Strengthening teaching, strengthening education: Boise State’s impactful research

This year, three Boise State faculty presented at the 2025 EdMedia World Conference on Educational Technology, in Barcelona, Spain. The presentation, "Building Connections and Confidence Through a Customized Online Adjunct Faculty Learning Community," was delivered by Heather Sanders, principal instructional specialist and Jennifer Obenshain, clinical professor and Master of Social Work Online program coordinator. While unable to attend, Amy Vecchione, assistant director of eCampus Research and Innovation, contributed to the research and acceptance of the presentation.

The work focuses on finding better ways to support part-time online instructors who don't have the same access to resources as full-time instructors. Many colleges depend on these adjunct faculty, but these instructors sometimes feel isolated and disconnected. Boise State's Master of Social Work Online program has created a supportive network where small groups of adjunct faculty can meet online for nine weeks to share their experiences, exchange ideas, and build their confidence in their teaching.

Vecchione worked with Sanders and Obenshain to collect data, institutional review board submission, analysis and presentation of the surveys taken before and after among the participants of the study.

"Through every aspect of the work Heather and Jennifer conducted to create an adjunct faculty learning community they modeled the effective pedagogy and practices for online teaching and learning," Vecchione said. "The adjunct faculty learning community is an exemplary project that ought to be emulated."

"While supporting and designing space for adjunct faculty to connect, grow, and learn is my favorite part of this endeavour, I deeply enjoy collaborating with departments and faculty from across the university," Sanders said. "Supporting adjunct faculty is not a task for just one or two people-it takes a team of adjunct instructor advocates. I genuinely feel that together we have built a supportive experience for our online adjunct instructors to feel heard, seen, and valued."

"This has been such a great project to show that our adjunct instructors are really looking for opportunities to engage more with the university," Obenshain shared. "We can work together to find new and innovative ways to connect with students in meaningful ways. And this positively impacts our students."

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