Faculty Self-Efficacy Instructing in a Hybrid Learning Environment at a Career College

Abstract

Since the inception of the hybrid instruction model at a career college in the western United States, there has not been an exploration of faculty members' understanding of hybrid instruction. Therefore, campus administrators do not have a clear understanding of the faculty perception of teaching in a hybrid learning environment. Using Bandura's social cognitive theory, this qualitative narrative inquiry study was conducted to explore faculty self-efficacy instructing in a hybrid learning environment at the career college. A purposeful sampling method was used to select 9 faculty who have taught less than 2 hybrid learning courses and attended the college professional development. In-depth semiformal interviews captured the data for this narrative inquiry. Data analysis was rooted in a 6-part Labovian model that captured the full story of the participants. Thematic analysis of data followed an inductive and interpretive approach to identify categories and 4 themes: discussion teaching, classroom environment, anchored by adult learning strategies, and self-reliance. The emerged themes provided the direction to increase faculty self-efficacy instructing in a hybrid learning environment. The resulting project was a 3-day professional development program with training in; discussion teaching; classroom environment; and adult learning strategies. The theme of self-reliance was the thread that linked all sessions of the professional development program together. This study may contribute to positive social change through the implementation of a professional development program leading to increased faculty self-efficacy instructing in a hybrid learning environment at a career college.