Virtual Teaching During COVID-19:

Abstract

This study aimed to 1) identify the attitudes and abilities of Cooperative Extension staff regarding the delivery of virtual educational programming based on their characteristics and 2) identify professional development priorities to effectively deliver programming virtually. We disseminated an adapted Faculty Readiness to Teach Online questionnaire to Cooperative Extension staff via Qualtrics. Mean and standard deviation were calculated from complete surveys (n = 67) for each virtual programming competency in the self-reported attitude and ability sections, categorized by position type, years of teaching, and program area. We conducted a MANCOVA to identify group differences in self-reported attitudes and abilities of the virtual programming competencies. No significant differences existed between groups when comparing individual attitudes or ability competencies. Significant differences existed between program area and total abilities but not attitudes compared to those in home and family. The preferred method of professional development included workshops and webinars. Over half of the respondents identified several professional development topics as priority areas, including Kaltura, Google Workspace, Adobe Creative Cloud, and iMovie. This study confirmed the need for additional professional development regardless of program area or years of experience. Creating an organizational, professional development plan that incorporates accessibility training, utilizes self-assessment for new hires, and provides a virtual resource bank can support staff members in effectively navigating virtual teaching tools and platforms.

Keywords: Cooperative Extension, COVID-19, online teaching, attitudes, professional development

Introduction

Nationally, the Cooperative Extension System is crucial in disseminating cutting-edge research beyond the land-grant system to individuals who can apply this knowledge in practical ways. Over the past 15 years, the use of technology in Cooperative Extension programs in Maine has steadily increased and become an essential component during the COVID-19 pandemic (University of Maine Cooperative Extension, 2022). Platforms such as social media, online post-educational program evaluations, and Zoom have enabled University of Maine (UMaine) Cooperative Extension educators to improve communication with program participants and expand their reach. At the national level, the implementation of eXtension.org has created a virtual Cooperative Extension office for the public and an online community for Extension staff members to engage in professional development, share research outcomes, and exchange program best practices with their peers.

Teaching online or in a virtual environment presents unique challenges for educators compared to traditional in-person education (Arghode et al., 2017). Extension staff members possess extensive knowledge in their respective program fields, and their ability to effectively communicate relevant and immediately applicable information is critical to engaging program participants. Extension staff members employ various educational methods when delivering in-person programs to foster community among participants. Cultivating a virtual community is necessary to maintain participant engagement and investment in the learning process (Prodgers et al., 2023). Additionally, an individual’s attitude toward technology can influence their ability to utilize it effectively in programs (Martin et al., 2019). Therefore, relying solely on technology for educational delivery without comprehensive training is expected to negatively impact the quality of programming provided to the public and educators’ attitudes toward technology usage in programming.

While online and virtual teaching development and implementation are well-established in higher education academic environments, readiness assessments for virtual teaching have been developed primarily for academic faculty (Pennsylvania State University, 2017; University of Toledo, 2017; Martin et al., 2019). Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, limited research existed on the readiness of Cooperative Extension staff members to deliver programs virtually. This study addresses two primary objectives: 1) identify the attitudes and abilities of UMaine Extension staff members regarding virtual educational programming based on their characteristics, and 2) identify professional development priorities for UMaine Extension staff members in effectively delivering Extension programming virtually.

Methods

Study Design

This cross-sectional study assessed UMaine Extension staff members’ virtual teaching attitudes and abilities. We collected data through an online questionnaire that assessed respondent demographics, years employed, experience teaching virtually, and self-reported attitude and ability of competencies in four virtual programming categories: educational program design, communication, time management, and technical competencies of virtual educational programs.

Setting, Recruitment, and Participants

After obtaining approval from the University of Maine Institutional Review Board on October 28, 2020, we distributed an electronic survey to all UMaine Extension staff members on November 2, 2020. At the beginning of the survey, we provided informed consent. We recruited UMaine Extension staff members to participate in data collection through an Extension “All Staff” email group. All responses were collected using Qualtrics Software.^[1] The responses were downloaded to Excel to manage participant data. The survey recruitment population included 175 full-time and part-time UMaine Extension staff: 36 (20.6%) hourly administrative staff members, 28 (16%) hourly community education assistants (CEAs) who assist with educational program delivery, 70 (40%) salaried professionals who design, deliver, and evaluate educational programs, and 41 (23.4%) Extension faculty members who conduct applied research, and who design, deliver, and evaluate educational programs. Survey respondents included in the data analysis had complete data sets and those without were excluded from the final analysis. Ninety-six UMaine Extension staff members responded to the online survey, resulting in an initial response rate of 54.86%. After excluding outliers and incomplete data sets (n = 29), the final sample used for data analysis was 67 participants (38.26% response rate).

Survey Instrument

The survey used in the study was adapted, with permission, from the Faculty Readiness to Teach Online (FRTO) questionnaire developed by Martin et al. (2019). We added questions to gather the following data: gender, race, ethnicity, position type, educational program area, years of delivering educational programming, and years of delivering virtual programming. The FRTO survey assessed self-reported attitudes and abilities of competencies in four virtual programming categories: 1) educational program design, 2) communication, 3) time management, and 4) technical competencies of virtual educational programs. We asked participants to indicate how important they felt each competency was (attitude) and how well they accomplished each competency (ability). We assessed each competency using five-point Likert-style response statements, with higher scores indicating greater confidence and increased perception of importance (Table 1). Each category was scored by summation of average responses. We scored the attitude and ability domains separately.

The educational program design category includes one’s capability or attitude in virtual course implementation and facilitation. This included creating an online program orientation, writing specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) objectives, and using different online teaching methods (i.e., discussion boards). The communication category describes one’s confidence and attitude toward the interaction between learners and professionals in online settings. This included emailing reminders to participants, moderating online discussion forums, communicating netiquette or “etiquette governing communication on the Internet” (Merriam-Webster, n.d.), and applying accessibility policies to accommodate program participant needs. The time management category describes one’s confidence and attitude in allocating time for online course development. This category included scheduling time to design the program before delivery and using facilitation strategies to manage time spent on the course, among other skills. The technical category includes confidence and attitudes regarding one’s technical skills, independent of course content and knowledge. This included knowledge of basic computer operations, using online collaborative tools such as Google Drive, and accessing the campus IT help desk for assistance. See Table 2 for further details regarding the competencies for each category.

The survey was modified to reflect the educational programming provided by UMaine Extension. Since hourly staff members are not responsible for designing or evaluating educational programming, certain survey sections did not apply to those employees. Consequently, survey flow conditions were created in Qualtrics to direct hourly staff members to relevant survey questions based on the question about self-identifying their position type. If the survey respondents selected the position of administrative specialist or CEA, then they skipped questions associated with program development in both the attitudes and abilities sections. We asked all participants questions related to the content and modality of professional development training related to virtual teaching.

Statistical Analysis

We conducted statistical analyses using SPSS software, version 28.^[2] Frequency distributions assessed participants’ program area and position type, which were treated as categorical variables. Measures of central tendency described participants’ average number of years of teaching in-person and virtually. These variables were treated as continuous. We calculated the mean and standard deviation for each competency in the four virtual programming categories in the self-reported attitude and ability sections. The total mean and standard deviation were calculated for attitude and ability by position type. A Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) identified group differences in the self-reported attitudes and abilities of the virtual programming competencies while accounting for years of teaching. Tukey’s Honest Significant Difference (HSD) was used as a post hoc analysis to determine pairwise comparisons among the means of significant findings in the MANOVA results (Coladarci & Cobb, 2013).

Results

Sample Characteristics

Survey respondents (n = 67) were primarily female (76.1%) and white (98.4%). In terms of position type, Extension professionals had the highest percentage of responses (47.7%), followed by faculty (26.9%), and then hourly Extension staff members, including community education assistants (14.9%) and administrative specialists (10.4%). The most significant percentage of respondents reported programming in 4-H (35.8%), followed by agriculture (18%) and food and health (14.9%). All survey respondents were asked to self-report years of teaching at UMaine Extension. The greatest percentage of respondents had over 15 years of experience (32.4%), followed by 1–5 years (23.5%), and then 6–10 years (13.2%). The largest number of respondents who reported the number of years teaching in the virtual space had 1–5 years of experience (50%) and those with less than 1 year of experience (32.4%). Refer to Table 3 for sample details.

Note: ^an = 67.

Attitude and Ability by Program Competencies and Respondent Characteristics

Descriptive statistics (means and standard deviations) for each competency within the four virtual programming categories: course design, course communication, time management, and technical skills were analyzed. No significant differences were found between groups when comparing individual attitudes or ability competencies. Additionally, we found no significant differences between attitude and ability and position type, F(8, 36) = 1.41, p = .226, Wilks’ Lambda = .762, number of years teaching in-person, F(8, 104) = .843, p = .567, Wilks’ Lambda = .882, or number of years teaching virtually, F(24, 87.6) = .780, p = .751, Wilks’ Lambda = .570.

A MANOVA revealed a statistically significant difference between program area and total abilities, but not attitudes, F(8, 102) = 2.31, p < .05, Wilks’ Lambda = .72, partial η² = .23 (Table 4). The results remained significant even after accounting for years of teaching. Tukey’s HSD test for multiple comparisons indicated significant differences in abilities between Extension agriculture staff members (M = 3.54 ± 0.11) and Extension food and health staff members (M = 4.07 ± 0.15, p = .050, 95% CI = [1.05, 0.00]). Furthermore, Extension staff members in the food and health program area reported higher abilities (M = 4.07 ± 0.15) than those in the home and family program area (M = 3.26 ± 0.19), p = .013, 95% CI [0.13, -1.48].

Note. *p = .05. **p = .013.

Professional Development Priorities for Extension Staff

Survey respondents answered questions about their educational needs for developing more knowledge and skills in developing virtual programs. Table 5 presents the preferred methods or types of support that University of Maine Extension staff members identified to access resources to enhance their knowledge and skills in developing and delivering virtual Extension programs. Respondents were able to choose multiple responses to this question. “Other” responses included requesting more hours in the day and fewer responsibilities (n = 1), seeking examples/inspiration (n = 1), and staff member support for video production (n = 1).

Note. ^an = 62.

The preferred method of professional development varied among Extension position types, with professional development workshops and webinars favored by the majority (CEAs 70.0%, professionals 84.3%, and faculty 94.4%). Additionally, most CEAs (70.0%) favored peer mentoring. Extension professionals showed a preference for one-on-one consultations with instructional designers (71.9%), self-directed learning through instructional videos or documents within the learning management system (65.6%), and web-based tutorials (62.5%). Faculty also favored one-on-one consultations with instructional designers as a preferred method for enhancing skills and knowledge related to virtual teaching (72.2%).

Over half of the survey respondents identified several professional development topics as priority areas, including Kaltura, Google Workspace, Adobe Creative Cloud, and iMovie. However, we observed slight variations when analyzing the priority topics by position type. Administrative specialists prioritized iMovie, Kaltura, and Adobe Creative Cloud. CEAs prioritized Kaltura, Adobe Creative Cloud, and Google Workspace. Professionals prioritized Adobe Creative Cloud, project management and task management, Zoom Webinars, and Google Workspace. Faculty prioritized Google Workspace and Kaltura.

Discussion

Attitudes and Abilities

University of Maine Extension staff members exhibited positive attitudes toward virtual learning competencies. There were no substantial variations in attitudes based on position type, years of teaching experience, years of teaching in Extension, or program area. We found significant differences in mean abilities among program areas, with respondents in the food and health area displaying significantly higher competence than respondents in agriculture or the home and family program area. Narine and Meier (2020) conducted a study to understand Extension professionals’ capacity to implement virtual Extension programs during the pandemic. The researchers identified Extension employees who had rapidly shifted their Extension programming to a virtual format. They reported their capacity (ability) as good or excellent compared to those Extension staff members in the planning phase of transitioning to virtual programs (Narine & Meier, 2020). To address the challenges of the pandemic, the educational program delivery of food and health program areas quickly adapted. Adaptations included transitioning to virtual platforms such as webinars and live Zoom classes, incorporating recipe videos, and utilizing Qualtrics for program evaluation. These changes may have positively impacted food and health program area respondents’ self-assessed abilities. An additional survey question asking where Extension staff members were in the program implementation process could have provided more insights into attitude and ability differences found in this study. The ability to adapt in-person Extension programs to a virtual format may have also influenced participant self-assessments. Some Extension staff members may have had to develop new educational programs to meet audience and stakeholder needs before the survey. Some University of Maine Extension programs may not have required as much adaptation to prepare for a virtual format, while developing new programs to meet emerging needs during COVID-19 may have been perceived as more labor intensive.

Professional Development

Professional development emerged as a priority across all position types, with requests for options ranging from one-on-one consultation with instructional designers to peer mentoring. The survey responses highlighted the need for training with tools like Google Workspace and Kaltura. The University of Maine is a Google Workspace Education Customer, allowing all employees, including Cooperative Extension, access to Google tools; however, 58.1% of survey respondents identified a need for continuing professional development on using these tools. Similarly, 58.1% of respondents noted a high priority for training in how to use Kaltura, a video cloud platform. Interestingly, when identifying professional development topics by position type, over half of the administrative specialists who responded also rated Kaltura and iMovie as a topic of interest for professional development. The perceived need for training with these tools may be due to their role in virtual program development. Administrative professionals may assist programming staff with editing and posting videos online, adding closed captioning, and understanding additional accessibility features to best align with Section 508 standards and improve user experience (Eck et al., 2022; U.S. General Services Administration, 2020).

More than merely assessing attitudes and abilities may be required to determine an organization’s readiness for virtual teaching. This study acknowledged Cooperative Extension’s successful utilization of virtual learning platforms during the pandemic. To enhance proficiency in delivering virtual opportunities, it is crucial to establish a supportive structure and culture that allows educators to learn, practice, and apply new skills (Mercado, 2008). Extension administration has a crucial role in supporting the growth of Extension employees in educational program development and delivery and prioritizing workplace norms for collegial support in sharing the success of these practices.

Intentionally providing time and resources for virtual teaching skill development will strengthen the presence of virtual Extension programs and allow Extension staff members to work and learn together across programmatic and geographic areas. The available list of virtual teaching tools is ever-changing and increasing. Opportunities exist for individual institutions to create resources listing virtual teaching platforms and their features, which could assist Extension staff members in strengthening virtual teaching as part of their educational programs. Within the resource banks, Extension employees could indicate virtual teaching tools they have experience with and their willingness to offer a mentoring session, thus meeting the expressed desire for the use of peer mentoring found in this study.

Finally, when developing job descriptions, criteria aimed at virtual teaching should be included so new hires understand this is an expectation. New Extension faculty and staff often do not have formal training in this area and do not see themselves as well prepared to teach in an online environment (Martin et al., 2019). A new Extension employee can quickly become overwhelmed as they try to navigate the ins and outs of virtual teaching (Walters et al., 2017). Incorporating initial support and training into the onboarding process, including completing a self-assessment of current abilities and areas for growth, could help identify what professional development opportunities are needed. While the current survey did not ask about the adequacy of the organization’s virtual teaching tools and support, we recommend including such questions in future studies to gauge awareness, frequency of use, and overall benefits and frustrations. Helping new staff members and faculty connect to such resources could be essential in supporting and achieving the goal of creating virtual learning opportunities, but only if the employee sees the resources as valuable.

Limitations

The first limitation was the timing of the survey. We disseminated the survey in November 2020, eight months into the COVID-19 pandemic. During these eight months, Extension faculty and staff contributed significant energy and resources to ensure continuity of programming and outreach to audiences and stakeholders during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In doing so, individuals improved their skills out of necessity, which, in turn, may have influenced the self-confidence and attitudes of Extension staff members. A second limitation was using a survey initially designed for a higher education campus setting. While Extension specialists adapted the survey for relevance to Extension teaching, further customization, such as including targeted questions about Extension program development and delivery, like “How confident are you in your ability to tailor your Extension programs to meet the specific needs and learning styles of different target audiences?” or “How confident are you to use program evaluation results to improve future program development and delivery?” could have potentially enhanced its effectiveness and better addressed the study objectives. The last limitation of the study was the survey’s administration by Extension colleagues, as respondents may have altered their answers due to awareness of who would analyze the data, introducing potential reporting bias.

Conclusions

Extension faculty and staff attitudes and abilities toward virtual teaching were positive. As virtual teaching continues to be integral to Extension educational programming, professionals and faculty must expand their knowledge and skills to develop and deliver virtual programs. This study confirmed the need for additional professional development regardless of program area or years of experience. Creating an organizational, professional development plan that incorporates accessibility training, utilizes self-assessment for new hires, and provides a virtual resource bank or checklist can support staff members in effectively navigating virtual teaching tools and platforms.

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