Abstract

Peter Archibong, Ph.D.

Reducing Online Student Course Withdrawals Using D.I.I.S.M. (Demographics, Institution, Instructor, Student, and Method) Analysis: an Assessment of an Urban Technical College Online Courses.

Abstract

The proliferation of online education in academic institutions over the past decade has revolutionized and challenged teaching and learning models. With distinct advantages over traditional face-to-face in the academic world, online learning reduces learners’ travel costs as well as time away from their work and family. However, despite these benefits, online education continues to be challenged with high student withdrawals of 30-50% compared with 14% in the traditional classroom (Lynch, 2001). This research effort investigated the possible factors that may affect online students’ withdrawals (OSW) at An Urban Technical College in Georgia. An online survey of online students who completed and who withdrew was used to compare students’ perception of their online course experience at An Urban Technical College in spring of 2006. One survey was sent to online students who withdrew (OSW) and another was sent to online students who completed (OSC). The results showed that significant differences exist between OSC and OSW on the D.I.I.S.M analysis: Demographics: Age (55+); Institution: Orientation; Instructor: Email/phone contacts, availability/response time, returning of phone calls/emails, course relevance, hands on practice, suggested concept applications, and courseware knowledge; Student: Family support and money access; Instruction Methods: Availability, ease of use, observation/reflection allowance, generalization allowance, self-assessment/practice test, and group activities/interactivity.

Table of Contents

Abstract PAGEREF _Toc120370473 \h 3

Dedication PAGEREF _Toc156667016 \h v

Acknowledgements PAGEREF _Toc156667017 \h vi

Table of Contents PAGEREF _Toc156667018 \h vii

List of Tables PAGEREF _Toc156667019 \h ix

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION.. PAGEREF _Toc156667020 \h 1

Introduction PAGEREF _Toc156667021 \h 1

Background of the Study PAGEREF _Toc156667022 \h 2

Statement of Problem PAGEREF _Toc156667023 \h 3

Purpose of the Study PAGEREF _Toc156667024 \h 4

Rationale PAGEREF _Toc156667025 \h 4

Nature of the Study PAGEREF _Toc156667026 \h 9

Significance of the Study PAGEREF _Toc156667027 \h 10

Definition of Terms PAGEREF _Toc156667028 \h 11

Assumptions PAGEREF _Toc156667029 \h 12

Limitations PAGEREF _Toc156667030 \h 13

CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW... PAGEREF _Toc156667031 \h 15

History PAGEREF _Toc156667032 \h 15

Demographics PAGEREF _Toc156667033 \h 18

Institution Commitment PAGEREF _Toc156667034 \h 18

Instruction Methods and Kolb’s Learning Theory PAGEREF _Toc156667035 \h 20

Student Commitment and Knowles Learning Theory PAGEREF _Toc156667036 \h 23

Instructor Commitment PAGEREF _Toc156667037 \h 26

CHAPTER 3. METHODOLOGY.. PAGEREF _Toc156667038 \h 29

Introduction PAGEREF _Toc156667039 \h 29

Research Design PAGEREF _Toc156667040 \h 29

Sample/Population PAGEREF _Toc156667041 \h 30

Data Collection /Instrumentation PAGEREF _Toc156667042 \h 32

Research Questions and Hypotheses PAGEREF _Toc156667043 \h 33

Statistical Analysis Procedures PAGEREF _Toc156667044 \h 36

CHAPTER 4. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS. PAGEREF _Toc156667045 \h 40

OSC Summary Descriptive Data PAGEREF _Toc156667046 \h 41

OSW Summary Descriptive Data PAGEREF _Toc156667047 \h 47

OSC Summary Attitudinal Data PAGEREF _Toc156667048 \h 53

OSW Summary Attitudinal Data PAGEREF _Toc156667049 \h 57

OCI Summary Descriptive Data PAGEREF _Toc156667050 \h 62

OCI Summary Institution Commitment Data PAGEREF _Toc156667051 \h 68

OCI Summary Instructor Commitment Data PAGEREF _Toc156667052 \h 68

OCI Summary Instruction Methods (BlackBoard) Data PAGEREF _Toc156667053 \h 73

Hypotheses Analysis PAGEREF _Toc156667054 \h 74

CHAPTER 5. RESULTS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS. PAGEREF _Toc156667055 \h 86

Results PAGEREF _Toc156667056 \h 86

Demographics PAGEREF _Toc156667057 \h 87

Institution Commitment PAGEREF _Toc156667058 \h 87

Instructor Commitment PAGEREF _Toc156667059 \h 88

Student reasons/ Commitment PAGEREF _Toc156667060 \h 89

Instruction Methods/BlackBoard PAGEREF _Toc156667061 \h 90

Conclusions PAGEREF _Toc156667062 \h 90

Recommendations PAGEREF _Toc156667063 \h 93

REFERENCES. PAGEREF _Toc156667064 \h 95

APPENDIX A. PERMISSION REQUEST. PAGEREF _Toc156667065 \h 103

APPENDIX B. PERMISSION GRANTED.. PAGEREF _Toc156667066 \h 104

APPENDIX C. WAIVER OF INFORMED CONSENT FORM... PAGEREF _Toc156667067 \h 105

APPENDIX D. CITI TRAINING TRANSCRIPT. PAGEREF _Toc156667068 \h 107

APPENDIX E. IRB FORMS. PAGEREF _Toc156667069 \h 109

APPENDIX F. SUPERVISOR SIGNATURE. PAGEREF _Toc156667070 \h 122

APPENDIX G. RESEARCHER SIGNATURE. PAGEREF _Toc156667071 \h 123

APPENDIX H. DEAN’S SIGNATURE. PAGEREF _Toc156667072 \h 124

APPENDIX I. SURVEY FOR ONLINE STUDENTS COMPLETED (OSC) PAGEREF _Toc156667073 \h 125

APPENDIX J. SURVEY FOR ONLINE STUDENTS’ WITHDRAWALS (OSW) PAGEREF _Toc156667074 \h 132

APPENDIX K. SURVEY FOR ONLINE COURSE INSTRUCTORS' SURVEY (OCI) PAGEREF _Toc156667075 \h 141

APPENDIX L. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK.. PAGEREF _Toc156667076 \h 149

List of Tables

Table 1. PAGEREF _Toc153044290 \h 42

OSC Descriptive Data Part I PAGEREF _Toc153044291 \h 42

Table 2. PAGEREF _Toc153044292 \h 43

OSC Descriptive Data Part II PAGEREF _Toc153044293 \h 43

Table 3. PAGEREF _Toc153044294 \h 44

OSC Descriptive Data Part III PAGEREF _Toc153044295 \h 44

Table 4. PAGEREF _Toc153044296 \h 45

OSC Descriptive Data Part IV.. PAGEREF _Toc153044297 \h 45

Table 5. PAGEREF _Toc153044298 \h 46

OSC Descriptive Data Part V.. PAGEREF _Toc153044299 \h 46

Table 6. PAGEREF _Toc153044300 \h 48

OSW Descriptive Data Part I PAGEREF _Toc153044301 \h 48

Table 7. PAGEREF _Toc153044302 \h 49

OSW Descriptive Data Part II PAGEREF _Toc153044303 \h 49

Table 8. PAGEREF _Toc153044304 \h 50

OSW Descriptive Data Part III PAGEREF _Toc153044305 \h 50

Table 9. PAGEREF _Toc153044306 \h 51

OSW Descriptive Data Part IV.. PAGEREF _Toc153044307 \h 51

Table 10. PAGEREF _Toc153044308 \h 52

OSW Descriptive Data Part V.. PAGEREF _Toc153044309 \h 52

Table 11. PAGEREF _Toc153044310 \h 54

OSC Completion Reasons Data. PAGEREF _Toc153044311 \h 54

Table 12. PAGEREF _Toc153044312 \h 55

OSC Online Services/Institution Commitment Satisfaction Data. PAGEREF _Toc153044313 \h 55

Table 13. PAGEREF _Toc153044314 \h 56

OSC Online Instructor Satisfaction Data. PAGEREF _Toc153044315 \h 56

Table 14. PAGEREF _Toc153044316 \h 57

OSC Instruction Method (BlackBoard) Satisfaction Data. PAGEREF _Toc153044317 \h 57

Table 15. PAGEREF _Toc153044318 \h 58

OSW Reasons for Course Drop Data. PAGEREF _Toc153044319 \h 58

Table 16. PAGEREF _Toc153044320 \h 59

OSW Online Services/Institution Commitment Satisfaction Data. PAGEREF _Toc153044321 \h 59

Table 17. PAGEREF _Toc153044322 \h 60

OSW Online Instructor Satisfaction Data. PAGEREF _Toc153044323 \h 60

Table 18. PAGEREF _Toc153044324 \h 61

OSW Instruction Method (BlackBoard) Satisfaction Data. PAGEREF _Toc153044325 \h 61

Table 19. PAGEREF _Toc153044326 \h 62

OCI Online Course Data. PAGEREF _Toc153044327 \h 62

Table 20. PAGEREF _Toc153044328 \h 64

OCI Online Instructor Training Data. PAGEREF _Toc153044329 \h 64

Table 21. PAGEREF _Toc153044330 \h 65

OCI Descriptive Data Part I PAGEREF _Toc153044331 \h 65

Table 22. PAGEREF _Toc153044332 \h 66

OCI Descriptive Data Part II PAGEREF _Toc153044333 \h 66

Table 23. PAGEREF _Toc153044334 \h 67

OCI Descriptive Data Part III PAGEREF _Toc153044335 \h 67

Table 24. PAGEREF _Toc153044336 \h 68

OCI Institution Commitment Ratings. PAGEREF _Toc153044337 \h 68

Table 25. PAGEREF _Toc153044338 \h 69

OCI Instructor Commitment Ratings Part I PAGEREF _Toc153044339 \h 69

Table 26. PAGEREF _Toc153044340 \h 70

OCI Instructor Commitment Ratings Part II PAGEREF _Toc153044341 \h 70

Table 27. PAGEREF _Toc153044342 \h 72

OCI Instructor Commitment Ratings Part III PAGEREF _Toc153044343 \h 72

Table 28. PAGEREF _Toc153044344 \h 73

OCI Instruction Methods Data. PAGEREF _Toc153044345 \h 73

Table 29. PAGEREF _Toc153044346 \h 75

Alternative Hypothesis 1 Results. PAGEREF _Toc153044347 \h 75

Table 30. PAGEREF _Toc153044348 \h 78

Alternative Hypothesis 2 Results. PAGEREF _Toc153044349 \h 78

Table 31. PAGEREF _Toc153044350 \h 80

Alternative Hypothesis 3 Results. PAGEREF _Toc153044351 \h 80

Table 32. PAGEREF _Toc153044352 \h 82

Alternative Hypothesis 4 Results. PAGEREF _Toc153044353 \h 82

Table 33. PAGEREF _Toc153044354 \h 84

Alternative Hypothesis 5 Results. PAGEREF _Toc153044355 \h 84

List of Figures

Figure 1. Representation of Online Accounting Course Differences OSC, OSW, OCI. PAGEREF _Toc153036594 \h 63

Figure 2. Age Differences OSC vs. OSW. PAGEREF _Toc153036595 \h 76

Figure 3. School’s Online Services Satisfaction Differences OSC vs. OSW. PAGEREF _Toc153036596 \h 78

Figure 4. Cumulative Average Instructor Satisfaction Differences OSC vs. OSW. PAGEREF _Toc153036597 \h 80

Figure 5. Completion Reason Differences OSC vs. OSW. PAGEREF _Toc153036598 \h 82

Figure 6. Cumulative Average BlackBoard Satisfaction Differences OSC vs. OSW. PAGEREF _Toc153036599 \h 85

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Last modified: July 04, 2008