An In-Depth Examination of Professional Adjunct Faculty’s Integration of Technology, Pedagogy, Content Knowledge, and Contextual Factors in Higher Education
Open Access DepositedThis qualitative study explores the teaching and learning experiences of professional adjunct faculty in higher education, with a focus on how they integrate technology, pedagogy, content knowledge, and contextual knowledge, framed by the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) model and expanded through a constructivist lens. As the demands for online and hybrid learning grow, professional adjunct faculty play a critical role in bridging academic content with real-world experience. However, these educators enter their roles with limited pedagogical preparation and insufficient institutional support. Through a basic interpretive research design, this study collected and analyzed data from semi-structured interviews with 17 professional adjunct faculty members. The findings reveal that while these educators possess deep content knowledge and industry experience, their pedagogical and technological skills vary widely. Key themes include the self-directed development of teaching strategies, evolving relationships with educational technologies, and the influence of contextual factors such as institutional culture, student demographics, and curriculum constraints. The study underscores the need for more robust professional development and institutional support to prepare adjunct faculty for the evolving landscape of higher education. Insights from this research contribute to the literature on adjunct faculty development and suggest directions for supporting effective and inclusive teaching practices in digitally mediated learning environments.
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