Strategies for higher retention in online degree courses

Abstract

The number of online programs in the higher education sector has grown dramatically in the last decade, and with it, an increase in online attrition has become a recurring problem worldwide. Literature on online attrition in higher degree programs, have highlighted cultural issues, motivation, effectiveness of Learning Management Systems and online pedagogies as major players in high attrition rates. Researchers have followed different approaches to determine attrition issues, such as interviewing students who dropped out of their online courses, analysing how much they interacted online with other students and also by researching the types of learners who make the choice of enrolling in online degree programs. Research has focused on the learners’ view of the problem, which has provided educators with good insights into the issue but no real solutions.