Webibliography

Webibliography for Retention Rates and Motivational Factors of Students in Distance Education Courses

Shareé Verar

Liberty University 2017

Summary: Hartnett

This article explores the motivation of the learner to study as distance education students. Motivation is linked to the individuals cognitive and affective processes. This includes our thoughts, beliefs, goals and interactive relationships within our environment. This study focuses directly on the individual’s motivation to learn which stems from their intrinsic motivations. Compared to on-campus students, online students are more intrinsically motivated. Self-determination is the intrinsic factor that sets many online students apart: these students do not need outside incentives and incentives may even become counterproductive. It is important to note that amotivated individuals who need external motivation in this case study, struggled in the online learning environment. External motivations include: Amotivation, this is the feeling of incompetence or low self-efficacy. External regulation, which is motivation that is responsive to threats, punishment or reward. Introjection, which is the need to participate because of the expectation of others. Self-motivation includes: Identified regulation, this is an activity which brings personal value or gain.  Integration, which is the engagement in an activity because of its significance to their sense of self (Hartnett, George, Dron, 2011).

Critique:

This study is necessary because it looks at the nature of the learner and the learner’s environment. When a student is learning in an on-campus setting, a variety of natural influences are going to affect their decision-making process and retention. The experience afforded off-campus is going to require the student to look deeper at the very nature and reason for their involvement, commitment and the regulation of their learning environment. As k-12 online education expands, it is effective and yet unavoidable not to look at the processes of higher education students. Because situational influences can push and pull at both the external and internal motivations to study in distance education, retention is still a multifaceted phenomenon that is directly linked to the motivational influences and environment of the individual student.

Hartnett, M., George, A. S., & Dron, J. (2011). Examining motivation in online distance learning           environments: Complex, multifaceted and situation-dependent. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 12(6), 20. doi:10.19173/irrodl.v12i6.1030

Summary: Simpson,

This qualitative journal article discusses the retention rates of students pursuing distance education classes and the drop-out, or stop-out rates of those students and some underlying reasons behind the significantly lower than average graduation rates of online students. Statistically, drop-out rates are significantly higher among distance education students, however, many respected distance education journals rarely, if ever, publish articles with the words retention, persistence, attrition or dropout in their titles. “The graduation rates for the distance institutions appear to vary between 0.5 and 20% compared with more than 80% for full-time education campus students in the United Kingdom” (Simpson, 2013, p. 107). These significantly lower averages could be attributed to the fact that face-to-face courses are simply exact models of the courses now offered online. This allows researchers to make direct comparisons to the rates of retention, showing that students in these distance courses are around one-quarter as likely to succeed as those enrolled in the face-to-face courses.

Critique:

This article offers a unique perspective about the retention rate of distance education students. Motivational factors play a unique role by both the student and the institutions educators facilitating those courses. First, if the class is not designed to meet the learning needs of distance education students using a variety of differentiated teaching tools, the student, according to statistics, is unlikely to succeed. Second, the attitude of the course facilitator must be examined. This article provides three perspectives. The first is the ‘Darwinista’. The Darwinista believes in survival of the fittest, and they must weed out the unfit students by keeping the highest standards as possible. The second is the ‘Fatalista’. The Fatalista believes the conditions that lead a student to drop out are beyond their control and that they are teaching as best they can. The students own ability and motivation contribute to their ability to pass or fail. Last is the ‘Retentioneer’. The Retentioneer believes the student needs proactive support through a variety of learning motivations to help the student be as successful as possible (Simpson, 2013).

Simpson, O. (2013). Student retention in distance education: are we failing our students? Open           Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning, 28(2), 105-119.          doi:10.1080/02680513.2013.847363

Summary: Brown

In this qualitative case study, 20 first-year distance education students give their personal stories about their experiences working in the virtual classroom. Some of the different conditions that virtual students are faced with are known as ‘soft factors’. These soft factors include child care, here we see that “61% of New Zealand’s virtual learners spend at least 1 hour a week caring for a dependent, while only 37% of on-campus students have that responsibility. Virtual students work on average 17.6 hours a week at a regular job, compared to an on-campus student who works only 12.9 hours a week, on average. First-year virtual students who work more than 12.5 hours a week tend to consider dropping out, and those that work over 16 hours per week become disengaged from their virtual classes” (Brown, Hughes, Keppell & Smith, 2015, p. 3). The reason for this study is to look at the differences in conditions of the virtual learner to learn more about the retention rates and what needs to be done to better support these students. By looking a first-year student experiences, it has been determined that external environmental factors, demographics, personal backgrounds, work and family commitments differentiate how the student engages in their studies and the community of their school. Commonly, the virtual student has key responsibilities that render them unable to commute or commit to on campus studies. However, the driving factors to pursue distance education include the investment of time and money. Students recognize that it is more affordable to earn a degree online, and many pursue a degree based on the prospect of career progression. Many will seek professional development within their current field, while others are looking to broaden their career prospects beyond their current vocations. In general, the participants in this study had aligned their career goals with their choice of study and were well motivated by these factors.

Critique:

The decision to seek distance education for these participants revolved around inhibiting factors, such as their work schedules and family needs. Likewise, becoming a student can change the social dynamics at home, and the emotional needs can impact the study habits of students depending on emotional support. Unforeseen circumstances also change the learning environment. One student reflected on her experience when she had to move mid semester because her landlord would not renew the lease agreement. Some students struggled to prioritize. A student reflected on his experience when he was forced to give up his nightly gym routine because he could no longer balance four classes and a full-time job while meeting the demands of his studies. Finally, digital literacy. Stream following is part of the initial orientation period when most students are enrolled in general education classes that are designed to help them familiarize and build towards digital fluency. However, when two students over the age of 45 consistently felt overwhelmed during this period they became reluctant to seek further online supports that tasked them with the need to use more technology. Some students in the study formed support groups, or library groups. They lived close enough to campus to meet regularly and utilize the other supports on campus such as tutoring and academic advisors. Self-sufficient students learned to prioritize their time and engage as active learners. Others were successful, but described their efforts as passive. Passive students described their experience as taking the necessary steps to survive. This study is unique and valuable to understanding the mindset of the students and how to best prepare educators of online classes.

Brown, M., Hughes, H., Keppell, M., Hard, N., & Smith, L. (2015). Stories from students in their          first semester of distance learning. International Review of Research in Open and            Distance Learning, 16(4) Retrieved from             http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-            com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/docview/1754594578?accountid=12085

Summary: Gomez-Zermeno

This quantitative research study analysis determines the descriptive statistics and probabilistic characteristics of students enrolled in distance education. The purpose of this study was to analyze the levels of retention, completion and desertion of those enrolled in the courses. The results of the study confirm that the participants who successfully completed their courses had technology experience, self-determination, self-motivation, time, and discipline to self-learn. The participants that did not complete the course had problems with the course structure, limitations using information and communication technology, limited English proficiency, less self-discipline or prioritization, or had inhabitational influences for desertion.

Critique:

This article is necessary for the research and development behind the retention, completion and desertion rates of distance education students. It is interesting to learn that the participants had positive attitudes and responses about distance education, yet the number of participants that successfully completed the courses indicates the opposite. This is the reason why studying the character traits and probabilistic characteristics of the student body enrolled in distance education courses is necessary to understand why the retention rates are significantly less than those enrolled in campus classes. In order to help k-12 learners be successful in these courses, the institution must consider where students find value. This study reveals: students that integrated with their facilitators, worked in collaboration and had interactive work assignments within a dynamic course structure which respected a diverse and linguistic student culture and used technology scaffolding to help them become confident gathers and users of information technology where more successful. Plus, participants in the study had a positive response to administrative supports that actively helped them achieve their learning goals.  

Gomez-Zermeno, M. G., & Garza, L. A. (2016). Research analysis on Mooc course dropout            and retention rates. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 17(2), 1st ser., 3-14.    doi:10.17718/tojde.23429

Summary: Thorne,

This article discusses how Christian k-12 academies can use distance education learning management systems to provide biblical theology educational pedagogy that is based on the constructivist learning theory. Using student-centered learning approached to provide “truther-oriented perception, individually transformed information and an actively constructed worldview” (Thorne, 2013, p. 1). The assumption made by the writer is that a constructivist learning approach is appropriate and valid for teaching distance education courses from a Biblical worldview. The biblical standards in online education require higher standards, constructivism deals with the following issues (Thorne, 2013):

1.     Knowledge does not exist beyond a student’s perception of knowledge

2.     Truth does not exist beyond a student’s perception of truth

3.     The learner must individually discover and transform information in order to make it the individual’s own.

4.     The learner actively constructs knowledge in an attempt to make sense of the world.

The theory of constructivism in distance education has one major prescription for instruction, in that the student must be taught using well organized discovery methods. Most cognitive learning requires instruction that promote the use of hands-on behavioral activities, thus, passive instructional methods alone cannot promote active learning. Multimedia presentations are a great example of flawed constructivist learning methods that do not engage the learner actively. Active learning requires student-centered instruction, truth-oriented perception, individually transformed information, active construction of one’s worldview and time for consideration, reflection, collaboration and conclusion (Thorne, 2013).

Critique:

The purpose of this article is to look at how a biblical education deals with knowledge and truth as well as the student. Online biblical education demands good, supportive, Christian constructs imbedded into the academic pedagogy itself. Therefore, a constructivist learning theory approach is required in order to address the issues of knowledge, truth, and the student. The constructivist theory supports multiple intelligences. Constructivism is the transformation of information using culturally relevant instructional materials which enables the learner to be self-motivated, creative, exploratory, question and critically think, while also conceptualizing new strategies of learning. Biblical education follows that we are to study Scripture as a requisite by God (2 Timothy 2:15). Likewise, Psalms 119 reminds us to take in scripture at a personal level to inhibit sin in our lives (NIV). And our very food for mental subsistence is the Word of God (Matthew 4:4). In order for personal discovery to take place in Christian pedagogy, both constructivist learning approaches are as necessary as the study of the scripture.        

Thorne, J. A. (2013). Biblical online education: contributions from constructivism. Christian         Education Journal, 10(1), 99-109. Retrieved from             http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-            com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/docview/1344056336?accountid=12085