An Attempt to Profile Persistent Online Students and Graduates

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the characteristics of online graduates, and characteristics of students who persist online with their coursework, could be identified. A mixed methods approach was used incorporating both quantitative and qualitative research methods. First, student demographic information was analyzed to identify any patterns or trends of persistent online students. Second, a survey was utilized to collect data from current students and graduates from online programs. Third, qualitative data was collected through conducting phone interviews of online graduates who have graduated in the last five years. Conclusions were drawn from the research and advice for future research was shared to advance retention and completion initiatives for online learners.