Date of Award:
5-2020
Document Type:
Dissertation
Degree Name:
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department:
School of Teacher Education and Leadership
Committee Chair(s)
Patricia S. Moyer-Packenham
Committee
Patricia S. Moyer-Packenham
Committee
David F. Feldon
Committee
Beth L. MacDonald
Committee
Kathryn E. Van Wagoner
Committee
Suzanne H. Jones
Abstract
Online developmental mathematics courses have high dropout rates. The focus of this study is to improve understanding of how students’ perceptions of the online learning environment and student motivation from course design predict student drop out. This understanding will benefit faculty and institutions on student support for online developmental mathematics students.
The study included 330 undergraduate students enrolled in online developmental mathematics courses during the Fall 2018 semester at eight public universities and colleges in the Utah State Higher Education (USHE) system. Participants completed a survey with questions measuring their perceptions of the learning environment. They also completed a survey to measure student motivations toward their online mathematics coursework. Participants’ answers were tied to data measuring course persistence, completion, and retention. The researcher used statistical analysis methods to generate findings.
The time-to-completion and regression analysis showed two things. The degree to which a student perceives that he or she can succeed at the coursework (self-efficacy) predicted student course persistence and completion in online developmental mathematics. Also, the ability of participants to identify with the online community (social presence) predicted student course persistence and completion in online developmental mathematics. The analysis on student retention did not show any significant results.
This finding suggests that efforts and interventions geared towards building student self-efficacy and designing more social presence interactions may have the potential to increase course completion rates in online developmental mathematics coursework. Building self-efficacy in online developmental mathematics coursework, and a positive support group of fellow classmates through social presence, has the potential to give students the tools necessary to successfully navigate their own learning.
Checksum
42640387ae82ca0becd1e1f6d4d487e2
Recommended Citation
Gedeborg, Samuel K., "How Student Perceptions of the Online Learning Environment and Student Motivation Predict Persistence, Completion, and Retention in Developmental Mathematics Courses" (2020). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023. 7768.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/7768
Included in
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Higher Education Commons, Online and Distance Education Commons
Copyright for this work is retained by the student. If you have any questions regarding the inclusion of this work in the Digital Commons, please email us at .