogs, Wikis, Commercial and Organizational
Websites, Social Networks, Explosion in
Video/Webinars & Simulations, Localization and Auto-
Translation, Global Learning Communities, Online
(Library) Databases…

8. 2016
Image Sources: seoupdates4u.net, businessinsider.com
Mobile Computing (Smartphones, Tablets, Wearables), Widespread
Wifi & Broadband Access, MOOCs, Self-Teaching, ePortfolios,
Adaptive Learning, Competencies, Standards, and Outcomes-Based
Learning Models, Enterprise Course Design and Deployment..
= reshaping faculty esteem & increasing proliferation of access
to knowledge.

9. Influential Factors
1. Disappearance of geographic monopolies in educational
services
2. Concepts of learners as clients, customers, and
sometimes “students”
3. Increased tuition costs resulting in consumerist behaviors
(e.g., degree shopping/financing)
4. Increased student loan debt
5. Decreased federal, state, and endowment funding for
institutions
6. Increased competition (e.g., public, private, for-profit)
7. Increased use of part-time faculty / rise of the
professional adjunct
8. Increase in adult learners (i.e., “non-traditional” learners
as student populations beyond community colleges)
9. Evolving regulatory procedures (e.g., accreditation, state
& federal)
10. Shifting modalities (i.e., mobile, competency-based,
online, blended/hybrid/enhanced, MOOCs, accelerated
models, etc.)
Turoff, M. (2006). The changing role of faculty and online education. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 10(4) 129-
138. Retrieved from http://onlinelearningconsortium.org/jaln/v10n4/changing-role-faculty-and-online-education
Which Factors Have Been Most
Influential in Your Experience?

10. Next Steps...
“Discussions are needed among legislators, administrators,
faculty and learners about the impact the evolution of faculty
roles is having on the quality of learning and satisfaction by
every participant in and beneficiary of the higher education
industry” (Johnson, 2016)

11. Lisa Johnson, PhD
Assistant Professor - Instructional Design & Technology
Thank You for Participating!
LISAJOHNSONPHD@GMAIL.COM | HTTP://REFLECTIVELEARNING.NET