The Professional Adjunct: An Emerging Trend in Online Instruction

Abstract

Expanding enrollment in online programs has concurrently created a demand for qualified faculty to assume the increasing workload. As full-time faculty have been unable to fill the gap due to workload or resistance, organizations are more frequently turning to adjuncts to meet the needs of their online learners. As a result, there has been increasing dialogue regarding the nature of the adjunct-university relationship as well as the quality, rigor, and consistency of courses being facilitated by part-time faculty. Complicating this dialogue are a small but growing number of individuals who do not hold full-time jobs but rely on multiple adjunct positions to fulfill their professional needs. This qualitative study investigates the motivations and demographics of this emerging phenomenon.