Campus Location
Dallas Campus (Online)
Date of Award
5-2026
ORCID
https://orcid.org/0009-0007-6063-4127
Document Type
Dissertation
Department
Organizational Leadership
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Committee Chair or Primary Advisor
Jim J Adams
Second Committee Member or Secondary Advisor
John D. Schwiethale
Third Committee Member or Committee Reader
Jeremy Davis
Abstract
This qualitative exploratory study examined how new online instructors in the health sciences division of a North Texas community college experienced institutional onboarding and professional development as they transitioned from industry roles into asynchronous online teaching. As community colleges expand online instruction to meet the needs of nontraditional learners, many health sciences faculty enter academic roles with strong clinical expertise but limited preparation in online pedagogy. Guided by the community of inquiry framework and self-efficacy theory, this study explored instructors’ perceptions of their preparedness for asynchronous teaching; the instructional challenges they encountered, particularly related to student engagement; and the types of professional support they perceived as most beneficial. Data were collected through (a) semistructured interviews with instructors who had taught multiple asynchronous courses after completing the institution’s onboarding process, and (b) a review of institutional onboarding and professional development materials. Findings indicated that onboarding focused on compliance requirements and learning management system navigation while offering limited preparation for developing teaching presence, designing interactive learning experiences, or sustaining student engagement in asynchronous environments. Participants reported relying heavily on self-directed learning and informal peer support to address pedagogical gaps. This study highlights the need for discipline-specific onboarding, structured mentorship, and sustained professional development to better support health sciences faculty and promote effective asynchronous instruction in community college settings.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Snyder, Joshua D., "Navigating the Shift: Supporting Health Sciences Faculty Transitioning From Industry to Asynchronous Online Education" (2026). Digital Commons @ ACU, Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 1030.
https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/etd/1030
Included in
Educational Leadership Commons, Higher Education Commons, Higher Education and Teaching Commons, Medical Education Commons, Online and Distance Education Commons