FACTORS AND PRACTICES IMPROVING STUDENT COMPLETION RATE: A COMPARISON OF TWO DISTANCE LEARNING COURSES
Numerous approaches have been attempted to tackle the problem of student attrition in open and distance education. To increase the retention rate, many of these approaches concentrated on the problem and emphasised on rectifying factors that contribute to the attrition. Literature has sometimes over...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Emerald Publishing
2006-03-01
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| Series: | AAOU Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1108/AAOUJ-02-01-2006-B008 |
| _version_ | 1797723619438100480 |
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| author | Rocky Y.K. Fan Linda Y.K. Lee |
| author_facet | Rocky Y.K. Fan Linda Y.K. Lee |
| author_sort | Rocky Y.K. Fan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Numerous approaches have been attempted to tackle the problem of student attrition in open and distance education. To increase the retention rate, many of these approaches concentrated on the problem and emphasised on rectifying factors that contribute to the attrition. Literature has sometimes overlooked the reasons that promote student retention. To gain insights from successful examples, this study compares the characteristics of a nursing course with a 91% completion rate and a mathematics course with 46%. It aims to identify factors and practices that improve the quality of an open and distance learning course, its students, and hence the completion rate. The two courses for comparison are similar in many aspects such as being 10‐credit foundation courses, having similar student support, and presenting under the same set of university policies; nevertheless, there are significant differences between them. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T10:05:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6333254bb4be4040bea6f1bce050971c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1858-3431 2414-6994 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T10:05:20Z |
| publishDate | 2006-03-01 |
| publisher | Emerald Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | AAOU Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-6333254bb4be4040bea6f1bce050971c2023-09-02T11:19:19ZengEmerald PublishingAAOU Journal1858-34312414-69942006-03-0121768510.1108/AAOUJ-02-01-2006-B008FACTORS AND PRACTICES IMPROVING STUDENT COMPLETION RATE: A COMPARISON OF TWO DISTANCE LEARNING COURSESRocky Y.K. Fan0Linda Y.K. Lee1The Open University of Hong KongThe Open University of Hong KongNumerous approaches have been attempted to tackle the problem of student attrition in open and distance education. To increase the retention rate, many of these approaches concentrated on the problem and emphasised on rectifying factors that contribute to the attrition. Literature has sometimes overlooked the reasons that promote student retention. To gain insights from successful examples, this study compares the characteristics of a nursing course with a 91% completion rate and a mathematics course with 46%. It aims to identify factors and practices that improve the quality of an open and distance learning course, its students, and hence the completion rate. The two courses for comparison are similar in many aspects such as being 10‐credit foundation courses, having similar student support, and presenting under the same set of university policies; nevertheless, there are significant differences between them.https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1108/AAOUJ-02-01-2006-B008completion rateOpen University of Hong Kongcareer advancement |
| spellingShingle | Rocky Y.K. Fan Linda Y.K. Lee FACTORS AND PRACTICES IMPROVING STUDENT COMPLETION RATE: A COMPARISON OF TWO DISTANCE LEARNING COURSES AAOU Journal completion rate Open University of Hong Kong career advancement |
| title | FACTORS AND PRACTICES IMPROVING STUDENT COMPLETION RATE: A COMPARISON OF TWO DISTANCE LEARNING COURSES |
| title_full | FACTORS AND PRACTICES IMPROVING STUDENT COMPLETION RATE: A COMPARISON OF TWO DISTANCE LEARNING COURSES |
| title_fullStr | FACTORS AND PRACTICES IMPROVING STUDENT COMPLETION RATE: A COMPARISON OF TWO DISTANCE LEARNING COURSES |
| title_full_unstemmed | FACTORS AND PRACTICES IMPROVING STUDENT COMPLETION RATE: A COMPARISON OF TWO DISTANCE LEARNING COURSES |
| title_short | FACTORS AND PRACTICES IMPROVING STUDENT COMPLETION RATE: A COMPARISON OF TWO DISTANCE LEARNING COURSES |
| title_sort | factors and practices improving student completion rate a comparison of two distance learning courses |
| topic | completion rate Open University of Hong Kong career advancement |
| url | https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1108/AAOUJ-02-01-2006-B008 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rockyykfan factorsandpracticesimprovingstudentcompletionrateacomparisonoftwodistancelearningcourses AT lindayklee factorsandpracticesimprovingstudentcompletionrateacomparisonoftwodistancelearningcourses |