Persistence/Attrition/Retention

 

Bean, J. and Metzner, B.,  A conceptual model of nontraditional undergraduate student attrition. Review of Educational Research 55 (1985), pp. 485–650.

Carnwell, R, & Harrington, C. (2001). Diagnosing Student Support Needs for Distance Learning. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Institutional Research, June 6-8, 2001, Long Beach, California. The failure to address significant unmet learning needs by both learners and providing institutions is likely to lead to unsatisfactory learning experiences, reduced achievements, and perhaps, student attrition.

Carr, S. (2000, February 11). As distance education comes of age, the challenge is keeping the students. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 23, A1. http://chronicle.com/free/v46/i23/23a00101.htm

Diaz, D. P. (2002, May-June). Online Drop Rates Revisited. The Technology Source. http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=981 Cautions about the meaning we attach to online course withdrawals suggesting that because the population is primarily returning adult students, their reasons may have more to do with personal problems and life circumstances than course difficulty and ability to succeed in the online environment.

Fredda, J. V. (2000). Comparison of selected student outcomes for Internet versus campus-based instruction. (Report No. NSU-RP-R-00-08). Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida: Research and Planning (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 443374). In a comparison between campus based and Internet based courses, found for undergraduate students, grades and completion rates were higher for campus based courses, for graduate students grades and completion rates were higher for Internet based courses.

Garland, M. R. (1993). Student perceptions of the situational, institutional, dispositional, and epistemological barriers to persistence. Distance Education, 14 (2), 181-198.

Kerr, M., Rynearson, K., Kerr, M. (2003) Predicting Student Success in Online Courses: A New Measure.  http://www.cdlr.tamu.edu/dec_2003/decProceedings/15-Kerr-Predicting%20Student%20Success%20in%20Online%20Courses_A%20New%85.pdf Currently there exist several measures of learning styles, and scores on these measures are related to student success in the classroom. These measures may or may not translate into success for the online student. Participants of this session will learn about a new instrument that is being developed to predict online student success. This session should particularly benefit those individuals who are currently developing online courses and/or online distance learning programs in higher education. The research literature consists of a number of studies that provide evidence of predictors of college student success in the classroom.

Meyer, J. D. (2001). Where’d They Go? Retention Issues and Ideas for Online Courses. http://www.ipfw.edu/as/tohe/2001/Papers/meyer.htm Suggests online student’s relationship with the institution may rest more squarely with the performance of the instructor that in traditionally delivered courses.  The labor-intensive nature of this instructional role must be acknowledged and valued by the institution for retention to be a priority.

Moore, K., Bartkovich, J., Fetzner, M, Ison, S. Success in Cyberspace: Student Retention in Online Courses (2002).  Paper presented at the Annual Forum for the Association for Institutional Research (42nd, Toronto, Canada. June 2-5, 2002).  This study addresses the relative dearth of data on student retention in distance education through archival and survey data on student retention in online courses at a large, comprehensive community college in the Northeast.  Some factors that appear to have a negative impact on a student's chance for completing an online course successfully include: (1) large course load; (2) lack of experience in higher education in general; (3) lack of experience with online courses; (4 busy lives outside of school; (5) young age; and lack of easy access to computers.  Strategies to overcome these potential barriers are organized in three areas; manage student expectations, manage support services for students, and manage academic issues.  Some specifics - face-to-face pre-course student orientation, assessment of readiness checklist, assigning of technical tutor to students for first three weeks of semester, "Getting Started in Your Online Course" CD available two weeks before the beginning of the semester, online student non-technical Help Desk, clear directions about how to get started in individual courses, multiple early interactions with faculty.  Evaluation - survey students who earn F or W.

Muse, H. E. (2003). The Web-based community college student: An examination of factors that lead to success and risk.  The Internet and Higher Education, v6 issue 3, P 241-261.  The reason given most often for dropout was that the students could not obtain, access, or install all the required learning materials in a timely manner and that they dropped the course while they still had a chance.

Nelson, Lin M.  (1999) EdD Practicum Report, Nova Southeastern University.  (ED 438 469) Increasing Retention of Adult Learners in Telecourse through the Incorporation of Learning-Centered Instructional Strategies and the Use of Multiple Modalities for Content Delivery and Interaction.  A project was undertaken to increase retention in a health education telecourse by incorporating a competency-based orientation to distance learning and learner-centered instructional strategies into the telecourse, and by using multiple media for content delivery and interaction. A general orientation to distance learning was developed that addressed seven competencies: transition to technology-mediated instruction; use of technology tools; effective communication; problem solving; collaboration; research techniques; and reflection. The telecourse was delivered via four media (cable television, print, on-campus meetings, and a course World Wide Web page), and all assignments were designed to reinforce development of the seven competencies. Student retention data and responses to participant surveys established that the new retention strategies achieved the following results: (1) withdrawal of more students earlier in the semester (following the general orientation to distance learning) and a higher retention rate for telecourse students using the Internet for course support; (2) increased student satisfaction with instructor preparedness, quality of interaction, instructor feedback, and self-responsibility for learner-centered instruction; and (3) higher collective grade-point average for the course (from 2.45 to 3.19). Appended are the following five items: original and revised telecourse readiness questionnaires; telecourse evaluation; rubric of competency standards; orientation objectives; and memorandum containing frequently asked questions. (Contains 97 references.)

Nitsch, W. B. (2003). Examination of Factors Leading to Student Retention in Online Graduate Education. http://www.decadeconsulting.com/decade/papers/StudentRetention.pdf  Successful program completion is a combination of learner attributes, the university meeting the needs of student by providing quality education.

Parker, A. (1999, December). A study of variables that predict dropout from distance education. International Journal of Educational Technology, 1(2). http://www.outreach.uiuc.edu/ijet/v1n2/parker/index.html

Pascarella, E. T. & Terenzini. P. T., How college affects students: findings and insights from twenty years of research. , Jossey Bass, San Francisco (1991).

Phillips, V. (Ed) (2002). Motivating and retaining Adult Learners Online. Student Retention in Distance Education, by Mary Hricko,  http://www.geteducated.com/vug/aug02/JournalMotivateRetain02.PDF

Rovai, A. P. (2003). In search of higher persistence rates in distance education online programs. The Internet and Higher Education, 6 (1) 1st Quarter 2003. Reviews college persistence research and theory while considering online learning skills students need to success. He emphasizes the importance of considering adult persistence theory and proposes a composite persistence model for online learners. When examining persistence and identifying effective interventions, it is important to separate reasons for course and program withdrawal where institutional intervention can have an impact and those that are beyond the scope of the institution. Rovai divides these factors into external factors such a finances, employment, family and outside support upon which the institution generally cannot have an impact. He suggests several internal factors affecting online students upon which institutions should be the focus of services to online students. They are: descriptions of online programs, policies and procedures, descriptions of the school, educational programs, and courses, how to contact personnel, enhancing self esteem and confidence in online learning, increasing identity with the school, developing integration with the school, and ready access to services such as bookstores, library, financial assistance, academic advising, tutoring, study skill training and tutoring.

Tello, S. F. (2002). An analysis of the relationship between instruction interaction and student persistence in online education. Dissertation Abstracts International, (UMI No. 3042378). Suggests that frequent use of the asynchronous discussion forum by the instructor and students is one factor contributing to student persistence.

Tinto, V.  Leaving college: rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition, University of Chicago Press, Chicago (1993).

Tresman, S. (2002). Toward a strategy for improved student retention in programmes of open, Distance Education: A case study from the Open University UK. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 3 (1). Found that in the UK Open University, the highest drop out rates are recorded for students new to the university and students comprising at risk characteristics such as gender, age, ethnic background and previous educational qualifications.  Time and work pressures were the second highest reason for dropping out and course dissatisfaction was the third highest reason. http://www.irrodl.org/content/v3.1/tresman_rn.html

Tsay, M.H., Morgan, G, Quick, D. (2000). Predicting Student's Ratings of the Importance of Strategies to Facilitate Self-Directed Learning in Taiwan.  Distance Education; v21 n1 p49-65 2000.  Evaluated distance students' ratings of the importance of strategies to facilitate self-directed learning in the National Open University, Taiwan. Topics include content validity; differences between current and inactive students, including motivation; institutional support services; orientation programs; instructional styles; course design; and interpersonal interactions.

Twigg, C. A. (2004). Using Asynchronous Learning in Redesign: Reaching and Retaining the At-Risk Student. http://www.sloan-c.org/publications/jaln/v8n1/v8n1_twigg.asp  Successful completion of introductory courses is critical for first-year students, but typical failure rates in these courses contribute heavily to overall institutional drop-out rates between the first and second year. Although success rates vary by institutional type and by subject matter, Research I universities commonly cite a 15 percent drop-failure-withdrawal (DFW) rate in introductory courses. Comprehensive universities’ DFW rates range from 22 percent to 45 percent in these courses. Community colleges frequently experience DFW rates of 40 percent to 50 percent or more.

Wang, A. Y. (2003). Departure, Abandonment, and Dropout of E-learning: Dilemma and Solutions Executive.
 http://www.masie.com/researchgrants/2003/JMU_Exec_Summary.pdf

Wang, A. Y. & Newlin, M. H. (2002). Predictors of performance in the virtual classroom. T.H.E. Journal Online (May 2002).  http://www.thejournal.com/magazine/vault/A4023.cfm encourage instructors to use a proactive approach to assist at risk cyber students.

Wheeler, S. (2002). Student perceptions of learning support in distance education. The Quarterly Review of Distance Education 3 (4). Suggests that female online students may require more pedagogical support than male students.