1 / 29

Instructional Interaction and Student Persistence in Online Education

This presentation by Dr. Steven Tello explores the critical role of instructional interaction in fostering student persistence in online education. It details research findings that demonstrate a strong correlation between various forms of interaction—between instructors and students, as well as among peers—and students' ability to complete online courses. The discussion delves into methods of interaction, the importance of faculty development, and structural changes that can promote engagement and success. Insights into demographics and situational factors impacting persistence are also shared.

javen
Télécharger la présentation

Instructional Interaction and Student Persistence in Online Education

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Instructional Interaction and Student Persistence in Online Education Steven Tello, Ed. D.Associate Director of Distance LearningUniversity of Massachusetts Lowell Sloan-C Conference on ALNNovember 15, 2003

  2. Objectives • Why is Instructional Interaction important? • Present research study & findings, illustrating relationship between instructional interaction and student persistence • Discuss the relationship between instructional interaction, student attitudes and student persistence • Discuss how online faculty development & online programs might be structured to support student persistence

  3. What Is Instructional Interaction? • Interaction • Reciprocal communication events between at least two objects(Wagner, 1994) • Learner:Instructor, Learner:Student, Learner:Content, and Others(Moore, 1989, Anderson & Garrison, 1998) • Asynchronous & Synchronous, with strengths/limits • Instructional Interaction • Communication between student & instructor, or students, which discusses course content, assignments or student progress.(Kearsley, 1995; Wagner, 1994) • Facilitated, mediated, by technology in online education

  4. Why is Instructional Interaction Important? • Formal (academic) & Informal (social) Interaction among FTF faculty & students supports achievement, retention, degree completion. (Kuh & Hu, 2001; Pascarell & Terenzini, 1976; Tinto, 1987) • Seven Principles of Good Practice emphasize communication & interaction (Chickering & Gamson, 1987; Chickering & Ehrmann, 1996) • High Positive Correlation between Student Perceptions of Interaction, Teacher Presence, Student Satisfaction and Perceived Learning in online education(Shea, Frederickson, Pickett & Pelz, 2002; Piccione, 2003)

  5. Research Study • Examined the relationship between Instructional Interaction & Student Persistence in online university program • Population • 1620 students/76 online courses • 4 graduate courses, 72 undergraduate courses • Non-experimental, correlational study using a survey research methodology • Persister Survey - online survey instrument • Non-persister Survey - telephone or mail survey • Persistence data - Per course measure of students who completed online course

  6. Research Questions • Is there a relationship between frequency of instructional interaction and levels of student persistence in online courses? • Is there a relationship between method of instructional interaction and student persistence in online courses? • Do the reasons students provide for failure to persist in online courses differ based on the frequency or method of instructional interaction? • Do other variables emerge as correlates of persistence among students in online courses?

  7. Demographic & Situational Data • Persister Response Rate • 70% by course (N=74), 64% by student (N=1122) • Non-persister Response Rate • 45% by student (N=102) RQ3 • Persisters & Non-persisters similarly distributed in: • Age, Gender, Children at Home, Primary Role, INET • Persister & Non-persister differences included: • Greater % of Non-persisters worked over 40 hrs/week (66% NP, 53% P). • Significantly greater % of Persisters were enrolled in a program of study (72% P, 57% NP). • Significantly greater % of Persisters indicated Intent to Return (86% P, 58% NP)

  8. Course Persistence Rates • Persistence Rate = Total Enrollment/Adjusted Course Enrollment

  9. Question 1. Frequency :: Persistence? • Strong Positive Correlation between Freq. of Instructor (to student) and Freq. of Student (to student) Interaction, r50 = .68, p<.001 • Instructor to Student Interaction occurs more frequently than Student to Student,t(51)=9.13, p=.000, mean difference = .51 • No direct correlation between Frequency of Instructional Interaction and Persistence

  10. Question 2. Method :: Persistence? • Methods of Interaction included: • Synchronous, text-based chat • Asynchronous discussion forum • Asynchronous email lists • Established reliability of student reported data • Compared student reported interaction data in 10 courses to chat & discussion archive • Student reported data reflected archive in 90% • In one course, archive was not available

  11. Question 2. Findings • Differences between Per Course Primary Method of Instructor Interaction & Primary Method of Student Interaction • Instructors (37%) were 3X as likely as students (13%) to use All Methods Equally • Students (44%) were 3X as likely as instructors (15%) to use primarily Discussion Forum • Instructors used chat and email lists more frequently than the average student in their courses. • Chat t(51)=12.77, p=.000, mean difference = .58 • Email lists t(51)=15.16, p=.003, mean difference = .97

  12. Question 2: Findings • Frequency of Instructor use of a specific method was highly correlated to frequency of student use of the same method: • Chat Method r50 = .80, p<.001 • Discussion Method r50 = .87, p<.001 • Email Method r50 = .41, p< .01 • These correlations supported use of Method of Interaction Indexes. However, no direct correlation observed between Method of Interaction Indexes & Persistence.

  13. Question 3. Reasons? • Why did non-persisters withdraw? • Why persisters did not intend to take another online course? • Why persisters indicated intent to return? • Student level, rather than course level analysis. • Frequencies, Percentages, Cross Tabs, Chi-Square.

  14. Question 3. Findings • Non-persister reasons for withdrawal: (n=46)Work Commitments 30%Content Expectations 23%Instructor Contact 11% • Persister reasons for not taking another online course:(n=62)Course Not Offered Online 29%Instructor Contact Not What Expected 11%Work Commitments 2% • Persister reasons for Intent to Return: (n = 279) Time Convenience 45%Complete Program 28%

  15. Question 4. Other Correlates • Student Attitudes were positively related to Frequency of Instructor Interaction & Use of Asynchronous Methods

  16. Question 4. Findings • Modest correlation between Student Attitude to Interaction & Course Persistence Ratesr50 = -.30, p<.05 (negative value reflects Transformed Persistence Rate) • Moderate correlation between Student Perception of Discussion Contribution & Course Persistence Rates r50 = -.41, p<.01 (negative value reflects Transformed Persistence Rate) • Contribution of Method variables were positively related to Method of Interaction Indexes. • Chat Method r50 = .70, p<.001 • Discussion Method r50 = .84, p<.001 • Email Method r50 = .57, p< .001

  17. Question 4. Findings • Emergence of Contribution of Method variables as correlates of Persistence & Method of Interaction Indexes suggested need for further investigation. • A linear regression equation was created combining the 3 Contribution of Method variables and the 3 Method of Interaction Indexes. • 26% of the variance in Persistence Rate was accounted for by combination of Contribution of Discussion Method and Discussion Method Index scores.R2=.26, F(2,48)=8.57, p<.05

  18. Conclusions • Multiple factors support an indirect relationship between instructional interaction & persistence. • There is a positive relationship between use of asynchronous methods & both student attitudes to interaction & their online course experience. • Student attitudes to discussion forum combined with instructor use of discussion forum are positively related to persistence. • Situational & Institutional Barriers also affect a student’s decision to persist within a course or program of study: • Work commitment is a primary reason for student withdrawal • Time convenience is a primary reason for participation • Matriculation into a program of study characteristic of persisters

  19. Recommendations & Questions • Faculty Development • Facilitate discussion regarding adult students • Who are they? What motivates participation? What barriers do they confront? • How can asynchronous interaction support student participation? How best to integrate asynchronous interaction into online course? • Technology Development • Why do students use particular methods? • Will high-speed INET increase student access or limit adults to synchronous participation? • Develop communications tools which support both synchronous & asynchronous interaction.

  20. Recommendations & Questions • Program Development • Know your students • Help students to know themselves, self-assessment • Monitor student progress toward matriculation • Review institutional matriculation policy & practice • Publicize accurate information regarding course content, timelines, expectations • Conduct ongoing evaluation program • Develop complete online programs with broad institutional support.

  21. Instructional Interaction and Student Persistence in Online Education Steven Tello, Ed. D.Associate Director of Distance LearningUniversity of Massachusetts Lowell Sloan-C Conference on ALNNovember 15, 2003

  22. Table 1Demographic & Situational Similarities

  23. Table 2Situational Differences df = 1, *p<.05, **p<.01, ***p<.001

  24. Figure 1.Primary Method of Instructor & Student Interaction N=52

  25. Table 3 • Intercorrelations of Frequency of Instructor Interaction by Method by Frequency of Student Interaction by Method.

  26. Figure 2. Non-persister Reasons for Withdrawal • (n =46)

  27. Figure 3. Persister Reasons for not Returning (n = 62)

  28. Figure 4. Persister Reasons for Returning (n = 279)

  29. Table 4 Regression Analysis Summary for 3 Method of Interaction Index & 3 Contribution Scores Predicting Transformed Persistence Rate

More Related