Faculty Onboarding Practices: An Integrative Literature Review

Abstract

Current faculty onboarding practices are being discussed in peer-reviewed literature across different disciplines describing a plethora of practices and outcomes. A comprehensive review of the empirical research of higher education faculty onboarding allows effective fundamentals to be incorporated into practice. This integrative literature review utilized Cooper's (1998) 5-step process: problem formulation, data collection, evaluation of data points, data analysis and interpretation, and presentation of results as well as further clarification on data collection and analysis as proposed by Callahan's (2010) six-step guide and Whittmore's (2005) four steps. The primary aim of this integrative literature review was to gather empirical evidence with regard to elements of effective faculty onboarding practices as the front-end analysis to inform initial research-based instructional design guidance for future faculty onboarding program creation and implementation. This research confirms that faculty onboarding program design and development is well served by considering the core IDT principles of systematic design, social learning, and instructional strategies. Following these principles, undergirded by IDT guidance, will support the outcome wherein participants acknowledge the value of their onboarding experiences; a success seen in the literature.