Online learning in schools of business: what influences faculty to teach online?

ABSTRACT

College students today are much more diverse in their needs than in the past (e.g., they may live off campus, work full or part time, and seek ways to lessen college-related debt). Institutions of higher education are seeking ways to more effectively reach this diverse student population, often through online education. Institutions also realise that faculty are a primary contributing factor to whether or not such programs will be successful. This is because faculty selected to develop and teach online are responsible for both content and delivery; thus, they largely control the quality of the courses offered. Since business is one of the most highly sought-after areas of study online, schools of business must find ways to develop and implement online programs, while ensuring quality and meeting accreditation standards. Deans of AACSB-accredited business schools were surveyed in this study to determine their approaches related to faculty participation in online learning initiatives. Specifically, this study examines variables that are associated with faculty participation in online teaching. Through multiple regression analyses, the study examines which elements of practice are significant in this effort.

KEYWORDS:

• Online teaching
• schools of business
• strategies and practices

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Maureen Snow Andrade

Maureen Snow Andrade is a Professor in the Organisational Leadership Department at Utah Valley University. She has an EdD in higher education leadership from the University of Southern California and holds the distinction of Principal Fellow from the Higher Education Academy. Dr. Andrade’s research interests include business education, international student transitions and linguistic development, and learning outcomes assessment. She is a regular conference presenter and has published numerous journal articles, book chapters, and books. She is a former Associate Vice President, Associate Dean, and Department Chair.

Ronald Mellado Miller

Dr. Ronald Mellado Miller is currently a Professor in the Strategic Management and Operations Department of the Woodbury School of Business at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Dr. Miller has published and presented in a wide variety of scientific research areas, including business, neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, and game theory, among others. Coupled with his quantitative background is a great appreciation for qualitative research in order to understand the meaning behind the numbers. Dr. Miller has run studies in Asia, Africa, the Pacific Islands, Europe and the United States.

Michelle B. Kunz

Michelle B. Kunz is a Professor of Marketing at Morehead State University, Morehead, Kentucky. Teaching interests include consumer behaviour, retailing, sustainable marketing, and marketing ethics and social responsibility. She has taught in the fully online MBA program at MSU for more than 15 years. Research interests include corporate social responsibility and sustainability, retailing, and online corporate strategies. Dr. Kunz has more than 25 journal publications. She is a Fellow of the Marketing Management Association, and Marketing Editor for MERLOT, a curated system for online learning and support materials. Dr. Kunz received her Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Janet M. Ratliff

Janet M. Ratliff is an Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at Morehead State University, Morehead, Kentucky. Teaching interests include entrepreneurship and innovation, small business management, entrepreneurial mindset, and business plan/concept development. Research interests include entrepreneurial case writing and entrepreneurial initiatives related to tourism. Dr. Ratliff enjoys working with middle and high school teachers and students in the region on entrepreneurship and hosts entrepreneurial competitions to showcase their respective new business ventures. She is a Quality Matters Certified teacher and teaches Entrepreneurship courses in the MBA program for which all courses are also Quality Matters Certified. Dr. Ratliff received her Ed.D. from the University of Kentucky.