Attrition and completion in distance education : the student's perspective

This was an exploratory study which used Flanagan's (1954) Critical Incident Technique to examine students' experiences in taking their first distance education course. Specifically, the study asked what incidents hindered or facilitated persistence, and if reports of experiences from completers were different from those of non-completers. The 40 subjects for the sample were drawn at random from selected courses at Athabasca University, an open admission distance education institution serving students across Canada. All students were able to identify incidents which hindered or facilitated their progress. A mean of 6.6 incidents was reported per student. From the 265 incidents reported, 13 Basic Categories were formed, with a reliability of 94%. Only one category had less than 20% of students reporting in it. The highest proportion of students reporting in one category was 80%. Significant factors affecting attrition in distance education emerged from the study, as did findings about the similarities and differences between the experiences of completers and non-completers. Suggestions for how the findings might contribute to the development of a model of attrition and retention strategies are included in the discussion.Education, Faculty ofEducational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department ofGraduat

Creating Effective Collaborative Learning Groups in an Online Environment

Collaborative learning in an online classroom can take the form of discussion among the whole class or within smaller groups. This paper addresses the latter, examining first whether assessment makes a difference to the level of learner participation and then considering other factors involved in creating effective collaborative learning groups. Data collected over a three year period (15 cohorts) from the Foundations course in the Master of Distance Education (MDE) program offered jointly by University of Maryland University College (UMUC) and the University of Oldenburg does not support the authors’ original hypothesis that assessment makes a significant difference to learner participation levels in small group learning projects and leads them to question how much emphasis should be placed on grading work completed in study groups to the exclusion of other strategies. Drawing on observations of two MDE courses, including the Foundations course, their extensive online teaching experience, and a review of the literature, the authors identify factors other than grading that contribute positively to the effectiveness of small collaborative learning groups in the online environment. In particular, the paper focuses on specific instructional strategies that facilitate learner participation in small group projects, which result in an enhanced sense of community, increased skill acquisition, and better learning outcomes

L'apprentissage sur l'inforoute : un guide de l'apprenant sur les technologies /

Glossaire: p. 89-92Bibliogr.: p. 93-95Learning on the information highway : a learner's guide to the technologie

The challenges and future considerations regarding pregnancy-related outcomes in women with pre-existing diabetes

Ineffective management of blood glucose levels during preconception and pregnancy has been associated with severe maternal and fetal complications in women with pre-existing diabetes. Studies have demonstrated that preconception counseling and pre-pregnancy care can dramatically reduce these risks. However, pregnancy-related outcomes in women with diabetes continue to be less than ideal. This review highlights and discusses a variety of patient, provider, and organizational factors that can contribute to these suboptimal outcomes. Based on the findings of studies reviewed and authors’ clinical and research experiences, recommendations have been proposed focusing on various aspects of care provided, including improved accessibility to effective preconception and pregnancy-related care and better organized clinic consultations that are sensitive to women’s diabetes and pregnancy needs