Internet Learning Volume 3, Number 1, Spring 2014 | Page 74

Internet Learning Volume 3 Issue 1 - Spring 2014
Effect of Student Readiness on Student Success in
Online Courses
Leah A. Geiger A , Daphne Morris B , Susan L. Suboez C , Kay Shattuck D , Arthur
Viterito E
This research determined the effect of student readiness on student success in
online courses that were of quality course design; were taught by experienced,
engaging instructors; and were delivered within a well-supported and familiar
Learning Management System (LMS). The research team hypothesized that
student success in well-designed courses (those that meet the Quality Matters
standards) and that are taught by experienced, engaging faculty is most influenced
by student readiness factors, including individual attributes (such
as motivation), life factors, comprehension, general knowledge, reading rate
and recall, and typing speed and accuracy. A goal of the study was to determine
which of these factors correlated most closely to student success. Results
of this study indicated that, when course design, instruction, and LMS are held
constant, only typing speed/accuracy and reading rate/recall were statistically
significant as measured by the SmarterMeasure instrument and correlated to
student course retention and course grade. Recommendations for further research
are made.
Keywords: student readiness, course design, course retention, student success,
online instructors
Student success in online learning
continues to rightfully receive a lot of
research and practice attention. That
success has been measured by student satisfaction
(Allen, Omori, Burrell, Mabry, &
Timmerman, 2013; Aman, 2009), by levels
of engagement (Hall, 2010), by grades
(Swan, Matthews, & Bogle, 2010; Swan,
Matthews, Bogle, Boles, & Day, 2011;
Runyon, 2006), and by course persistence
(Sherrill, 2012; Harkness, Soodjinda, Hamilton,
& Bolig, 2011; Pittenger & Doering,
2010; Diaz & Cartnal, 2006; Dietz-Uhler,
Fisher, & Han, 2007) and program retention
(Boston, Ice, & Gibson, 2011). It is a
complicated process to identify the correlations
among the factors that influence
student success. The impact of student
characteristics (Moore & Kearsley, 2012;
Jung, 2012; Poellhuber, Roy, & Anderson,
2011; Hall, 2011; Battalio, 2009; Wojciechowski
& Palmer, 2005), of online learning
experience (Adkins, 2013; Sherrill, 2012;
Boston, Ice, & Burgess, 2012), of the design
of a course (Naidu, 2013), of institutionally
provided academic, counseling (Curry,
2013), and technical supports (Jung,
2012), of the skills and engagement of the
A
College of Southern Maryland
B
College of Southern Maryland
C
College of Southern Maryland
D
Director of Research, Quality Matters Program
E
College of Southern Maryland
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