Students' Characteristics and Motivation Orientations for Online and Traditional Degree Programs

The interaction among demographic variables and motivation orientation were compared in students interested in completing online and traditional degree programs. Two hundred and sixty-five students enrolled at an open-enrollment state institution completed an online survey examining student interest in online degree programs. Results demonstrated similar student motivations for completing online and traditional degrees, age, gender, and ethnic interactions with motivations for completing of online and traditional degrees, and intrinsic motivation as a predictor of online student interest in online degree programs. Taken together, these data are useful for developing online degree programs that support online learners’ needs and increase retention rates.

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