Open AccessA National Study of Differences between Distance and Non-distance Community College Students in Time to First Associate Degree Attainment, Transfer, and Dropout
Author(s) -
Peter Shea,
Temi Bidjerano
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
online learning
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.182
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 2472-5749
pISSN - 2472-5730
DOI - 10.24059/olj.v20i3.984
Subject(s) - dropout (neural networks) , community college , psychology , degree (music) , medical education , educational attainment , mathematics education , medicine , political science , computer science , physics , machine learning , acoustics , law
Previous research indicates that online learning at the community college level results in higher rates of withdrawal, failure, and dropout compared to classroom-based education (Xu & Smith Jaggars, 2011; Smith-Jaggars & Xu, 2010). The primary goal of the current study was to examine national data (US Dept. of Ed. Beginning Postsecondary Student Survey, 2004-09) on three outcomes for community college students with and without online education experiences. The outcomes were attainment of first associate degree, transfer, and dropout. In contrast to previous research, compared to exclusively classroom-based students, results suggest significantly more students who had engaged in online education had attained an associate degree at the end of the observation period. There were no significant differences in transfer or dropout. These results are interpreted with regard to their implications for policy and practice.