Examining the Factors Affecting Student Dropout in an Online Learning Environment.

This study examined the factors affecting student dropouts in an online certificate program. In this research, a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods was used. Online Course Dropout Survey was developed and used to determine which factors affect student attrition from the program. The dropout survey was sent by e-mail to 98 students who had dropped the program. Twenty-six students returned the survey. The findings show that the most important factor affecting student retention is finding sufficient time to study. Having personal problems and affordability of the program took second and third place.

[1]  Sharan B. Merriam,et al.  Qualitative research and case study applications in education , 1998 .

[2]  Susan Tresman,et al.  Research Notes ~ Towards a Strategy for Improved Student Retention in Programmes of Open, Distance Education: A Case Study From the Open University UK , 2002 .

[3]  Barbara O'Brien.  Online Student Retention: Can It Be Done? , 2002 .

[4]  E. Thompson.  Can the Distance Education Student Progress (DESP) Inventory Be Used as A Tool To Predict Attrition in Distance Education , 1999 .

[5]  James R. Layton,et al.  No Significant Difference Phenomenon , 1999, J. Educ. Technol. Soc..

[6]  Erman Yukselturk,et al.  A-Three Year Analysis Of Online Information Technologies Certificate Program , 2004 .

[7]  A. Parker.  A Study of Variables that Predict Dropout from Distance Education. , 1999 .

[8]  Angie Parker.  Distance Education Attrition , 1995 .

[9]  Beth McGrath,et al.  Partners in Learning: Twelve Ways Technology Changes the Teacher-Student Relationship , 1998 .

[10]  Christopher K. Morgan,et al.  Unravelling the complexities of distance education student attrition , 1999 .

[11]  Greville Rumble,et al.  The management of distance learning systems , 1992 .

[12]  J. Galusha.  Barriers to Learning in Distance Education , 1997 .

[13]  M. R. Garland,et al.  Student perceptions of the situational, institutional, dispositional and epistemological barriers to persistence , 1993 .

[14]  Sue-Jen Chen,et al.  Why Are Online Students Dropping Out? A Needs Assessment Report , 2004 .

[15]  Laurie Lewis,et al.  Distance Education at Postsecondary Education Institutions: 1997-98. , 1999 .

[16]  Hossein Arsham.  Impact of the Internet on Learning and Teaching. , 2002 .

[17]  A. Strauss,et al.  The discovery of grounded theory: strategies for qualitative research aldine de gruyter , 1968 .

[18]  Allison Rossett,et al.  What To Do About E-Dropouts. , 2003 .

[19]  Desmond Keegan.  Foundations of Distance Education. Third Edition. Routledge Studies in Distance Education. , 1996 .

[20]  Ronald A. Phipps,et al.  What''s the Difference? A Review of Contemporary Research on the Effectiveness of Distance Learning , 1999 .

[21]  Randi L. Sims,et al.  The Relationship Between Graduate Student Attitudes and Attrition , 1995 .

[22]  Farhad Saba.  Student Attrition: How To Keep Your Online Learner Focused. , 2000 .

[23]  Frederick B. King,et al.  A virtual student: Not an ordinary Joe , 2002, Internet High. Educ..

[24]  Linda S. Lotto.  Qualitative Data Analysis: A Sourcebook of New Methods , 1986 .

[25]  Neil Terry,et al.  Assessing Enrollment and Attrition Rates for the Online MBA , 2001 .

[26]  Chris Panagiotakopoulos,et al.  Student Dropout at the Hellenic Open University: Evaluation of the Graduate Program, "Studies in Education" , 2002 .

[27]  Panayiotis E. Pintelas,et al.  A survey on student dropout rates and dropout causes concerning the students in the Course of Informatics of the Hellenic Open University , 2002, Comput. Educ..

[28]  A. P. Rovai.  In search of higher persistence rates in distance education online programs , 2003, Internet High. Educ..

[29]  Namin Shin,et al.  An Exploration of Learner Progress and Drop-Out in Korea National Open University. , 1999 .