‘We have different needs’: Specifying support for classroom and clinical sessional educators

Context Both classroom and clinical sessional educators are often overlooked in faculty development, even though they play an important role in student learning. Our aim was to contrast classroom and clinical sessional educators´ experiences of and perceived needs for connectedness, appreciation and support, in relation to their teaching quality. We then utilised these results to make suggestions for supporting these educators. Methods The participants (11 physical therapy sessional educators: four clinical; seven clinical, and classroom) took part in three focus groups. We based the interview guide questions on previous survey results, used a critical theory research paradigm and performed thematic analysis. Results We identified four emerging differences between physical therapy sessional educators with experience in the classroom and clinic. Classroom sessional educators needed: (a) more connectedness; (b) more appreciation; (c) more access to the learning management system, and (d) both different and similar faculty development when compared to clinical sessional educators. Differences were greater in classroom sessional educators who taught more hours. We also saw similarities in the need for feedback on teaching, orientations and communication, a better salary and clinical workplace support their role of an educator. Suggestions for context-dependent support for sessional educators were designed to address these similarities and differences. Conclusions Talking to various types of sessional educators about their teaching needs is the first step in providing effective faculty development. Varying needs for connectedness, appreciation, pedagogy and access to the learning management system amongst physical therapy sessional educators highlighted the need for an investment in classroom educators who teach multiple hours and want to grow as health science educators. Differences between classroom and clinical sessional educators brought to the forefront the importance of individualised, contextual faculty development and administrative or departmental action that supports sessional educators. The resulting context-dependent suggestions for improvement of support of sessional educators have the potential to improve the quality of health science teaching overall.