Adult learner characteristics as predictors of performance, satisfaction and intent-to persist in online and blended environments

Abstract

Online or blended adult education offers learners autonomy which makes them responsible for shaping their own learning. Considering the increased responsibility over learning, learner characteristics are important factors to consider in order to achieve educational success. With this in mind, the current study examines to what extent different learner (background) characteristics predict adult learners' intent-to-persist, satisfaction and performance in online or blended environments. The learner characteristics, namely motivation, self-regulation, internet attitudes and self-efficacy are selected based on previous research with regard to influences on persistence, performance and satisfaction. Furthermore, background variables like age, gender, having children, prior diploma, employment status and current educational level are included. Data were collected through a survey among 242 learners in online or blended adult education. Multivariate linear regressions (with intent-to-persist, satisfaction and performance as respective dependent variables) show that the motivation of learners influences all three outcomes. For both satisfaction and intent-to-persist, results show a positive relationship with controlled motivation and a negative relationship with amotivation. The autonomous motivation has a positive relationship with expected performance. Moreover, motivation is found to be the only characteristic in this study that predicts the intent-to-persist. For expected performance, negative relationships are found for the self-regulation subscale 'time management' and a positive relationship for 'self-evaluation'. The self-regulation subscale 'environment structuring' has a positive relationship with satisfaction, while 'help-seeking' has a negative relationship. As predicted, self efficacy seems to be an important variable which predicts the performance and satisfaction. Internet attitudes only relate to the satisfaction of learners. The results in the current study demonstrate that in online or blended adult education, learner characteristics are important to consider. Motivation is seen as a particularly critical variable. In this respect teachers and institutions should pay attention to the individual learner characteristics since these can serve as indicators for learners at risk