Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Success Rate in Online Courses
Our daily lives are touched by the rapidly changing landscape of technology and learning. Many adults are being introduced to the vast array of online and eLearning opportunities to further their education. Although some research indicates a less than favorable success rate for adults taking online courses, there are indicators pointing to an increasing number of adult learners returning to school via online programs. Most major colleges and universities now offer eLearning opportunities, with some offering entire degree programs online. Many schools offer blended learning programs that combine online and face-to-face programs, and some schools only offer online programs. According to Hinds (2001) more adults drop out of distance learning programs than traditional courses and those who quit cite feelings of isolation and complain about the faster pace of online courses and technical difficulties. In your experience with online courses, do you agree with the statement concerning feelings of isolation, faster pace, and technical difficulties? If you are an online course instructor, are you seeing an increase or decrease in adults completing online courses?
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6 comments:
Like it or not, if this program wasn't offered completely online, I wouldn't be enrolled. My administration would like to have me devote every waking hour to my direct job duties, but I'm still encouraged to improve myself through education -- with no financial or time support from the school. Online is the only answer for me. I know I'm not supposed to assume, but I do assume that it's the only answer for many of the people in this specific program as well as for people in any online program.
I believe online learning is the only option for many people, due to cost, time, and work.
I believe that those who drop out of courses are either inexperienced or undisciplined. Hard work is still hard work and some don't get in over their heads with the work required, don't have enough context about the world, or don't have the original foundation of education necessary to move on. Most who take a BA/BS online must find it daunting compared to High School. Online graduate students who have been away from college for awhile must be prepared for workloads full of computer technology and writing. The discipline part is learned over time - being able to multitask helps too. Pressure drives me, I figure others work smooth, and still others wait for the very end to get things done; human nature, I guess. But as soon as a person identifies and harnesses their behavior the better.
When I started this program, I was a little nervous because it have been 32 years since I graduated from college. My first semester was a mixture of margaritas, studying, and panic. It took me a while to develop a routine and overcome the anxiety. Each semester is still mixed with margaritas (and a little wine)and studying, but the panic feeling is gone and I am comfortable with online learning now.
As a student, I have to agree with KellyAnn in her observations that not all adult, online learners are able to overcome external influences for a specific period of time. It may also be a contributing reason to why more students "drop" an online course than what is captured in a survey.
In addition Mike has a very good observation when he wrote that a student..."must be prepared for workloads full of computer technology and writing."
Online navigation, connectivity, and general user error are always challenges to completing a course, equal to the challenges of a traditional course, such as a disruptive student, building upkeep issues, weather issues. A commitment to continuing education has a lot of compromise and redirection.
Thanks for your posting!
And don't forget the obstacle of the Bama server, as in this past weekend.
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