With the U.S. economy still recovering from a recession, it is not surprising that the demand for “face-to-face and online course and program offerings” in institutions of higher education (IHEs) is growing, especially in public IHEs (Allen & Seaman, 2010, p. 7). In fact, “More than one in four higher education students now take at least one course online” (Allen & Seaman, p. 1). For many administrators in IHEs facing the reality of tightening budgets, less classroom space, and the need to meet increasing enrollments, online education is an attractive solution to address these challenges, even though associated costs are often higher than those in face-to-face (F2F) courses and programs (Parry, 2011). However, before investing resources and time in converting F2F courses to an online delivery format, administrators in IHEs and other organizations interested in providing online training should thoughtfully consider whether or not the targeted courses/programs should even be taught via a distance, as well as whether or not online learning is the best approach for the targeted learners.
Although a meta-analysis conducted by Means et al. (2010) showed that students participating in online courses performed better than those in F2F courses, the researchers cautioned that several caveats were in order. For instance, they noted that “the online and classroom conditions differed in terms of time spent, curriculum and pedagogy” (p. xvii). An experimental study by Figlio, Rush, and Yin (2010) comparing online versus F2F instruction also raised concerns. Their study found that some learners, specifically Hispanics, males, and low achievers, performed worse in online courses than in F2F ones. Clearly these findings demonstrate that more research is needed about learners’ performance in online education. However, research on factors that might influence students to withdraw from online courses and programs is worth examining, too.
Lee and Choi (2010) conducted a literature review of online course dropouts in postsecondary education. Through an analysis of 35 studies, they discovered three major categories of factors influencing online dropout rates: student factors, course/program factors, and environmental factors. Student factors included students’ academic background (e.g., those who had higher grades in previous courses tended to complete online courses whereas those with lower grades had higher dropout rates), technology and time management skills, and psychological attributes (e.g., locus of control—those with a low locus of control were more likely to drop out of online courses). Course/program factors referred to course design, institutional supports (e.g., orientation), and interactions (e.g., student-stu-dent, student-instructor). Environmental factors involved work (e.g., increased workloads) and life circumstances (e.g., death in family) that affected students’ ability to persist.
Of the three major factors described by Lee and Choi, the only factor that could be directly controlled by IHEs was course/program factors. Of these, institutional supports seem most promising for assisting learners. For example, one of the studies they analyzed found that the primary reason students withdrew from online courses was students’ misconceptions about the demands and requirements of online courses. Moreover, the student dropouts had not completed an orientation, which could have educated them about online education (Clay, 2009 as cited in Lee & Choi, 2010). Therefore, a simple remedy to educate potential online learners is to develop and require an orientation that informs them about the requirements for online learning before enrolling in an online course. Other supports might include encouraging or requiring such texts as Watkins and Corry’s (2010)E-learning Companion that provides students with a comprehensive overview of the requirements and skills necessary for success in online courses. It also includes an E-learning Readiness Self-Assessment to determine their readiness for online learning and a plan to help them manage their time, peer relationships, and technology.
Increasingly, however, learners do not have a choice whether or not to take an online course. Often, it is the only option available to them. In such cases, those offering online courses should provide even more supports to foster the success of all learners. This assistance should involve completion of high-quality orientation by all students, examination, development, and implementation of effective strategies to support students in online courses, careful monitoring of the reasons why students might withdraw from online courses, factors that contribute to their persistence, and also research about factors that promote the success of all students. Online education is most likely not the best learning environment for all learners. However, if no other options are available, it is the duty of organizations and instructors to ensure that learners have the best supports available for them to be successful.
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