scholarly journals Strengths-Based Analysis of Student Success in Online Courses

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol S Gering ◽  
Dani' K Sheppard ◽  
Barbara L Adams ◽  
Susan L Renes ◽  
Allan A Morotti
Keyword(s):  
Student Success ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Research University ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
Practical Significance ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Access To Higher Education ◽  
The Impact

Online courses today give a broad, diverse population access to higher education. Despite postsecondary institutions embracing this opportunity, scholarly literature reveals persistent concern over low retention rates in online courses. In response to this concern, an explanatory sequential, mixed methods study was conducted in three phases at a public research university to simultaneously explore personal, circumstantial, and course variables associated with student success from a strengths-based perspective. Existing data on student enrollments across four years were analyzed. A subset of Phase One students from a single semester were invited in the second phase to complete an assessment of non-cognitive attributes and personal perceptions, followed in the third phase by interviews among a stratified sample of successful students from the previous phase to elaborate on factors impacting their success. Quantitative analyses identified seven individual variables with statistical and practical significance for online student success. Interestingly, the combination of factors classified as predictive of success changed with student academic standing. The impact of differential success factors across academic experience may explain mixed results in previous studies. The themes that emerged from the interviews with students were congruent with quantitative findings. A unique perspective was shared when students discussed “teaching themselves,” providing additional insight into perceptions of teaching presence not formerly understood. The combination of a more contextual research approach, a strengths-based perspective, and insights from student perceptions yielded implications for educational practice.

scholarly journals Examining Students’ Online Course Perceptions and Comparing Student Performance Outcomes in Online and Face-to-Face Classrooms

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan Spencer ◽  
Traci Temple
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
Student Success ◽  
General Education ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Performance Outcomes ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Instructional Format ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Impact

Through the use of existing grade and student survey data, this study investigated online courses offered at a public four-year university. Specifically, the study explored differences in student success rates between online and face-to-face courses for traditional undergraduate students as well as the climate of student perceptions towards online courses. Our general results suggest that students performed better in, and had higher levels of preference toward, traditional face-to-face formats. However, overall perceptions of online courses were positive, with students viewing instructional technologies as reliable and easy to use, as well as reporting that online technologies facilitated prompt feedback, enhanced their problem-solving skills, and met their learning needs. Alongside this, students exhibited positive views towards their instructors’ skill level and use of technology to support academic success. Logistic regression analyses of differences in student success across instructional formats revealed interaction effects with variables of age (nontraditional/traditional), aid status and whether or not courses were taken to fulfill general education or major requirements, suggesting a more complex effect of instructional format across student subpopulations. The variability in the results observed in the current study warrant further exploration before definitive conclusions on the impact of instructional format on student outcomes and perceptions can be made.

scholarly journals Developing Faculty Communities of Practice to Expand the Use of Effective Pedagogical Techniques

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Hoyert ◽  
Cynthia O'Dell
Keyword(s):  
Student Success ◽  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
First Year ◽  
Scholarship Of Teaching ◽  
Pedagogical Techniques ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Faculty Group

The scholarship of teaching and learning literature is replete with examples of pedagogical techniques that have been demonstrated to be effective in improving learning, motivation, and student success. The extension of these techniques beyond the original context has tended to be slow, difficult, and incomplete. The following paper examines an intervention designed to encourage the exploration and use of a variety of pedagogical techniques by faculty in a traditional, four-year college faculty within the context of the AASCU Re-imagining the First Year Initiative. Small groups of six to eight faculty, joined and created communities of practice. The groups were known as Pedagogical Interest Groups, or PIGs for short. The faculty read about and analyzed a series of pedagogical techniques and committed to introducing at least one technique into their courses to further explore the techniques. When the techniques were successful, the faculty members redesigned entire classes to expand the impact. The communities of practice were successful in encouraging faculty to explore a wide variety of techniques. The average faculty group explored eight different pedagogical techniques. Faculty were able to use the opportunity to experiment with techniques with the support from their colleagues in their PIG. A dozen techniques were explored across the PIGs and dozens of class sections have been completely redesigned. To date, over 2000 students have experienced redesigned courses. Measures of student success, satisfaction, and interest in those sections have increased. The effort has been accompanied by a robust increase in the campus-wide retention rates. ​

Critical Building Blocks: Mandatory Prerequisite Registration Systems and Student Success

2012 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krista M. Soria ◽  
Lori Mumpower
Keyword(s):  
Student Success ◽  
Student Outcomes ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Colleges And Universities ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
Composition Courses ◽  
Developmental Advising ◽  
Comprehensive University ◽  
Prescriptive Advising ◽  
The Impact

Many colleges and universities require prerequisites prior to enrollment in introductory composition courses; however, enforcement of prerequisites is not consistent across institutions. In this study, we examine the impact of an automated, mandatory prerequisite enforcement system on students and advisors at a public comprehensive university. Results indicate that prerequisite systems are positively associated with student outcomes including improved GPAs and retention rates; furthermore, while functioning similarly to prescriptive advising, prerequisite systems can also facilitate developmental advising relationships between students and academic advisors.

scholarly journals Mismatch between student and university expectations of academic achievement

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-106
Author(s):  
Warren Lake ◽  
Hanabeth Luke ◽  
Bill Boyd
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Academic Performance ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
Student Success ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Sense Of Belonging ◽  
Analytical Analysis ◽  
The Impact

Student perceptions of their studies and learning are important influencers of academic performance and outcome. Here we find that the grades students anticipate obtaining may differ significantly from grades awarded: students’ perceptions of their studies appear to be at odds with the university’s assessment of their academic worth. A previous study introduced students to the concept of self-efficacy and its effects on academic performance and outcome; we demonstrate that students’ self-efficacy can be raised. Importantly, the focus is not on the validity of the concept of self-efficacy as the guiding or defining principle in this research, but rather a means to potentially identify important student perceptions that may influence academic performance. Moreover, the effect, emphasises a mismatch between student and university expectations of the measure of achievement: students overestimate their anticipated grades against grades awarded. By encouraging improved self-efficacy are we emphasising differences between anticipated and awarded grades? Are we diminishing the student’s sense of achievement and therefore negatively impacting on student performance? To resolve this, in this study we shift the focus from the purely analytical analysis of the impact of self-efficacy and highlight assumptions of the primacy of grades as signifier of academic success. Academic success is motivated by a desire for learning as much as for good grades. Furthermore, a student’s academic success reflects a complex of socio-personal influences. These perspectives allow the effects of improved self-efficacy to be formative in the student’s maturing sense of belonging within education. The survey and concept of self-efficacy is now better understood as the vehicle for improved experiences of learning, becoming potent drivers of student success.

scholarly journals Impact of Education Tourism on Bahrain’s Economic Growth: A Perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramzi Nekhili ◽  
Saad Darwish ◽  
Marwan Mohamed Abdeldayem
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Research University ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Access To Higher Education ◽  
Branch Campuses ◽  
International Branch Campuses ◽  
Knowledge Based ◽  
Gulf States ◽  
Public Economy ◽  
The Impact

The existence of international students makes an investigation of the impact on a country’s economy topical. Despite the complexity of measuring the economic impact of education tourism, many countries have conducted analyses to justify that international higher education students have a positive impact on the public economy. In the Gulf States, efforts to reform and modernize higher education to create knowledge-based societies are ongoing. Member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) share a regional vision to make the Arab Gulf a hub for a world-class education. Arab higher education systems that were long characterized by mass production of graduates and incremental support from the state are now shifting to new Western models of higher education. Several factors, including the development of the knowledge economy, massive access to higher education and increasing higher education differentiation are contributing to this push. To achieve this vision, the Gulf States have adopted the Western research university model by hosting international branch campuses (IBCs) in the region. GCC governments have also embraced study abroad scholarship programs that sponsor large numbers of Gulf nationals to study in Western universities.

Blended Courses as Drivers of Institutional Transformation

2011 ◽  
pp. 17-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Dziuban ◽  
Joel Hartman ◽  
Thomas B. Cavanagh ◽  
Patsy D. Moskal
Keyword(s):  
Blended Learning ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Research University ◽  
Institutional Transformation ◽  
Transformational Process ◽  
Blended Courses ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
The Impact

The authors discuss the transformational potential of blended learning and the importance of alignment with strategic initiatives of the institution. They show that key elements for student and faculty support result in numerous positive outcomes, including increased access and the ability to manage growth effectively. Research findings with very large student samples show the impact of blended learning on student achievement, identify predictors of student success, and illustrate correlates of student satisfaction with blended learning when ambivalent feelings mediate student perceptions of the educational environment. By illustrating these principles through a case study in a large metropolitan research university, the authors contend that strategic alignment and evaluation results inform each other in an incremental, transformational process.

Technology-Infused Education

2017 ◽  
pp. 230-240
Author(s):  
Tim Klaus ◽  
Chuleeporn Changchit
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Traditional Classroom ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Online Classes ◽  
Teaching Online ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Students Satisfaction

Technology can be a useful tool to educate students. Online courses take advantage of these tools and provide students with the flexibility to complete the courses remotely. However, student perceptions of online classes will not be the same as they complete the course remotely, rather than interacting with other students and the instructor in a traditional classroom. This study seeks to better understand the factors of the online course environment and examines the impact that various online environmental factors have on student satisfaction. This study identifies factors that affect students' satisfaction toward the online class. These findings should help instructors teaching online classes concentrate more on factors that are considered to be important to their students.

scholarly journals Enhancing student retention rates on open non-formal online language learning courses

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-24
Author(s):  
Neil Cowie ◽  
Keiko Sakui
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Drop Out ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Attrition Rates ◽  
The Impact

Open non-formal online courses are becoming increasingly popular as a self-paced option for learners. However, the attrition rates for such courses, similar to other online options such as MOOCs, can be high. In this exploratory research study two teacher-researchers reflect on and analyse their experience of creating open non-formal online courses for English language learners, and go on to suggest several practical techniques to decrease the number of students that may drop out. Firstly, the wider reasons why online students may drop out, such as insufficient feedback or the impact of cognitive overload, are discussed and several ways are suggested to get around these issues. Secondly, various principles of instructional design such as keeping lessons consistent but variable, relevant, and divided into manageable chunks are recommended. Finally, a number of ways that videos can be made more engaging are shown, especially focusing on how a talking head can be best portrayed in order to give the clearest information and develop a more personalised teacher presence. Although the data and analysis are focused on open non-formal online courses the findings and discussion are of relevance to other forms of online instruction and multimedia learning.

scholarly journals The Impact of Previous Online Course Experience on Students' Perceptions of Quality

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Hixon ◽  
Penny Ralston-Berg ◽  
Janet Buckenmeyer ◽  
Casimir Barczyk
Keyword(s):  
Student Success ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Instructional Materials ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Online Students ◽  
Online Learners ◽  
Quality Matters ◽  
Course Experience ◽  
The Impact

The purpose of this paper is to explore whether experienced online students (who have completed seven or more online courses) perceive the quality of their courses differently than novice online students (who have completed three or fewer online courses) or students with an intermediate level of online course experience (those who have completed four to six online courses). Overall, 3,160 online students completed a survey which asked them to indicate the extent to which statements derived from the Quality Matters rubric contributed to student success. The results indicate that students rated some items differently based on their previous online course experience. Novice online learners felt that having netiquette guidelines clearly stated was more important than experienced online learners. Experienced learners rated several items as being more important than novice and/or intermediate online learners, including items related to self-introductions, appropriateness of assessments, relevance and quality of instructional materials, clarity of requirements for interaction, ease of navigation, and availability of required technologies. The implications of these findings for course designers and instructors are discussed.

scholarly journals Front Line Strategies for Improving Student Success in Online Education

2019 ◽  
pp. 167-176
Author(s):  
Abour H. Cherif ◽  
Gerald Adams ◽  
Jennifer D. Harris ◽  
Farahnaz Movahedzadeh ◽  
Margaret Martyn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
Student Success ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Online Classes ◽  
Faculty Perspectives ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Faculty Teaching ◽  
Design Resources ◽  
The Impact

Faculty teaching both onsite and online courses have unique insights into how each modality can be implemented to be most effective for student learning. In their online classes where students might be more likely to struggle, these faculty are continually looking for methods and strategies to help their students learn the material more effectively. A survey was conducted with 174 faculty that teach both onsite and online to gather ideas on why online courses often have lower success than onsite courses. While overall results of this survey are provided in “Faculty Perspectives on Narrowing the Success Gap Between Online and Onsite Learning” (Cherif et al., 2019), this study leverages the free responses provided in the survey where faculty provided details on their specific strategies to help their online students. These strategies touched on nearly every aspect of online instruction, including course design, resources for students, student characteristics, teaching strategies, student engagement, and assessments. By sharing these strategies, other faculty can consider what might be impactful for their online classes and students, study the impact and continue to improve online education worldwide.

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