Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this qualitative, multiple-case study was to examine the development of online pedagogical skills among higher education professors who are effectively utilizing an online format to teach their classes. Administrators at 3 private universities in California nominated faculty who were viewed as proficient, based on performance in online courses. Findings were examined for both formal and nontraditional learning that contributed to the development experiences of these effective online practitioners. Methodology. Multiple-case-study interviews were conducted with a phenomenological approach to explore the following question: How do effective online educators teaching at private, 4-year universities in California learn online pedagogy practices? Findings. Informal exploration, social support and mentoring, transfer of prior knowledge, instructional designers, resource sharing, and formal training are the 6 themes that emerged from interviews with professors who were asked to describe the development of their digital pedagogy. These themes are worth considering in their own right, but when analyzed with additional value-added measures, informal exploration, social support, and opportunities to connect with instructional designers were highly preferred developmental components. Conclusions. While universities should consider including elements from all 6 themes when designing development strategies for online educators, a focus on themes that align with the personalized needs of adult learners will have the most impact for participating professors. The inclusion of informal exploration, social support, and opportunities to connect with instructional designers during the development process will further increase the impact of training offerings, a process with far-reaching benefits for instructors, universities, and ultimately students entering the digital classrooms of the future. Recommendations. Consideration of faculty member needs, interests, and desires is of key importance as universities design development strategies for instructors transitioning into the digital classroom. Maximizing informal exploration opportunities and promoting social support while incorporating focused, interactive formal training methods will optimize training opportunities for professors. Additional approaches such as the incorporation of instructional designers on virtual instruction teams and flexible programs organized around outcomes may also allow instructors to share their expertise while developing this new skill set in an efficient, relevant manner.