5.2 Revisiting the four cornerstones to mentoring adjunct faculty  (Page 4/6)

Effective communication

The cornerstone of mentoring support for adjunct online faculty members is based on the foundation of effective communication (Eney, Davidson, Dorlac&Whittington, 2005). To be effective, communication needs to be constant and ongoing. Adjunct online faculty need to receive weekly and/or monthly updates (Canton&James, 1999). In today’s technological world, the opportunities to reach out and make contact are almost immediate. However, the traditional forms of communicating remain a means of interaction that bring faculty much closer together. Therefore, a combination of both should be considered when providing support for adjunct faculty members.

One of the most effective means of communication is via the telephone. The effect that the spoken word has on people continues to be powerful, especially when it is laced with words of support and comfort. Telephone calls from mentors and other colleagues are especially powerful, as online adjunct faculty members often go without ever hearing the sound of their colleagues’ voices for long intervals of time, and in some environments, they never hear a spoken word. Telephones are also valuable in that they can foster a feeling of connection with other faculty within the school and serve as a reminder that they have support should the adjunct faculty need it (West, 2010). Another form of communication that remains effective is face-to-face interaction. Face-to-face interactions support adjunct faculty's sense of affiliation and collegiality with the institution (Dolan, 2010). Although this method is preferred, it is not always possible because of the nature of the work taking place in an online setting.

Adjunct faculty need to receive updates to keep them abreast of what's going on within the organization. Sending out bi-weekly newsletters that contain teaching strategies and resources (Meixner&Kruck, 2010) as well as updates about changes within the organization help to keep them informed. Brief news bulletins reporting the achievements of faculty members, announcements of energy outages, job postings, and communications of new personnel are important forms of communication that help keep adjunct faculty members informed and connected to the school.

The most effective communication is two-way. Although it may not be practical for colleagues across the nation and throughout the world to see each other in person, two way communications using video cameras, Skype, blogging, or telephone conferencing add life and meaning to educational leadership adjunct faculty communications. Two-way communication allows the adjunct faculty to benefit from the face-to-face communications while mitigating the distance challenge that is often encountered in online universities. The feeling of caring that is gained from two-way communications is particularly important as the work of an adjunct professor is often done in isolation (Wallin, 2004). Spontaneous feedback from others is another benefit of two-way communications that strengthens its necessity as a part of successful mentoring programs.