An Examination of Adjunct Faculty Characteristics: Comparison between Non-Profit and For-Profit Institutions
Institutions must understand the unique characteristics and motivations of adjunct faculty teaching online to more effectively support a diverse faculty population. The current study examines faculty characteristics and motivations to explore differences in the types of adjunct faculty teaching at non-profit or for-profit institutions. A survey of 859 part-time, online instructors found no statistically significant differences for gender, level of education, faculty typology (e.g., hope to obtain full time in higher education), or satisfaction; small differences were found in relation to ethnicity, academic experience, level of instruction (undergraduate or graduate), class size, and willingness to recommend online adjunct teaching to others. The results suggest that online adjunct faculty at for-profit and non-profit institutions are remarkably similar with regards to personal and academic characterstics as well as their motivation for and satisfaction with teaching online in an adjunct capacity. Not only does this lend support for the assumption that the nature of instruction is likely similar across for-profit and non-profit institutions, but also that best practices in faculty training, support and mentoring can be shared across institutional types. Recognizing the similarity in academic experience and preparation of online adjuncts, it allows faculty development initiatives and research to be shared, adapted and generalized across a wide range of of institutional types.
