How to Decrease the Dropout Rate of Online Students

1. How to Decrease the Dropout Rate of Online Students Fethi A. Inan The University of Memphis MSERA 2004, Gatlinburg, TN, Nov. 17-19, 2004

2. Dropout rates • The dropout rates for distance education courses are usually higher than those for comparable on-campus courses • Distance education dropout rate is approximately 30-50%

3. Importance of dropouts • Measure of the quality of the education • Dropout has economic and educational implications

4. Reasons for dropouts

5. Reasons for dropouts

6. A study • What are the factors causing online certificate program students’ dropout and in which degrees?

7. Participants & Procedure • A dropout survey was sent to 98 students by e-mail • 26 students returned the survey. • The data were collected anonymously

8. Description of OITC Program • First Internet Based Certificate program (started in May 1998 ) • Four semesters lasting nine months total (Two courses for each semester) • At the end of each term, there are face-to-face sessions for each course within the campus

9. Findings

10. Findings

11. Findings • Participants come with different educational background, employment characteristics, financial status, marital and family status and different expectations about the program • About 35 % of this program’s participants didn’t complete the program in the last three years • Generally student reported high for dropout reasons which were based on themselves. The items -arrangement of time, personal problem, expenses, and motivation – had higher mean scores than problems regarding the program itself.

12. Solutions: Orientation course • Problem: In a urban university • Low student achievement • High dropout rates • Low re-registration to another online course • Analysis: • Dropout rate was about 35% to 50% • Students’ problems with the technology • Perceived feeling of social isolation. Lynch(2001)

13. Solutions :Orientation course • Solution: • A student orientation course was created and implemented to provide opportunity for students to familiarize with the technology, the communication tools and the online learning process • Outcomes: • Student technology usage and self-directed learning skills were increased. • 95 % of the students demonstrated that they could communicate effectively by using web-based tools. • The attrition rate of online students was decreased to an average of 15% and re-enrollment rate increased to 90%. Lynch(2001)

14. Solution: Social integration • Fictitious virtual student “Joe Bag O’Donuts” • Has a photograph page on the website and like a typical college student; baseball cap on backwards, wearing dark sunglasses • Participated in discussions and project teams. He sometimes made mistakes or did not understand questions and asked help from his peers or instructor • Worked as a kind of assistant: post messages that give hints about what professor deems important King(2002)

15. Solution: Social integration • Outcomes: • Professor managed to communicate with his student more easily • Students participated in discussions earlier and more frequently • Virtual Joe created more collaboration and motivation King(2002)

16. Conclusion • Although decreasing student attrition seems one of the tough issue fronts of online educators, it is not unfeasible to decrease attrition • The key point is developing retention strategies considering features of the online program and online learning and characteristics of the students

17. Implications & Suggestions • Analyze students' learning styles, strengths and weaknesses • Provide counseling to help each applicant to explore his aims, motivation and commitment • Provide orientations • Regulate the study load of students • Active personal and tutorial assistance during the course. • Enhance student active participation in learning process • Monitor the performance of the instructors • Periodical redesign of courses and instructional materials.