Faculty Perception of and Resistance to Online Education in the Fields of Acupuncture, Chiropractic, and Massage Therapy

Abstract

This paper reports findings of a research study undertaken to determine the attitudes and perceptions of acupuncture, chiropractic, and massage therapy faculty with regard to online learning within their respective disciplines, and to determine how they might be persuaded to teach online. The study surveyed faculty teaching at schools in these three fields and followed up with additional interviews. The study results indicate that, in general, acupuncture, chiropractic, and massage therapy faculty lack awareness of the capabilities of online education and the elements of good online learning. There is also a perception that what they teach cannot be taught online because of its kinesthetic requirements. The faculty hold this perception in spite of the success of medical science and related health care fields in the online environment, and they do not seem to separate the kinesthetic from the didactic. The present study indicates that faculty opinions about online instruction in this alternative type of education range from being willing to look at the potential of online education to outright dismissing it.