Introduction
With the advancements of technology, society is able to reach more degree-seeking students by offering online higher education. Many students are fulltime parents, husbands, wives and employees working hard to better their lives, and the lives of their family members through higher education. The popularity of online education is further seen in that the 21% growth rate for online enrollments, which far exceeds the 2% growth in the overall higher education student population, with at least 5.6 million students enrolled in online courses in the fall of 2009(Conway k., Hachey A., Waldis C., 2012, para. 1). Due to this new growth in the adult education filed, it is necessary to study and research the specific institutional strategies associated with higher retention rates of online degree seeking students. Retention rates at all institutions are extremely important to follow due to business aspects, positive educational growth in society, political reasons and higher income potential for the students upon completion of their degree (Budden et al. 2010).
Research Question
“Intuitively, students who take a majority of courses online risk being removed from the academic atmosphere and may lack personal interaction with faculty” (Chong Ho Yu Ph.D. 2007, pg. 3). Almost every university or college offers online education to the students. This creates a risk of students feeling less academically integrated with their higher education institution. My research question is, “What specific institutional strategies are associated with higher retention rates of online degree seeking students?” My hypothesis is that students taking online classes, that feel more integrated academically with their university, are more likely to com...
... middle of paper ...
...gher retention rates for students taking online classes. The literature explores the factors that contribute to higher retention rates, which show academic integration key to the success of students in the virtual learning community. When students utilize the online learning environment they are taking a risk of feeling disconnected from the faculty and university from lack of face-to-face instruction. This has been shown to have a negative impact on retention rates (Chong Ho Yu Ph.D. 2007). Due to media advancements universities can now create strategies to combat this issue as well as other issues that need to be addressed when exploring retention rates. The importance of specific institutional strategies associated with higher retention rates at universities using online learning is imperative to scientifically study for the success of students and universities.
More people are choosing to further their educations, since a larger portion of employers are wanting workers with higher education degrees. Many are questioning whether an online or traditional institution is a better route. While some may say online institutions are essentially better in this day and age, in Johann Neem’s, “Online Higher Education’s Individualist Fallacy” he points out why a traditional college is more often the better route. By implementing an intellectual appeal on an audience that is craving a higher education and looking for the best way to do it, he exceptionally shows that traditional college campuses are not dead in the slightest.
“A human being is not attaining his full heights until he is educated” this anecdote written by Horace Mann, explains the significance education has in today’s society. In order to acquire a career and be successful, individuals need to be educated. Global competition for jobs is very common in today’s century, individuals are not only competing with local people, but also people worldwide. The prerequisites for jobs keep changing through time and the demands for jobs also keep increasing. It is the responsibility of the schools to motivate and retain its students on *the journey of acquiring an education in order to prepare them for future responsibilities. Universities, Community Colleges, along with High Schools are the main source of motivation for students to continue pursuing their career goals and retaining students in school. Furthermore, the importance for an education is immense, it shapes who you are as an individual and can gradually be a door opener to great opportunities in the future. Education is a human right in America, and should be taken advantage of when it is available. Unfortunately, other individuals in different countries are not blessed with this opportunity, due to their financial status, lifestyle, health etc. Therefore, it is very important to maintain the retention rate, which is the amount of students attending College to acquire their education. Although, there are various numbers of reasons that may prohibit retention rates from increasing, which induce the rise on drop out rates and prohibit students from attending school, it is the school’s responsibility to encourage the continuation of acquiring an education. The reason for Skyline College’s retention rate remaining constant is caused by variou...
Minorities are a growing segment of the population. However, this group continues to be underrepresented in the area of post secondary education. Obtaining an advanced degree remains a likely predictor of future career success. The problem facing the minority student is that barriers persist which continue to hinder enrollment, retention, and graduation rates in institutions of higher education. These barriers must be identified and examined and solutions offered if college completion rates are to be increased for this population.
Studies show that nontraditional students over the age of 30 are more likely to succeed in online classes than traditional students because they tend to be more engaged with their courses, have better time management and value exchanges with their peers and instructors (Dibiase & Kidwai, 2010). In a course study at a U.S. university it was found that traditional students logged into class less frequently than nontraditional students, contributed less in class discussions, asked routine rather than substantive questions, but scored equally on assignments (Dibiase & Kidwai, 2010). The study also showed that nontraditional students enrolled in courses they felt would advance their careers while many traditional students only enrolled in courses to fulfill degree requirements (Dibiase & Kidwai,
Towles, D. E.; Ellis, J. R.; and Spencer, J. "Student Persistence in a Distance Education Program." Conference paper, 1993. (ED 360 931)
The desire to expand and improve existing resources is not a new phenomenon within higher education, (Hossler, 2004) but is one that has begun to gain attention as institutions increasingly adopt enrollment management (EM) practices. EM is both an organizational concept merged with associated practices that help institutions exercise control over the characteristics of their student bodies (Hossler & Bean, 1990; Hossler, 2004; Kraatz, Ventresca, & Deng, 2010). EM is a controversial trend with varying definitions, values, and drawbacks.
Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Thomson. Berger, J. B., & Milem, J. F. (1999). The role of student involvement and perceptions of integration in a casual model of student persistence. Research in Higher Education, 40, 641-664. Light, J. R. (2001).
Recruitment is a serious issue for an organization and one that ought to be afforded a considerable amount of planning in order to successfully achieve desired outcomes. Recruitment is a costly process for an organization and poorly executed recruitment can result in selecting candidates that are not appropriate for the organization. A poorly executed recruitment can also reflect negatively on the organization’s reputation, which can cost the organization solid future candidates. Due to the cost both in time and in resources, a recruitment process deserves a solid training program that covers a variety of issues. Thought should be given to the topics to be covered in a training program, aids or materials recruiters will need, practical skills to be covered in the training, the person most appropriate to conduct the training, and any additional needs to be considered to ensure the training is most effective in achieving the goal of developing strong recruiting skills.
In 1999, Mark Bonner of PricewaterhouseCoopers accurately predicted, “Online learning will rapidly become one of the most cost-effective ways to educate the world’s expanding workforce.” Fifteen years later, his statement is truer than ever, as the price of going to a four-year university skyrockets, and technology required to get the same degree online becomes more available. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, from 2000 to 2010, the average cost for undergraduate tuition, room, and board at public institutions increased over forty percent.
The opportunity to obtain a degree through an online setting has provided some liberation to students who then take advantage of that opportunity. The problem, however, lies in employment upon successful completion of an online program. Having an online degree possibly means some bumps down the road of employment, being that the degree could perhaps be ranked lower, as opposed to the traditional degree. Studies show that employers are more prone to hire someone with a traditional degree versus an online degree. In the Chronicle of Online Education, Carnevale states that, “The reviews of individuals who assess qualified candidates for particular positions demonstrate an inclination against online degrees, although these programs are becoming more readily accessible through universities on the web (Carnevale 2007)”. It is clear that even with the qualifications that one may possess from online education, employers still remain inclined. Some employers may feel that the degrees can’t correlate with one another and that one receives a better understanding of the coursework at traditional colleges. In the article, Employer’s Perspective of Online Education, Linardopoulos finds apprehensions regarding employer’s views of online learning. He says, “Online learning does not provide adequate
When students are deciding on where to go to college, they have the option of choosing between online classes and the traditional classroom classes. Today, some students are finding it much easier to maintain a job, family and start a college career, all by taking online classes. Although some students still prefer to stick with the traditional classroom classes, they still have the option to take online classes. Both online and the traditional classes will provide the educational requirements needed to obtain a college degree and opportunities in the work field. Although the online classes offer just as much as the traditional classes, they are completely different when it comes to teaching methods, course material and time.
Traditional universities are a wonderful way to study for students who have the time and patience to deal with teachers and classmates. In contrast, online universities are the ideal way to study for students who do not have the time to go to school and those who enjoy working at their own pace.
Many people think online education can be more expensive than a traditional school setting. Previous generations did not have the option for online learning experience, so why should we start now? An interesting point about online education is that LeBaron (2010) states, “The largest school in the U.S. is the University of Phoenix Online, with a whopping 380,232 students. That’s over 5x more than the largest public school, Arizona State University, which has 68,064 students” (para. 7). Despite the cost effectiveness, distance education is becoming the educational model of the future.
Is technology helping or hurting people learn? Technology is increasing every day, and is soon going to be a big part of everyday life. The change of teaching students on online class is way different to what they are used to, and will take awhile to get used to. There are disadvantages, advantages, opportunities, and challenges in the technology in education. The role that teachers play now will change in the future when the major demand for the use of technology hits. There is a big change in the way that students are learning with this new online learning. Technology is changing the learning of students in a big way. Some ways are positive, and some are negative but either way there is a big impact on the way students learn. Sometimes it just depends on the student’s way of learning. Those kind of students should have the choice of what they would rather use a book, or a computer. Students need to be able to decide the type of learning that they want to do to help them learn. Students need to know which way it is that they learn the best. Each person has to find out which way they learn the best to better themselves. Find out the best way that they learn so that it can benefit them in life.
In the undergraduate educational setting, student proficiency and comfort with technology are stressed, but the essential mission of most undergraduate institutions (especially, liberal arts institutions such as Dartmouth) is on the development of the individual. The nurturing and supportive environment of most undergraduate institutions helps students mature and develop. The rave and fad of online undergraduate learning causes students to miss out on too many intangibles of an on-campus education. Our current theory on education hasn’t adequately dealt with the intricacies of a web-based education, and therefore the effectiveness of such is highly questionable.