Teaching in Higher Education after COVID-19: Optimizing Faculty Time and Effort Using a Proposed Model
We propose a model for use in higher education after COVID-19 that addresses how to organize class methods for effective and efficient teaching outcomes for both students and instructors. Faculty have a finite amount of time that they may spend on their courses and must determine which time combinat...
Main Authors: | , , , |
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-01-01
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Series: | Education Sciences |
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Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/14/2/121 |
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author | Naeem Bajwa Thomas Tudor Otmar Varela Karen Leonard |
author_facet | Naeem Bajwa Thomas Tudor Otmar Varela Karen Leonard |
author_sort | Naeem Bajwa |
collection | DOAJ |
description | We propose a model for use in higher education after COVID-19 that addresses how to organize class methods for effective and efficient teaching outcomes for both students and instructors. Faculty have a finite amount of time that they may spend on their courses and must determine which time combinations produce the best outcomes. First, we discuss the key work-related challenges faced by faculty and contend that competing demands on faculty time result in inefficient allocation of their time and effort. We then model the issue as an optimization problem and illustrate through examples how to help faculty choose optimal method combinations along with time spent. We use time as a measure of effort and define which combination of methods might be most effective for achieving course learning objectives. There are opportunities for wider use of this methodology, as effective application of effort toward meeting the appropriate learning objectives should create better outcomes. Numerical examples are used to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed model, including how administrators can use it to support and encourage faculty. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:35:58Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-d1c758fcc92d4f28ab5bc18a536416aa |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2227-7102 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:35:58Z |
publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
publisher | MDPI AG |
record_format | Article |
series | Education Sciences |
spelling | doaj.art-d1c758fcc92d4f28ab5bc18a536416aa2024-02-23T15:14:20ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022024-01-0114212110.3390/educsci14020121Teaching in Higher Education after COVID-19: Optimizing Faculty Time and Effort Using a Proposed ModelNaeem Bajwa0Thomas Tudor1Otmar Varela2Karen Leonard3Department of Management, School of Business, University of Arkansas, Little Rock, AR 72205, USADepartment of Management, School of Business, University of Arkansas, Little Rock, AR 72205, USADepartment of Management, School of Business, University of Arkansas, Little Rock, AR 72205, USADepartment of Management, School of Business, University of Arkansas, Little Rock, AR 72205, USAWe propose a model for use in higher education after COVID-19 that addresses how to organize class methods for effective and efficient teaching outcomes for both students and instructors. Faculty have a finite amount of time that they may spend on their courses and must determine which time combinations produce the best outcomes. First, we discuss the key work-related challenges faced by faculty and contend that competing demands on faculty time result in inefficient allocation of their time and effort. We then model the issue as an optimization problem and illustrate through examples how to help faculty choose optimal method combinations along with time spent. We use time as a measure of effort and define which combination of methods might be most effective for achieving course learning objectives. There are opportunities for wider use of this methodology, as effective application of effort toward meeting the appropriate learning objectives should create better outcomes. Numerical examples are used to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed model, including how administrators can use it to support and encourage faculty.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/14/2/121teaching modelfaculty workloadteaching methodshigher educationtime and effort |
spellingShingle | Naeem Bajwa Thomas Tudor Otmar Varela Karen Leonard Teaching in Higher Education after COVID-19: Optimizing Faculty Time and Effort Using a Proposed Model Education Sciences teaching model faculty workload teaching methods higher education time and effort |
title | Teaching in Higher Education after COVID-19: Optimizing Faculty Time and Effort Using a Proposed Model |
title_full | Teaching in Higher Education after COVID-19: Optimizing Faculty Time and Effort Using a Proposed Model |
title_fullStr | Teaching in Higher Education after COVID-19: Optimizing Faculty Time and Effort Using a Proposed Model |
title_full_unstemmed | Teaching in Higher Education after COVID-19: Optimizing Faculty Time and Effort Using a Proposed Model |
title_short | Teaching in Higher Education after COVID-19: Optimizing Faculty Time and Effort Using a Proposed Model |
title_sort | teaching in higher education after covid 19 optimizing faculty time and effort using a proposed model |
topic | teaching model faculty workload teaching methods higher education time and effort |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/14/2/121 |
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