The Distance Education Student

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The Distance Education Student

Dr. Mike UttendorferEDIT 652 – Fall 2005

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Characteristics of DE Students

Post Secondary Institutions Average age: 34 Gender: 47% male, 53% female Employed: 81% working Computer access: 83% Internet access: 78%

Source: (DETC Survey, 2004)

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Why Do Adults Enroll in DE?

Factors influencing selection of DE over face-to-face (F-2-F):

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Adults and Distance Ed

Disadvantages of DE over F-2-F:

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Informal Survey

Given a choice – which would you prefer? Face-to-face Hybrid (some online, some face-to-face) Online

Why?

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Adult Learning Theory

Andragogy (Knowles, 1990)

“There is a need to explain why specific things are being taught (e.g., certain commands,

functions, operations, etc.)”

(Kearley, 2005)

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“Instruction should be task-oriented instead of memorization -- learning activities should be in the context of common tasks to be performed.”

(Kearley, 2005)

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“Instruction should take into account the wide range of different backgrounds of learners; learning materials and activities should allow for different levels/types of previous experience with computers.”

(Kearley, 2005)

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“Since adults are self-directed, instruction should allow learners to discover things for themselves, providing guidance and help when mistakes are made.”

(Kearsley, 2005)

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What Online Adult Students Want

Content that they feel is relevant to their needs Clear directions for what the should do at every

stage of the course As much control of the pace of learning as

possible A means of drawing attention to individual

concerns Materials that are useful, active, and interesting

(Moore, 1998)

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The Issue of Retention Online

Distance Education courses are growing rapidly (Green, 2001)

Dropout rates reported at 20-50% Average Dropout rate in F-2-F is 14%

nationally Some studies (McVay, 2002) have found

dropout rates as high as 30-75% Either way, the statistics are alarming.

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In a number of studies, there was evidence that a higher percentage of students participating in a distance learning course tended to drop out before the course was completed compared to students in a conventional classroom.

The issue of student persistence is troubling because of both the negative consequences associated with dropping out, and the fact that the research could be excluding these dropouts—thereby tilting the student outcome findings toward those who are “successful.”

(IHEP, 1999, p. 11).

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This high dropout rate is not unique to higher education either.

Zielinski (2000) reported similar findings in many corporate web-based training courses.

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Looking for Root Causes

Technology problems and lack of adequate support were frequently reported by students as a source of frustration.

High numbers of online students reported spending long periods of time resolving technical problems.

Most felt this was wasted time that should have been spent working with the course materials.

(McVay, 2002)

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Lack of experience with online learning and a lack of initial guidance from the instructor also proved to be a source of aggravation for many students who were new to online instruction.

Students were not made comfortable in this new learning environment and often were reluctant to ask for help from their instructors.

(McVay, 2002)

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Poor communication and the lack of timely feedback from their instructor was also a major source of dissatisfaction for online learners.

Students did not always receive constructive and meaningful feedback in a reasonable timeframe.

Often the feedback they received was vague or lacked the guidance and clarification they sought.

(McVay, 2002)

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Bischoff (2000) also reported additional issues as contributing to the high rate of attrition in online classes including: the feeling of isolation, the accelerated pace, and competing responsibilities.

This study also found technical issues were often a contributing factor for online students not completing their courses.

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Zielinski (2000) found causes reported by trainees dropping out of corporate online training programs that were similar to those reported in higher education.

He also found a unique reason reported by the corporate trainees that may offer a different explanation for their high dropout rate: Many trainees reported that they only took

the content they actually needed from an online course and skipped over the rest of the material or discontinued the training when they felt they had learned all they needed to learn.

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Suggestions for Reducing the Barriers to Successful Completion

Technical problems are inherent in any technology-based system.

A knowledgeable and easily accessible helpdesk that can help students overcome many of the technology frustrations associated with getting started online is essential.

Students need to be informed of how they can get assistance and that help must be readily available at times students are most likely to be using the system.

This often means multiple shifts of helpdesk staff but it is critical to the success of any online program.

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McVay (2000) also found that requiring students taking online courses to complete a student orientation program drastically reduced the dropout rate.

McVay (2000) writes, "In courses averaging student drop-outs ranging from 35-50 percent the rate was reduced to 8-15 percent" (p. 13). This is a dramatic decrease in the dropout rate.

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A short face-to-face orientation for all students in an online class has also seemed to have a positive effect on retention in online classes (McVay, 2002).

NYIT has an online tutorial for students that explains the mechanics of using the system as well as the new responsibilities students accept when they take courses online.

The NYIT College Success Seminar also includes an orientation to Blackboard for ALL students.

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McVay (2002) also reported a number of other strategies that helped increase retention including consistent access to the Internet, tutoring services, readily accessible communication channels and clearly established procedures for assignment submission.

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Strategies suggested to overcome the isolation factor reported in McVay (2002) and Bischoff (2000) include: Building a sense of community using such

mechanisms as a student chat room or “cyber café”

A discussion board where students can post personal biographies and introductions

Working in collaborative groups on assignments

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A photo gallery of student names and pictures may also relieve some of the feeling of isolation.

Using a phone call to students prior to the start of the semester is a way to establish a more personal connection to the student.

(McVay , 2002 and Bischoff, 2000)

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The timeliness of feedback provided to the students is an important factor that only the instructor can control.

Online instructors need to set aside regular blocks of time to review and evaluate student work.

They should establish reasonable expectations for how quickly graded work will be returned to the student and they should try to maintain those targeted response times.

Response to student questions online in a timely manner is also extremely important.

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The issue of competing responsibilities is one that only the student can control.

Institutions of higher learning can assist students in deciding if online courses are appropriate for them.

Students sign up for an online course because they think it will be more convenient and less work or because they are too busy to take a face-to-face course.

In fact, rarely is the online course less work and often requires more of the student's time than a face-to-face class might take.

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Students often spend more time completing work online than they would in a comparable face-to-face section where the instructor is providing a great deal of the pace of the instruction.

In the online environment, students are much more responsible for their own progress through the course materials.

Program should make sure participants registering for online courses understand the change in roles and that they are prepared to handle the additional responsibilities.

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Allison Rossett (2000), a professor of educational technology and frequent contributor to A.S.T.D.'s Training magazine, reported in a recent article, that she too had become part of the online dropout population. In her reflections on her own personal reasons for dropping out, she writes:

The things that made me a dropout are the same things that make the Web so compelling. The beauty of "anywhere, anytime, whenever you want," too readily turns into not now, maybe later, and often not at all ... In my pajamas, near computer, phone, refrigerator, cats and pals, it was just too easy to do everything except my Web class. (p.99).

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ReferencesBischoff, A. (2000). The elements of effective online

teaching: Overcoming the barriers to success, in K.W. White & B.H. Weight (eds.), The online teaching guide: A handbook of attitudes, strategies, and techniques for the virtual classroom. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Distance Education and Training Council Survery (2004). Retrieved Ocober 1, 2005 from http://www.detc.org/downloads/2004%20DE%20Survey.pdf

Green, K. (2001). The 2001 Campus Computing Project Report. Encino, CA: Campus Computing.

Institute for Higher Education Policy (1999). What's the Difference? Retrieved July 31, 2005 from http://www.ihep.org/Pubs/PDF/Difference.pdf

Kearsey, G. (2005). Explorations in Learning & Instruction: The Theory Into Practice Database Retrieved October 1, 2005 from http://tip.psychology.org/knowles.html

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ReferencesKnowles, M. (1990). The Adult Learner: A Neglected

Species (4th ed.). Houston, TX: Gulf PublishingMcVay Lynch, M. (2000). Developing a web-based distance

student orientation to enhance student success in an online bachelor's degree completion program. Doctoral dissertation: Nova Southeastern University.

McVay Lynch, M. (2002). The online educator: A guide to creating the virtual classroom. New York: RoutledgeFalmer.

Rossett, A. (2000). Confessions of an e-dropout. Training, 37(8), 100-101.

Zielinski, D. (2000). Online? Training, 37(3), 64-75.

Documents

The Distance Education Student