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Why do students frequently drop out of online courses?

Research tells us that the completion levels for students on online courses is very low. Why is this? Please vote for the reasons that you think are most significant and also add any other reasons or causes. Please also use the 'Pros' to suggest solutions to the problems. (You don't need to register to comment, just click the X)


saved
Ideas
Pros and cons
 
Votes
Students don't feel enough teaching presence
by Ana Maria Menezes
 
Increase teacher to student ratio. Don't let the course feel as though it is designed and taught... more
by Claudie Graner
 
6
Vote

Mirella, Sasha, Penchr and 3 more

Signed up on a whim
 
I think this is much less likely when they have paid for the course
1
 
Some kind of "Are you a good candidate for this course?" self assessment "test" might be useful (... more
by Claudie Graner
 
I've have signed up and not participated at all in as many as I have completed.
by Penchr
 
6
Vote

Penchr, Dennis Bayeng, Carmen and 3 more

Insufficient socialisation
There is no fun or socialisation with other students only work and learning
 
Courses need interaction
by Johanna
1
 
Engagement is connected with Social Presence
by Ana Maria Menezes
 
Posting on wiki or blog or commenting in chat and being ignored is a downer...
by Claudie Graner
1
4
Vote

Dennis Bayeng, katherine bilsborough, Ana and 1 more

They discover that an online course involves givng more of themselves both in time commitment and in work output than a face to face course.
by Dena Wolfson
 
Many students think online courses are easier and then f2f courses and drop out when they find ot... more
by Ana
4
 
Any learning takes time - the advantage of college - chunk of time given over for study. It is no... more
by Claudie Graner
1
2
Vote
Dennis Bayeng
Johanna
The learn what they want/need to and then stop
by Ckwalsh1
 
Some students believe learning is an individual task and do not socialize.
by Ana
3
 
May decide to stop at some stage and retake later
2
2
Vote
Ckwalsh1
Sasha
Lack of collaboration
The students are always working alone and don't have the chance to collaborate with their peers
 
Courses need interaction built in
by Johanna
4
 
Sometimes interaction is not carefully planned.
by Ana
3
 
Not every f2f student enjoys "collaborating" with peers...online collaboration is sometimes very ... more
by Claudie Graner
2
Vote
Ana
Richard
Having too many participants is demotivating sometimes.
by Dennis Bayeng
 
Same problem in university "factory" type courses. Perhaps "tutorial" groups (online) might help... more
by Claudie Graner
1
 
Too many participants can be demotivating because you can't make real connections to other partic... more
by Ana Maria Menezes
1
2
Vote
Dennis Bayeng
Penny Christensen
No real motivation
Primarily something they're doing for other people not themselves etc.
 
A solution: creating an effective rewarding system for individuals who complete the course.
by Sasha
1
2
Vote
...
Sasha
The content doesn't meet the learning goals
The content addresses some though not all of the students' needs and leaves gaps in the more skil... more
 
Developers should revise the course. Students can take only what they see as useful.
by Sasha
1
2
Vote
Dennis Bayeng
Sasha
Click through content
Students randomly click through the content and get computer-based feedback from the activities, ... more
 
Reveal one module/section at a time.
by Sasha
1
2
Vote
Dennis Bayeng
Sasha
Poor time management
Students don't manage their time well and because they can access the course any time they always... more
 
Reveal one module/section at a time.
1
2
Vote
Carmen
Sasha
Isolation from tutor
There is now feeling of contact and rapport with the teacher
 
Plan a MOOC with more than one tutor.
by Sasha
1
Vote
Ana
Some subjects may be suitable for MOOCS (where content needs to be learned and can be tested) but others
1
Vote
Dennis Bayeng
Insufficient IT skills
They just don't have the computer skills necessary to keep up with the course and work within the... more
1
Vote
José Antonio Maldonado
Dull content
The students find the content of the course boring and aren't interested in the themes and topics... more
 
The teacher needs to suppliment the content with more interesting texts etc.
1
 
Content should be built by learners too.
by Ana
2
0
Vote
Insufficient personalisation
The course structure and materials aren't related to the individual needs, life and interests of ... more
 
The teacher needs to adapt the content to make it relvant to the learner.
 
The course design does not leave space for the learner to contribute and choose paths.
by Ana
2
0
Vote
I guess that dropping out happens in both F2F and on-line courses. Nevertheless, in on-line courses the amount on Missing in Action is higher in the on-line courses I have delivered than in the FsF ones. The E-moderators role is very important t help e-learners engaged and encouraged to remain in... more
by Renate M. Thummler Blum
0
Vote
Thanks for bringing in this interesting issue.
by Renate M. Thummler Blum
0
Vote
Some subjects where content can be learned and knowledge tested (e.g. math) may be more suitable for MOOCS than others where ideas and critical thinking skills are developed (e.g. anthropology)
by Claudie Graner
0
Vote
No consequences of non-completion
If anyone can sign up for a course and there are no consequences if the participants don't comple... more
0
Vote
They misunderstand online "convenience"
by Linda Aragoni
Students think convenient means nothing that interrupts their lives or requires them to adjust th... more
0
Vote
Quality of course content
by Erzsébet Csibi
The quality of the course content and tools do not meet the student's initial expectations. Eg. t... more
0
Vote
Unpredictable difficulties
by Erzsébet Csibi
Due to unpredictable and unforeseeable events (work, family, travel, etc.) students lag behind th... more
0
Vote
Hard to feel sense of progress
Students work through the materials, but don't really feel they are learning and improving
0
Vote
Isolation from peers
Students aren't able to build a sense of who the other learner on the course are and have no cont... more
0
Vote
Navigation
The platform is badly designed and they can’t find their way around the course platform
0
Vote

Comments

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