A dissertation completed at
The Center for Education, Widener University,
One University Place, Chester, PA 19013 		 
A CASE OF FACULTY'S USE OF THE INTERNET FOR UNDERGRADUATE INSTRUCTION AT LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES
SANDRA M. WEISS, Ed. D.
April 6, 2001

RETURN
edited 6/20/01

 


ABSTRACT

Using computers for instruction can unintentionally change many important aspects of life in education. New roles are evolving for some faculty from their traditional lecture and demonstration-centered didactic instruction to serving as coaches, guides, and facilitators. Computers, instead of replacing faculty, demand that faculty have new skills and roles. Finding the best instructional methods has always been an important issue in education. Currently, the trend to make learning student-centered may be problematic for some faculty because this may not fit with their philosophy of education, or faculty who use student-centered approaches may not know how to use the Internet to achieve the interactivity they experience in their face-to-face classrooms.

The common belief among some educators that the use of the Internet for instruction can improve learning is not enough to encourage faculty to integrate the Internet into their courses. Providing faculty with working models of its use in practice without all the hardware and technical jargon is necessary. Looking at the use of the Internet for instruction in relation to faculty's educational philosophy may identify the reasons for its success or failure among different faculty members.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the relationship of educational philosophy and instructional practice on the use of the Internet for instruction in undergraduate education at small liberal arts colleges. The objectives of this research were to: (a) describe the instructional techniques faculty were using in Internet instruction in undergraduate courses, (b) determine the factors associated with faculty use of the Internet for instruction, (c) determine if a relationship existed among faculty's use of the Internet for instruction and their philosophy of education, their teaching style and their learning style, and (d) describe the methods faculty members used to judge their success using the Internet for instruction.

In order to answer the research questions, this descriptive qualitative investigation used a combination of elite and in-depth interviews, document analysis, and direct observations. The twenty-one faculty interviews were conversational using a mix of semi-structured and open-ended questions. The researcher allowed the informant to lead the direction of the interview to safeguard against the researcher's bias. The participants were faculty teaching undergraduate courses from a variety of disciplines at small liberal arts colleges located in the Mid-Atlantic region with a religious affiliation.

Six themes emerged from the analysis of the interviews. Adult learning theory influenced faculty's category of Internet use, which contained five types. The description of how faculty used the Internet for instruction stemmed from their view of its use. Faculty had a natural tendency to view the Internet for instruction to enhance communication or information. Motivation, as related to a humanistic philosophy of education, the third theme, overarched the other major themes of faculty learning, teaching orientation, and learning environment. Instead of determining a quantitative score for faculty's learning style and teaching style, the two themes, teaching orientation and learning environment, emerged from analyzing the data.

In addition to the six themes, two factors surfaced, which were time and administrative support. Administrative support was not a major issue associated with faculty's use of the Internet, but their support provided a positive environment. The results of this study have important implications for faculty development programs and administrators supporting increased Internet use for instruction by faculty at private small liberal arts colleges with a religious affiliation.

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