ERIC Number: EJ941218
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011
Pages: 0
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1556-3847
EISSN: N/A
Assessing Retention in Online Learning: An Administrative Perspective
Boston, Wallace E.; Ice, Phil
Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, v14 n2 Sum 2011
As the growth of online programs continues to rapidly accelerate, concern over the retention of the online learner is increasing. Educational administrators at institutions offering online courses, those fully online or brick and mortars, are eager to promote student achievement. Retention is critically important, not just for student success, but also for the success of these institutions of higher education. Models for understanding student persistence in the face-to-face environment are well established, however, many of the variables in these constructs are not present in the online environment or they manifest in significantly different ways. With attrition rates higher than in face-to-face programs, the development of models to explain online retention is considered imperative. This study moves in that direction by exploring the relationship between student demographics and interactions, and retention at a large online university. Analysis of data, which included an "n" of 20,569, provides illustration of the importance of transfer credit and the consistency of activity in predicting continued enrollment. (Contains 1 table.)
Descriptors: Electronic Learning, Academic Achievement, Online Courses, Academic Persistence, Demography, Academic Records, Student Records, Predictor Variables, Aptitude Treatment Interaction, Interaction, School Holding Power, Data Analysis, Distance Education, Models
State University of West Georgia. 1601 Maple Street, Honors House, Carrollton, GA 30118. Tel: 678-839-5489; Fax: 678-839-0636; e-mail: distance@westga.edu; Web site: http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A

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