This study investigated the influence of computer-generated reminders on the rate in which distance learners submitted assignments and completed courses. The computer-generated reminders, sent via email, served as a time management support strategy. Participants were randomly divided into two groups: control and treatment. Both groups received a list of target due dates for course assignments. The control group did not receive reminders. The treatment group received reminders when they failed to submit an assignment by a target due date. The results indicated no significant difference between the control and treatment groups in terms of assignment submission rates and course completion rates. However, results of this study did reveal that the number of assignments in a distance course influences the timeliness of assignment completion and the likelihood of course completion. / Ph. D.

Enrollment in online courses has outpaced overall university enrollment for the past several years. The growth of online courses does not appear to be slowing. The purpose of this study was to examine the origins of online education at Tarleton State University, to compare course completion and student academic performance between online and traditional courses, and to develop a predictive model for students’ successful completion of online courses. Archival data from the Tarleton student records system was collected using the Structured Query Language. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze student characteristics. Chi-square analysis was used to determine if significant differences existed between students enrolled in online and traditional courses when comparing course completion and academic performance. Analysis found significant differences existed in both course completion and academic performance for students enrolled in online vs. traditional courses. Additional analysis indicated significant differences existed in course completion by course discipline. A predictive model was created using binary logistic regression and included the predictor variables age, student classification, term course load, and cumulative GPA. The final model correctly predicted successful completion of 85.5 percent of all cases.

No description available.

The focus of this research study was to determine how elementary students enrolled in virtual education classes performed on state assessments and final report card grades in Reading and Mathematics as compared with students enrolled in traditional classes, and to examine whether there was a difference in the successful course completion rates between the two groups. Five research questions guided this study concerning the relationship of successful course completion, final grades, and FCAT 2.0 achievement level scores and the variables of virtual and traditional education in the School District of Volusia County. This study is significant, as the movement of virtual learning is driven by economic factors and learning outcomes need to be considered in making instructional delivery decisions. Chi-square analysis suggested no statistical significant difference existed in either Reading or Mathematics successful course completion of students in virtual and traditional settings. Chi-square analyses and a one-sample t-test suggested there was no statistical significant difference in performance of virtual and traditional students on FCAT 2.0 Reading and Mathematics achievement levels. Although the Chi-square analyses showed no statistical significance in performance of virtual and traditional students on final report card grades in Reading and Mathematics, the one-sample t-tests suggested there was a statistically significant difference. When interpreting these results, caution should be taken as the virtual student population was extremely disproportionate to the traditional student population. Implications for practice and recommendations for future study are suggested in this study

The retention literature concerning online education suggests a dropout crisis among most institutions offering online courses and programs. Despite the fact that online courses and programs are making it easier than ever before for students to have access to college education, students are dropping out of online classes at a much faster pace than the traditional brick and mortar or on-ground classes. It would benefit these institutions to understand why students are not finishing their courses in an effort to improve persistence and therefore retention in online education. Furthermore, to increase program retention in online education, it is important to determine what factors are related to course completion and non-completion so that at-risk students can be identified and offered support services. The characteristic of self-direction is an important concept in understanding student readiness for online education. The purpose of this study was to analyze the difference in self-direction, as measured by the Oddi Continuing Learning Inventory (OCLI), between students who persist and those who don't persist in an undergraduate online asynchronous program. The data were gathered from undergraduate students at a four-year baccalaureate degree-granting college that has both an online campus and on-ground campuses across the United States. Although self-directed learning as measured by the total score on the OCLI was not statistically significant, the foundation was laid in this study for important future research. GPA and how the student connects to the internet from home were statistically significant. Further research is needed to ascertain (1) whether self-direction is in fact related to persistence in online programs and (2) what other variables are related to student persistence. Institutions may be able to implement some mechanisms within the online course with the intention of increasing student persistence and therefore retention in asynchronous online programs. / Ph. D.

The relationships between community college students’ sense of community, student self-directed learning readiness, and successful completion of online courses were investigated using a correlational research design. Rovai’s Classroom Community Scale was used to measure classroom community, and the Fisher Self-directed Learning Readiness Scale was used to measure self-directed learning readiness, including three subscales of self-management, desire for learning, and self-control. The study participants were 205 students (49 males, 156 females; 131 White, 39 Black, 15 Asian, 10 Latino, 10 Multi-racial, 1 Native American) taking online courses during a summer term at a Texas community college. The research hypotheses were tested using Pearson r correlation coefficients between each of the seven independent variables (student learning, connectedness, classroom community, self-management, desire for learning, self-control, and self-directed learning readiness) and student successful course completion data. Contrary to prior study results, no association was found between students’ sense of community in online courses and student successful course completion. Although statistically significant differences were found between successful course completion and self-management (r = .258), desire for learning (r = .162), and self-directed learning readiness (r = .184), effect sizes were small suggesting a lack of practical significance. Possible reasons for the outcome of this study differing from prior research include relatively shorter semester length (summer term) during which data were collected and relatively smaller sample size.

The purpose of this study was to examine differences and relationships in student definition and background characteristics, help seeking behaviors, academic and environmental variables between and among community college students at a single institution who successfully completed and those who did not complete online courses during a single term. An adapted version of Bean and Metzner's conceptual model of nontraditional student attrition provided the theoretical framework for the study. The results of data analysis revealed statistically significant differences between completers and noncompleters on the basis of definition, gender, ethnicity, experience and prior GPA. Statistically significant relationships were found between definition, ethnicity, gender, experience, prior GPA, orientation and completion and noncompletion. No statistically significant interactions were found between definition and experience and help seeking behaviors. No statistically significant differences, relationships or predictor variables were found by degree seeking, preassessment, or technical help seeking. Additional analyses by defining characteristics revealed statistically significant differences between completers and noncompleters on the basis of residency, age and enrollment status. Predictor variables found to be significant were definition, gender, experience, prior GPA and orientation. The odds of completion increased with nontraditional definition, female gender, higher prior GPA, and orientation participation. The odds of completion decreased with experience.

Researchers have found low online course completion rates to be a complex problem in higher education. Meanwhile, theory on adult learners' online persistence highlights the importance of a sense of school community. At the small, rural focus community college (FCC) for this study, general education online course completion rates are lower than the national average. FCC has not addressed the low online course completion rates. Using Rovais' composite persistence model as the conceptual framework, this instrumental case study examined how students' experiences and perceptions of a sense of school community contribute to their ability to complete online general education courses. Semistructured interview data were gathered with a purposeful, criterion-based, sample of 9 adult online students taking online general education courses. The inductive data analysis utilized case and cross-case analysis, marking, cutting, and sorting of text until 4 themes emerged: interaction, sense of belonging, support, and educational values. The results led to a white paper recommending an orientation and community space, asynchronous video technology, and an online curriculum instructional designer. This study contributes to positive social change by providing FCC with program and policy change recommendations that support the colleges' goals of increasing access and success. Increased educational access and success for the local adult population creates informed citizens, contributes to economic growth, and provides a higher quality of life for the community.

Active learning methodologies (ALM) are associated with student success, but little research on this topic has been pursued at the community college level. At a local community college, students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) courses exhibited lower than average grades. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the use of ALM predicted STEM course grades while controlling for academic discipline, course level, and class size. The theoretical framework was Vygotsky's social constructivism. Descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression were performed on data collected through an anonymous survey of 74 instructors of 272 courses during the 2016 fall semester. Results indicated that students were more likely to achieve passing grades when instructors employed in-class, highly structured activities, and writing-based ALM, and were less likely to achieve passing grades when instructors employed project-based or online ALM. The odds ratios indicated strong positive effects (greater likelihoods of receiving As, Bs, or Cs in comparison to the grade of F) for writing-based ALM (39.1-43.3%, 95% CI [10.7-80.3%]), highly structured activities (16.4-22.2%, 95% CI [1.8-33.7%]), and in-class ALM (5.0-9.0%, 95% CI [0.6-13.8%]). Project-based and online ALM showed negative effects (lower likelihoods of receiving As, Bs, or Cs in comparison to the grade of F) with odds ratios of 15.7-20.9%, 95% CI [9.7-30.6%] and 16.1-20.4%, 95% CI [5.9-25.2%] respectively. A white paper was developed with recommendations for faculty development, computer skills assessment and training, and active research on writing-based ALM. Improving student grades and STEM course completion rates could lead to higher graduation rates and lower college costs for at-risk students by reducing course repetition and time to degree completion.

Online courses in higher education have a reputation for having a lower course completion or retention rate than face-to-face courses. Much of this reputation is based upon anecdotal evidence, is outdated, or is on a small scale, such as a comparison of individual courses or programs of instruction. A causal-comparative analysis was conducted among 11 large, high research public universities. The universities were compared to each other to determine if differences existed between online and face-to-face course completion; undergraduate and graduation online course completion was analyzed for differences as well. The findings suggested the magnitude of the differences between online and face-to-face completions rates was small or negligible. The area which showed a higher magnitude of difference was in the comparison between undergraduate and graduate online course completion; the practical significance could be worth considering for educational purposes.