Ready or Not? The Effectiveness of Online Support Modules for Graduate Students
Location
PARB 126 (First Floor)
Proposal Track
Practice Report
Session Format
Presentation
Abstract
With more students taking online courses in higher education due to efficiency, compared to that of traditional face-to-face courses, student retention is a critical concern in higher education as student retention has not kept up with the increase in enrollments (Bianchi-Laubsch, 2014; Burgess, 2017; Stover 2017). Many online students have obligations that present multiple challenges such that some students require additional course support to be successful. In fact, the lack of adequate student support is often reported as a reason for not completing online studies (Cherif, et al., 2013; Levitz, 2016).
In an effort to support candidates enrolled in an online graduate program, a series of support modules were designed to assist struggling candidates and address academic gaps articulated by instructors. Our study explores the candidates’ and instructors’ perceptions of the effectiveness of these modules for supporting academic success.
Keywords
online; student success; academic support
Professional Bio
Regina Rahimi is a full professor of Middle and Secondary Education. Her research focuses on trauma-informed practice, clinical models for teacher preparation, and academic support strategies.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Rahimi, Regina; Soares, Lina; and Townley, Amanda, "Ready or Not? The Effectiveness of Online Support Modules for Graduate Students" (2022). Georgia Educational Research Association Conference. 5.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gera/2022/2022/5
Ready or Not? The Effectiveness of Online Support Modules for Graduate Students
PARB 126 (First Floor)
With more students taking online courses in higher education due to efficiency, compared to that of traditional face-to-face courses, student retention is a critical concern in higher education as student retention has not kept up with the increase in enrollments (Bianchi-Laubsch, 2014; Burgess, 2017; Stover 2017). Many online students have obligations that present multiple challenges such that some students require additional course support to be successful. In fact, the lack of adequate student support is often reported as a reason for not completing online studies (Cherif, et al., 2013; Levitz, 2016).
In an effort to support candidates enrolled in an online graduate program, a series of support modules were designed to assist struggling candidates and address academic gaps articulated by instructors. Our study explores the candidates’ and instructors’ perceptions of the effectiveness of these modules for supporting academic success.
