A National Study of Differences between Distance and Non-distance Community College Students in Time to First Associate Degree Attainment, Transfer, and Dropout

Authors

  • Peter Shea University at Albany, State University of New York
  • Temi Bidjerano Furman University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v20i3.984

Keywords:

Online learning, distance education, national study, community college

Abstract

Abstract 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.

Author Biographies

Peter Shea, University at Albany, State University of New York

Dr. Peter Shea is an associate professor at the University at Albany, State University of New York with joint appointments in the Department of Educational Theory and Practice and the Department of Informatics. His research focuses on the development of communities of learners in higher education online environments. Dr. Shea has more than 100 publications on the topic of online learning and is co-author of the book, The Successful Distance Learning Student. He directs a program of research on online learning that has recently attracted significant external funding from organizations such as the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the US Department of Education. He is the recipient or co-recipient of four national awards including the EDUCAUSE Award for Systemic Improvement in Teaching and Learning and awards from the Sloan Consortium for online and faculty development programs. He is a Sloan-C Fellow in research on online learning and a member of the OLC board of directors. Prior to joining the University at Albany, he was Director of the SUNY Learning Network, one of the largest online higher education systems in the United States with annual student enrollments of more than 100,000. He was recently appointed Associate Provost for Online Learning at the University at Albany.

Temi Bidjerano, Furman University

Dr. Temi Bidjerano joined the Department of Education at Furman University in the fall of 2007. She has received a Ph.D. and a M.S. degrees in Educational Psychology from the University at Albany, State University of New York, and a M.A. in Social Psychology with sub-concentrations in Clinical and Organizational Psychology from the Sofia University, Bulgaria. Prior to coming to Furman, she worked as a research associate in outcomes assessment at Excelsior College, Albany, NY and a program evaluator at the Evaluation Consortium, University at Albany, SUNY. Her areas of expertise include educational research and educational measurement and assessment. Dr. Bidjerano has published research in nationally and internationally recognized peer reviewed journals. As an active member of several national and regional associations, she has numerous conference presentations in the areas of child development, learning and instruction. Her current research interests include self-efficacy, self-regulated learning, and online education.

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Published

2016-07-08

Issue

Vol. 20 No. 3 (2016)

Section

Invited Papers / 2015 OLC Conference Special Issue

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