University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

Student engagement in online education: an evaluation study

(USC Thesis Other)

Student engagement in online education: an evaluation study

PDF

Download a page range

Download transcript

Copy asset link

Request this asset

Transcript (if available)

Content Running head: STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

1

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION: AN EVALUATION STUDY

by

John Paul Alferos II

_________________________________________________________________________

A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

May 2018

Copyright 2018 John Paul Alferos II

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First and foremost, I am thankful to God for the opportunity to learn and become a better
practitioner in education. Opportunity was provided to me to better myself and to enhance
educational opportunities for those around me and those that I impact, through this study and
through my continued work, I will enhance the lives of those in which I interact.
Dr. Monique Datta, my supportive and positive chair, thank you for your support and
belief in me and my ability. You have always been in my corner and I am thankful for the
opportunity to have you as my instructor, my chair, colleague, and friend.
My committee has provided guidance and support during this journey, it is with the
insight of my committee that I was able to open my eyes to the possibilities of this dissertation.
My committee challenged me to think in different ways as well as problem solve in a new and
challenging manner. Dr. Picus and Dr. Stowe, thank you for your interest in my work, thank you
for your belief in me, thank you for your honesty to help make me better, and thank you for your
kindness through this process.
I am always in gratitude to those that have supported me professionally to get here today.
Dr. Suh Chen Hsiao, my former supervisor, colleague, and friend, thank you for allowing me to
pursue this venture and for supporting me as I grew at USC. Dr. Jim Johnson, thank you for
your continued prayers and support, for checking in on me and mentoring me as I grow as a
practitioner. I am in a debt of gratitude for your support and guidance as I grow in my career.
I am overwhelmingly blessed with a wonderful wife, who has supported me through this
process. She has believed in me when I could not believe in myself, she has pushed me to
continue when times were tough and when I struggled with the thought of quitting. Dr.
Sarahbelle Barreyro Alferos, DPT, PT, you are the love of my life, a gift from God. Thank you
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

3
for your undying love and support. Thank you for believing in me, thank you for pushing me to
be better. Thank you for taking care of our home and our pups when I was in class, doing
homework, writing my dissertation, and needed a break. You’re a great and wonderful dog mom
to Kuma and San-San, and someday be a wonderful mother to our children.
My family thank you for putting up with my ventures and my desire to continue learning.
Thank you for allowing me to pursue higher education and believing that I can one day change
the world. My father, John Puzon Alferos, my mother, Rose Mary Abaya Alferos, my sisters,
Kristine Alferos and Krystal Alferos, my nephew Kameron, and my brothers Aaron and Danilo,
thank you for your love and support. Thank you to the Barreyro family. Rick, Sally, Faith,
Leiana, and Micah, thank you for welcoming me into the family and entrusting me with the care
of Sarahbelle. Thank you for your belief in me, support, and prayers. To the extended family,
those built through friendship, thank you for always supporting and believing in me, for allowing
me to be goofy, nerdy, and awkward, and for accepting all that I am.
I am blessed.
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us,
to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”
— Ephesians 3:20

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

4
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements 2
List of Tables 6
List of Figures 8
Abstract 9
Chapter 1: Introduction 10
Introduction of the Problem of Practice 10
Organizational Context and Mission 10
Organizational Goal 12
Related Literature 14
Importance of the Evaluation 14
Description of Stakeholder Groups 18
Students in Online Education 18
Stakeholder Group for the Study 20
Purpose of the Project and Questions 20
Conceptual and Methodological Framework 21
Definitions 21
Organization of the Dissertation 22
Chapter 2: Review of Literature 24
Introduction 24
Student Retention in Online Education 24
History of Social Work Academic Group 34
Importance of the Problem 36
Stakeholder Knowledge, Motivational, and Organizational Influences 37
Allocation of Resources 53
Work Process 54
Organizational Culture 54
Conclusion 55
Chapter 3: Methodology 56
Purpose of the Project 56
Research Questions 56
Conceptual Framework: The Interaction of Stakeholders’ Knowledge and 57
Motivation and the Organizational Context
Participating Stakeholders 61
Survey Sampling Criteria and Rationale 61
Interviews 63
Data Collection and Instrumentation 65
Data Analysis 68
Credibility and Trustworthiness 68
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

5
Validity and Reliability 69
Ethics 70
Summary 71
Chapter 4: Results and Findings 73
Current Status of Organizational Goal 74
Survey Administration 75
Participating Stakeholders 76
Results and Findings Overview 80
Results and Findings for Assumed Knowledge Influences 82
Results and Findings for Assumed Motivation Influences 89
Results and Findings for Assumed Organizational Influences 96
Summary of Knowledge, Motivation, and Organizational Results 101
Summary of Results and Findings 102
Chapter 5: Solutions and Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Plans 104
Recommendations for Practice to Address KMO Influences 105
Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Plan 114
Limitations and Delimitations 127
Future Research 128
Conclusion 130
References 133
Appendices 139
Appendix A: Survey Items 139
Appendix B: Survey Questions 141
Appendix C: Interview Recruitment Letter 146
Appendix D: Interview Questions 147
Appendix E: Level 1 Orientation Survey 148
Appendix F: Level 2 Mid-Year Survey (First Year) 149
Appendix G: Level 3 End of First Year Survey 150
Appendix H: Level 4 Student Services End of Program Survey 151

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

6
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1. Organizational Mission 19
Table 2. Assumed Knowledge Influences 44
Table 3. Assumed Motivation Influences 50
Table 4. Assumed Organizational Influences 52
Table 5. Age of Participants 77
Table 6. Interview Participant Demographics 80
Table 7. Assumed Influences 81
Table 8. Knowledge Influences 82
Table 9. Validation Status for Knowledge Influences 89
Table 10. Motivation Influences 90
Table 11. Validation Status for Motivation Influences 95
Table 12. Organizational Influences 96
Table 13. Validation Status for Organizational Influences 100
Table 14. Assumed Influences Summary 101
Table 15. Traceability Matrix 103
Table 16. Summary of Knowledge Influences and Recommendations 107
Table 17. Summary of Motivation Influences and Recommendations 111
Table 18. Summary of Organization Influences and Recommendations 113
Table 19. Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes 116
Table 20. Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods, and Timing for New Reviewers 118
Table 21. Required Drivers to Support New Reviewers’ Critical Behaviors 119
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

7
Table 22. Components of Learning for the Program 122
Table 23. Components to Measure Reactions to the Program 123

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

8
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Conceptual framework in online education and student motivation 58
Figure 2. Participant gender 77
Figure 3. Participant program start year 78
Figure 4. Location by state 79
Figure 5. Online course history 83
Figure 6. Interest and engagement 85
Figure 7. Course completion 87
Figure 8. Student relationships 91
Figure 9. Cost of attendance 94
Figure 10. Organizational support 97
Figure 11. Student support services 99
Figure 12. Sample dashboard 126

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

9
ABSTRACT
This study used a mixed methods approach to identify influences leading to online student
retention and engagement in online education. The student stakeholders at the Social Work
Academic Group Online Center were both surveyed and interviewed to discover their level of
engagement at the university to determine the university’s engagement with students of the
online center. Clark and Estes’s (2008) framework was implemented to determine the
knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences of online student engagement in online
education. The findings of the study indicated that student stakeholders had limited knowledge
of online programs prior to enrollment at the SWAGOC. However, students of the study
reported that the curriculum was engaging and interesting which positively affect student
engagement and ultimately retention. While many students felt that the cost of tuition was high
for the program quality, the students still desired to complete the program regardless of cost.
The findings of this study suggested that there is a need to increase student engagement in the
online environment to increase connectedness to the school. Furthermore, organizational support
was imbalanced as support tools were directed for on-campus students. On-campus students
comprised 34% of the school, while 66% of the school was comprised of online students. This
imbalance of resources created a shortage of support services for online students leading to
disengagement and lowering student retention.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

10
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Introduction of the Problem of Practice
Distance education has increased exponentially over the past decade. Dykman and Davis
(2008) found that online education has seen an increase of 20% each year since 2006. As online
education increases, so does the need for student engagement and retention. In reaching students
across the world, educational institutions are challenged to retain their students and keep them
engaged in new ways. Traditional students could walk the halls to interact with faculty, staff and
other students. For distance education programs, the challenge of student interaction and
engagement is vital to sustaining an educational institution (Dykman & Davis, 2008). With no
students on a physical campus to make connections, distance education poses challenges in
building relationship and community to support student success. Early adaptation of online
education fared less desirably in student retention. Lynch (2001) stated that online attrition
reported 35-50% higher than its face-to-face counterparts. More recently, studies have
concluded that online education attrition is up to 15% higher than traditional campus-based
programs (Bos & Shami, 2006). More recent studies showed increases in student retention from
39% in 2011 to 75% in 2014 (Sutton, 2014). Although vastly improved over the past 15 years,
online student retention still poses challenges as new institutions expand into online education.
Organizational Context and Mission
Established in the early 1900s, the organization of study has been a leader in Social Work
education in the United States. For the intents and purposes of this study the pseudonym Social
Work Academic Group (SWAG) has been used for the organization of study. Students enrolled
in SWAG look to obtain a Master’s degree in Social Work. Beginning with an on-campus
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

11
program, SWAG averaged 150 students per academic year before its expansion to three satellite
campuses. The Social Work Academic Group’s mission is to improve the well-being of
vulnerable individuals and communities, advance social and economic justice, and eradicate
pressing societal problems in complex and culturally diverse urban environments throughout
Southern California, the nation, and the world. As stated: “Our mission is achieved through
value-driven, scholarly and creative social work education, research, and professional
leadership.” The Social Work Academic Group’s on-campus program has an attrition rate of
3%. This equates to 30 of the 1,000 students in the on-campus program that withdraw. The 30
students that withdraw equate to $3,000,000 in tuition revenue lost for attrition in one academic
year. This seemingly low attrition rate of the on-campus program has prompted them to expand
the education to distance education.
Founded in October 2010, the Social Work Academic Group Online Center (SWAG OC)
has grown to enroll students from 50 states, and six countries around the world. Having
graduated over 1500 students with the Master’s of Social Work (MSW) degree since its
inception, the SWAG OC has made a global impact in social work, reaching students of different
demographics and geographical locations otherwise unreachable. Social Work Academic Group
Online Center’s partner company provides the educational platform allowing the widespread
reach of the school. For the purposes of this study, the Social Work Academic Group’s partner
company has been referred to as the Provider of Education Worldwide (PEW). PEW has
partnered with SWAG OC since its inception and continually provides admissions outreach,
student support, field placement research, and academic coaching to successfully educate and
graduate the MSW students.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

12
The Social Work Academic Group Online Center (SWAG OC) had 1,802 students
enrolled in the program for the Fall 2017 semester. Prior to enrollment, students have obtained a
minimum bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year university. Upon enrollment, students
interact with over 120 full-time faculty and 300 adjunct faculty members teaching both clinical
and field curriculum from various locations throughout the United States through the course of
their program. The Social Work Academic Group Online Center (SWAG OC) has an attrition
rate of 23%. A 23% attrition rate equates to 483 that withdraw from the program each academic
year. This attrition rate equates to $48,300,000 in revenue lost through student withdrawal each
academic year.
Social Work Academic Group employs 17 staff members across seven departments:
academics, registrar, field, admissions, payroll, budget, and student affairs. The primary role of
each staff member is to ensure the department functionality to help drive the Online Center
through its exponential growth. Founded in October 2010, the SWAG OC had its first
enrollment of 60 students; up to 2,100 students are enrolled at the SWAC OC at any given time.
The Social Work Academic Group is a part of a larger university, South Western
University. The pseudonym, South Western University (SWU) has been utilized throughout the
student to protect the stakeholders participating in the study. At South Western University, the
faculty are key stakeholders for the organization that help maintain the organization’s culture,
academic rigor, and organizational goals. The students of the university are recipients of
knowledge and sustain the organization through community outreach and tuition revenue.
Organizational Goal
The Social Work Academic Group desired to spread the practice of social work globally.
Through its extensive Online Center, the school looked to expand its reach to East Asia and
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

13
Europe. In partnership with Chinese Social Change University (CSCU), Social Work Academic
Group faculty and staff took semi-annual opportunities to deliver evidence-based practices to the
students of CSCU so they can serve the communities of China. The pseudonym CSCU has been
used in this study. In most recent efforts, the SWAG faculty expanded outreach to the
Philippines to prevent human trafficking. The Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) expanded
its online educational programs to include the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and Doctorate of
Social Work (SWD) in Fall 2016. As the leader of online education for the Social Work
Academic Group, Online Center desired to maintain a high success rate of student retention
through its engaging online program. Student retention is measured through the students that
enroll and complete the program. Retention is the opposite of student attrition, which refers to
student withdrawal from an education program.
The Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) seeks to reach 100% retention rate by May
2020 semester. In doing so, each social worker will serve in their respective community
providing social services to the population. In continued growth with agency partners and
community leaders, Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) looks toward opportunities to
engage and educate current social workers to new best practice methods through its online
education platform. Through the use of student outreach, Social Work Academic Group
(SWAG) will discover ways to engage the effects of distance education to build and expand the
SWAG network. In building community partners, Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) looks
to share knowledge of factors that affect communities affected by local tragedies. SWAG
faculty and staff coordinate events, workshops, and webinars to facilitate discussion with
students, agency partners, and community leaders to raise awareness of the current social state of
both the nation and the world.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

14
Related Literature
This study addresses student low retention rates in distance education compared to its
traditional classroom counterpart. Online attrition rates are reportedly 35 to 50% higher when
compared to face-to-face classroom instruction (Frydenberg, 2007; Lynch, 2001). The evidence
highlights that distance education programs can expect an 11–15% higher dropout rate than the
traditional model (Bos & Shami, 2006). As technology in education increased, the problem
demonstrated the importance of retention as institutions adopt distance education models to
expand their student population (Dykman & Davis, 2008). The problem of online student
retention is important to address at the Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) because
educational institutions have a more diverse student population to engage, tuition revenue is
impacted through retention, and producing quality graduates is an institution’s goal. Aligning
with the literature, the Social Work Academic Group Online Center reported a 23% attrition rate,
equating to 483 students in one academic year. To meet the organization’s goal, the Social Work
Academic Group needed to revisit opportunities to increase student retention in the online
program.
Importance of the Evaluation
The problem of retention in online post-secondary education was important to solve for a
variety of reasons. Educational institutions’ primary funding is tuition revenue. Maintaining
student enrollment throughout a program was vital to the school’s life cycle. As the primary
revenue stream for schools, tuition revenue was vital to its continuation (Jenkins, 2011). In
understanding the reasons why students leave an online program, schools could make necessary
adjustments towards increasing retention and student success. With the growth of online
education, off-site students sought to actively engage with the school. Student engagement was
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

15
vital to a student life cycle and the online student was no different (Frydenberg, 2007).
Strengthening the faculty-student relationship in the online environment motivated students to
continue in online education (Simpson, 2013). For schools with online programs, student
retention was important to its continued growth. Supporting the student personally and
professionally, building relationships similar to face-to-face encounters, and investing in student
growth through motivation would create a successful student addressing student retention. In
meeting motivational challenges, students increased ownership in the online education process.
Students in online programs were engaged with the institution through the faculty and staff
relationship, which increased student retention and graduation rates. In understanding the
student demographic, reasons for enrollment, and student dropout attrition, schools could address
these challenges early in the degree process. In doing so, organizations such as the Social Work
Academic Group (SWAG) could implement policy to support students through challenging
circumstances.
Administration Role in Online Education
Administration plays a key role in leading the change to online student retention. The
administration is comprised of the deans of the school. The leaders of the organization include
the Dean of Social Work Academic Group, Executive Vice Dean, Vice Dean of Field Education,
and the deans of the various departments including faculty affairs, student life, student affairs,
and operations. The leadership of the organization provide guidance for the school to function
and make key decisions to please key stakeholders as well as maintain the school’s functionality.
The administration is professionally accountable for the education of the students and the
continuation of the institution (Emanuel & Emanuel, 1996). The organization is charged from its
mission to educate the students to build the social work profession. The Social Work Academic
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

16
Group (SWAG) administration seeks to build a community of engagement to retain the student
population in the online community. It was important for administration to build and provide
community for students in the distance education environment (Sutton, 2014). Administration
would promote the value of relationships between administration, faculty, and staff in online
education.
Staff in Online Education
The staff at the Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) are key stakeholders in the online
education process. From the point of admissions to graduation, the staff provide services for
students to support the faculty, the classroom, provide resources, and operations for the school to
maintain its processes. Student support services play key roles in student retention. Although
often overlooked, the support of the program is mostly through staff services such as admissions
and recruitment, registration and records, financial aid, activities and organizations, career
counseling and academic advisement (Hughey & Burke, 2010). The staff play key roles in the
school to provide the standard operations that allow the school to complete its daily functions.
Without the investment from the staff, the online educator will not have its resources readily
available and would take full burden of not only instruction, but also tutoring, writing coaches, as
well as academic planning.
Faculty in Online Education
The faculty consists of both full-time and part-time faculty members. The Online Center
hosts over 350 faculty members both full-time and adjunct part-time. The Online Center faculty
members are located across the United States and interact with the students during class time and
during office hours. The student-faculty relationship is key to connecting students with the
campus. The community that is built through the faculty-student relationships in the online
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

17
community decreases student attrition. The faculty will understand the importance of their role in
the organization and how this relationship affects student retention. In addition, the relationship
and interactions between students and the university helps build community (Boston, Ice, &
Burgess, 2012). As instructors of the course, faculty have the most consistent interaction with
the students through course meetings, office hours, and classroom discussions. This consistent
interaction provides personal investment for students in the online environment.
Faculty are crucial for students in the online environment to maintain engagement in the
program. Faculty members serve as both coach and mentor for online education students
(Sutton, 2014). As the main point of contact for students, faculty become the representatives of
the institution. The students in the online environment rarely interact with the various advisors,
staff, and other resources unless otherwise needed (Boston et al., 2012). The faculty-student
interactions are more important in online education as students online do not have school
representatives readily available. Student engagement is mostly in class and through coursework
(Sutton, 2014). It is important for faculty to understand the importance of their role in online
education as not only instructor, but representative of the institution. Poor faculty interaction
reflects bad program delivery causing students to drop out of online education (Patterson &
McFadden, 2009). The quality of the interaction between student and faculty is integral to
student retention. Effective on-campus faculty do not mean that they have been successful in the
online environment (Lynch, 2001). More so, online faculty need to discover new ways to
interact and engage with the students while continually conveying the importance of the
curriculum and course content. Engagement in the online environment is very different from the
classroom environment and faculty need preparation to be successful in distance education.
Course curriculum is key to the faculty-student engagement. Providing quality assignment
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

18
feedback is key to the interaction for students in the online environment (Sutton, 2014). As
faculty-student interaction is primarily within the curriculum both via asynchronous and
synchronous material, the feedback provided builds relationships with students and the
institution. To prevent student attrition, faculty need to understand the importance of their role
as faculty in online education as mentor, coach, and representative of the school.
Description of Stakeholder Groups
Although a complete analysis would involve all stakeholder groups, for practical
purposes of the study, the students have been the chosen stakeholder group for this study. The
students of the Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) Online Center are representatives of the
organization as primary stakeholders in the organization. The students stayed integral to the
success of the school in meeting the organizational goal of community outreach. The student
stakeholders were integral to the organization’s life cycle. At the Social Work Academic Group
(SWAG), the student stakeholders linked distance education with both the school and the larger
organization, South Western University (SWU).
Students in Online Education
Students enrolled in the Social Work Academic Group Online Center (SWAG OC) were
located across the United States of America and in 16 countries across the world. Students
enrolled in online education programs did not have the same interaction with student resources as
those in traditional on-campus programs. The choice of distance education provided limited
opportunity to interact with academic advisors, faculty, and other staff resources (Boston et al.,
2012). Students in online programs tended to not use resources available for students as they
were not connected to the school. With lack of resources, students were more likely to withdraw
from an online program increasing student attrition (Hughey & Burke, 2010). Students in online
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

19
programs found difficulty in building community and relationships, not only with the school, but
with faculty and other students. The disconnectedness that distance education students faced led
to student attrition. More so, students that were disconnected from the school do not feel the
need to continue or complete a program (Sutton, 2014). To prevent student attrition for online
programs, it was important to look at the knowledge, motivation and organizational influences
that cause student attrition and identify gaps in the program to help the Social Work Academic
Group Online Center meet its organizational goal.

Table 1
Organizational Mission
Organizational Mission
The mission of the Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) is to improve the well-being of
vulnerable individuals and communities, advance social and economic justice, and eradicate
pressing societal problems in complex and culturally diverse urban environments throughout
Southern California, the nation and the world. Our mission is achieved through value-driven,
scholarly and creative social work education, research, and professional leadership.
Organizational Performance Goal
By May 2020, the Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) will meet 100% retention rate for
the online social work degree.
Students
By May 2020, students will become more engaged with the organization and other distance
education students providing support to each other in the online community. The increased
support would help the organization meet its goal of 100% online student retention.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

20
Stakeholder Group for the Study
The joint efforts of the stakeholder group have contributed to the overall achievement of
building the Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) network into communities nationwide.
With the goal of 100% retention rate, SWAG looked towards expanding the outreach of the
school through creating change agents nationwide. Through engagement methods located
nationwide and through technology, SWAG students have continued to grow the SWAG
community, providing interaction and community building for the organization. In building
community and increasing interaction, the Social Work Academic Group students will have
increased success and increased program retention. Failure to accomplish this goal can lead to
student attrition, loss of funding, and loss of accreditation for the school.
Purpose of the Project and Questions
The purpose of this project was to improve online student retention rates at the Social
Work Academic Group (SWAG) Online Center. The analysis focused on understanding reasons
for student attrition, best practices for student engagement, understanding the needs of the
students in a virtual environment, and dissecting the student role as the key stakeholders of the
study. While a complete evaluation project would focus on all Social Work Academic Group
(SWAG) stakeholders, for practical purposes the stakeholders focused on in this analysis were
the Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) online student demographic.
As such, the questions that guided this study were the following:
1. To what extent have the stakeholders met the current organizational goals of 100%
retention?
2. What are the knowledge, motivation, and organization influences related to achieving
the organizational goal?
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

21
3. What are the recommendations for organizational practice in the areas of knowledge,
motivation, and organizational resources?
Conceptual and Methodological Framework
Clark and Estes (2008) provided a system of analysis that dissected organizational and
stakeholder goals while identifying gaps in the performance of an organization. Once identified,
the achievement gap is examined through the perspective of the key stakeholders of the
organization. The stakeholders are then examined through the knowledge, motivation, and
organizational influences that impact performance gaps within the organization (Clark & Estes,
2008). Knowledge skills have been classified into four types: (1) factual; (2) conceptual;
(3) procedural; and (4) metacognitive. These four knowledge classifications were used to
determine, from the point of view of the stakeholder, the gap in achieving the performance goal.
Influences in motivation include the decision to value the organizational goal and the continued
persistence to achieve the organizational goal (Clark & Estes, 2008; Rueda, 2011). Motivational
influences have been defined in various classifications such as self-efficacy, attributions, goals
and values reviewed when dissecting the performance gap (Rueda, 2011). Lastly, organizational
influences on stakeholder performance have been used to examine the process of work, the assets
of the organization, administration and network, and the culture of the workplace (Clark & Estes,
2008).
Definitions
Asynchronous: asynchronous model refers to the instructorless model of online
education, which includes but is not limited to reading, videos, discussion boards, and online
interactions with question and answer.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

22
Blended method: blended method is another term for hybrid method where asynchronous
and synchronous methods are used for instruction.
Hybrid model: Hybrid model is a blend of asynchronous and synchronous learning
methods.
Mixed-methods: using both asynchronous and synchronous methodologies.
Non-traditional: adult learners looking towards career change.
Provider of Education Worldwide (PEW): pseudonym for partner company of SWAG
OC.
Synchronous: similar to the face-to-face model in traditional classroom, synchronous
learning in distance education is a group dynamic engagement opportunity with faculty and other
students simultaneously.
Web-based: web-based methods are asynchronous where faculty-student interaction is
not a utilized method for engagement.
SWAG Online Center: pseudonym used for organization during study.
South-Western University (SWU): Pseudonym for the university system.
Organization of the Dissertation
This dissertation is organized in five chapters. The first chapter provides the reader with
concepts and terminology commonly found about online student retention, more so, focused at
the Social Work Academic Group (SWAG). Chapter 2 provides a review of current literature
regarding the scope of study. Topics such as the growth of online education, the disparity
between traditional classroom retention and online student retention, and the importance of the
role of student retention are discussed. Chapter 3 provides details of the knowledge, motivation,
and organizational influences to be examined, as well as the chosen methodology when it comes
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

23
to the choice of participants, data collection, and analysis. In Chapter 4, the data and results are
described and analyzed. Chapter 5 concludes the dissertation with recommendations of practice
based on data and literature discovered. Chapter 5 also includes recommendations for an
implementation and evaluation plan.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

24
CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Introduction
This literature review examines the root causes of gaps in student retention at the Social
Work Academic Group (SWAG) Online Center. The section begins with general research on the
history of student retention in higher education. This is followed by an overview of literature on
the effects of technology adaptation in higher education programs. The review will present an
in-depth discussion on online student retention and engagement. This section includes current
research in online student retention. Following the general research literature, the review turns to
the Clark and Estes (2008) Gap Analysis Framework and specifically the knowledge, motivation,
and organizational influences on student retention at the Social Work Academic Group Online
Center.
Student Retention in Online Education
As education adapted to the advantages of technology, distance education programs grew
tremendously. Over the past 20 years, distance education programs have grown at an alarming
pace. From 2006 to 2008, there was a 20% increase in online education programs in the United
States of America (Dykman & Davis, 2008). This trend was not only found in the United States
but globally. Online education has grown worldwide, extending to eight countries by 2012
(Oguz, Chu, & Chow, 2015). Furthermore, Oguz et al. (2015) predicted a 23% increase in online
education programs by 2017. Appealing to students in various geographic locations otherwise
too far to reach by the campus, online education provided opportunity for schools to reach
students in remote locations. The convenience of online education appealed to the distance
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

25
education students, thus growing the online student population (Oguz et al., 2015). However,
there were many challenges schools and online students encountered.
Students who were academically motivated found themselves successfully taking online
courses, but those that struggled to maintain motivation found it difficult to succeed in such
programs. There were many motivation-related problems students faced when choosing online
coursework (Lukaitis & Davey, 2010). Students in distance education programs found it
challenging to connect with the institution. Online students lacked the classroom interaction that
helped promote academic motivation in the school (Sutton, 2014). In distance education,
students also missed events on campus that bring students together such as student organization
meetings, caucus tabling, and on-campus social events. The importance for community was
found to affect student retention and learning in online education (Deng & Tavares, 2013). To
meet these changes, it was found that the use of collaboration in distance education curriculum
was an important component that positively affected online student retention (Cabellé, 2010). In
addition, research suggested that traditional students and online students learned at different
rates. Students in traditional classrooms retained more content knowledge on average than those
in web-based classes (Cosgrove & Olitsky, 2015). The classroom interaction, speaking with
students face-to-face, and faculty-student communication allowed for higher knowledge
retention. The growth of the online student has increased the gap in student success, thus
demanding institutions to look further into curriculum practices and policies to maintain student
success in distance education.
Growth of Distance Education
Distance education programs have grown exponentially over the past five years. Many
programs have included an online component to reach students outside of the normal geographic
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

26
area in which the instruction resides. The inception of online programs allowed institutions to
broaden the student population to increase their presence across the globe. A 20% increase of
schools that offered online degrees has occurred each year since 2008 (Dykman & Davis, 2008).
The opportunity to expand the population and increase national and international presence is one
many institutions sought to gain. Online education programs have grown globally to eight
countries by 2012 (Oguz et al., 2015). Additionally, the growth of online education programs
has even expanded to graduate degree programs. In Fall 2008, 600,000 graduate students took at
least one course online (Oguz et al., 2015). Increasingly more students had the opportunity to
attend institutions that were previously unavailable, which widens the student demographic for
online education programs.
Online education allows an institution to extend its reach farther than just the surrounding
area of the university; rather, online education allows for institutions to reach larger
demographics of students across the world. The online student profile appeals to those that are
interested in a program that is accommodating to both time and travel (Oguz et al., 2015).
Distance education programs promoted convenience with an accommodating schedule for the
nontraditional student (Boston, Ice, & Gibson, 2011). Non-traditional students are often adult
learners who looked towards career change or working professionals pursuing career
advancement through education.
Online Student Attrition
As online education increased in size and availability, it still was challenged by similar
obstacles of campus-based programs, more so, student attrition. Attrition was the withdrawal of
students before completing the educational program. Retention was the number of students
successfully matriculating in a program towards completion. Distance education programs could
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

27
expect an 11-15% higher attrition rate than their on-campus counterparts (Bos & Shami, 2006).
There were many reasons for education attrition rates. Student engagement was a key factor in
student attrition in an online environment (Sutton, 2014). In traditional classroom settings
students easily interacted with faculty and other students. Furthermore, students could gain staff
resources within the school, and obtain assistance when having difficulty in the classroom. In
the online environment students lacked opportunities to engage in the same way traditional
students do. The online student lacked the opportunity to network and build community (Sutton,
2014). Community for students was important to build support networks within the institution.
Online students found it difficult to build the same network and support systems as traditional
students. As many online programs did not include a synchronous component of the program,
students did not engage with each other in the classroom, missing the classroom experience.
The classroom experience for online students is more challenging than for a traditional
student. The interactions with students and faculty are different than for on-campus students.
The interactions lacked the same quality with instructors and online students than traditional
students (Gaytan, 2015). Gaytan (2015) further stated that online classroom did not provide
opportunity for students to interact in the same way that students experience in a traditional
classroom. Online students also found difficulty building their network online. The inability to
interact with other students, faculty, and staff created difficulty for students to build relationships
(Lukaitis & Davey, 2010). As the online classroom is set up differently than for on-campus
programs, the online environment poses challenges for students to be engaged and interact with
one another. The classroom also provides social responsibility for students. When students are
challenged with truancy, peers help bring some students back to the classroom (Lukaitis &
Davey, 2010). The social responsibility in traditional classrooms helps keep students
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

28
accountable for attendance. Online coursework does not provide the same type of social
responsibility as for traditional students. The online classroom is unfamiliar and new for many
students (Kim & Frick, 2011). As each institution provides its own method of instruction, there
is a lack of consistency with online instruction. Interaction is important to student retention as
social factors provide students with pressure to be in attendance in the classroom. Students are
challenged to increase discipline to succeed in the online learning environment.
As students navigate into the online environment, traditional methodologies of study need
revision to build successful online students. This new way of learning is challenging for many,
as students have to redefine their learning styles and study habits as well as the way that they
interact with peers and faculty. The previous experience in the classroom must evolve to fit the
online classroom experience (Kim & Frick, 2011). Gaytan (2015) stated that students that did
not adapt to the new type of learning were more likely to fail in the online environment. Online
students did not have the ability to ask questions in the hallway, must interact via email or video
chat for faculty interaction, and had stricter restraints when it came to faculty office hours. The
online learning environment required students to adapt their learning style into a new
methodology and failing to do so would increase attrition for the school (Gaytan, 2015). The
differences in online instruction and traditional instruction have proved to be key factors in
reasons for online student attrition (Frydenberg, 2007). Students were unable to utilize the same
study habits when taking online courses as they would with on-campus courses.
Navigating in online education is new for most students. Students often perceive online
education being convenient and easy (Lukatis & Davey, 2010). However, Kim and Frick (2011)
found that online education proved to be more challenging for students not only academically but
also in regard to motivation. The lack of student and faculty interaction made it difficult for
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

29
students to find academic motivation. Without the faculty, student, and staff connections, some
online students were not as invested in the institution and in the education as they would have
been in an on-campus program. When the motivation to learn is challenged, students were more
likely to withdraw from a program (Kim & Frick, 2011). Motivation was important to student
success and student retention. When a student was not motivated, they did not find the value in
academic success. Academic motivation was integral to student success. Students that lacked
academic motivation were more likely to withdraw from courses than their peers (Lukaitis &
Davey, 2010). Since the online classroom was a distinctive environment, the learner had a
different experience that could impact student motivation.
Student motivation can be reflected by the amount of time that they invest in the learning
process. Lack of time in the classroom is associated with learner attrition (Kim & Frick, 2011).
As the classroom was redefined in the online environment, student learners also needed to
redefine the amount of effort with which they proceeded with online learning (Lukaitis & Davey,
2010). Underestimating this effort and lacking academic motivation could lead to student
attrition. The institution has a responsibility to provide ways for students to become more
engaged not only with course content but also with the school to increase student retention.
Institution’s Professional Responsibility
The institution is charged to provide students with methods to succeed in the online
classroom. Institutional support services can build pathways for success to counter online
student attrition (Gaytan, 2015). The classroom could be built as conducive to the student
learning environment by preventing cognitive overload. Information overload could occur in
both the on-campus and online environments. However, in the online environments, information
overload occurred more often as programs increased workload for students to supplement the
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

30
lack of interaction in the classroom (Lukaitis & Davey, 2010). Students that experienced
information overload have been overwhelmed with the coursework, lost interest in the program
and withdrew from the school. Once a student was overwhelmed, the student began to
procrastinate in coursework and readings. Lukaitis and Davey (2010) found that 52% of students
in online education admitted to procrastinating with coursework and avoided logging into class.
Courses should not overwhelm students to the point of quitting; rather, courses need to provide
rigor that supports student engagement and success. More so, the institution provided support
for students that were in need of assistance (Gaytan, 2015). Institutionalized support methods
such as tutoring, coaching, and student services provided students with opportunity to bridge
gaps of knowledge and build rapport with an individual at the school (Gaytan, 2015).
Furthermore, in online education, institutionalized support allowed students to connect to an
institution that could be across the country and even the world no matter where one lives.
Institutionalized support provides students with opportunity to succeed in the classroom.
Curriculum and academic services help students find better understanding to succeed in the
classroom and apply to the real world (Kim & Frick, 2011). The ability to succeed in the early
courses of a program provides students with traction and confidence in their ability in future
coursework (Gaytan, 2015). The ability to build confidence in a new environment is important
to a student’s academic motivation and increases the opportunity for self-discipline in study
habits. Modified self-discipline to succeed in the online environment is important for student
success. The student’s opportunity to shift their previous discipline practices to succeed in the
online environment is crucial to their academic success (Gaytan, 2015).
The institution also needs to adapt to the various learning styles of the students. Some
students are not successful in the online environment as their learning style differs than the way
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

31
the online environment presents itself (Adkins & Nitsch, 2005). Adkins and Nitsch (2005) stated
that, alongside teaching and mentorship, referring students to appropriate resources including
student advisement and technical support are key responsibilities for the online instructor. The
student will have their own preference as to media type and interactivity with coursework that is
individual to his own needs (Kim & Frick, 2011). The institution needs to provide engaging
curriculum designed to increase student learning.
Program delivery and instructional design are important factors when reviewing student
retention. Institutions are challenged to provide quality education through an online platform.
As many online programs have a campus-based counterpart, it is important to provide quality
instruction for distant learners as well. Frydenberg (2007) stated that when a disparity exists
between an online program and its on-campus counterpart students were 15% more likely to drop
out. The growth of online education has challenged the quality of education provided (Patterson
& McFadden, 2009). Most online coursework is asynchronous where student-teacher interaction
is not required (Boston et al., 2011). To provide an experience similar to on-campus classes,
schools have incorporated more faculty-student interaction. The method of using both
asynchronous materials and student-teacher interaction provides a hybrid opportunity that
mimics that of campus-based programs (Tobin, 2014). Online students can engage in both
synchronous and asynchronous communication to build concepts, share ideas, and analyze
problems (Adkins & Nitsch, 2005). The challenge of student engagement in online education
lays heavily on the shoulders of faculty as representatives of the institution.
Students in Online Education
Students were selected as the key stakeholder of this study. Students enrolled in distance
education programs find difficulty in building relationships with the University. The use of
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

32
faculty engagement provides connection for students in distance learning. Faculty represent the
institution and build relationships with the students that they otherwise would not experience in
the online environment (Tobin, 2014). With campus-based programs, students and faculty
interact in the classroom and during occasional office hours. Campus-based programs are
heavily face-to-face interactions between faculty and student. In distance education, the faculty-
student interaction is important to student retention. Tobin (2014) stated that interaction between
faculty and student was shown to positively affect retention rates. Student retention was
positively affected when they interacted with each other and with the faculty. More so, Liaw
(2008) found that interactive environments in online education were one of the most important
factors that affected student retention. Instructors were important factors when discussing
retention, as they were key to curriculum interaction. Students in distance education looked to
faculty to provide key interactions to engage in both curriculum and in the school.
Instructor feedback is important to the online classroom experience as students’ primary
point of contact is the instructor. Faculty are challenged to provide instruction similar to any
campus-based program (Bos & Shami, 2006). Assignment feedback is an important way for
students and faculty to interact in an online environment. In fact, Gaytan (2015) found that
students desired more instruction and comprehensive feedback from their professors in online
courses. According to Gaytan (2015), 67% of students believed that meaningful feedback was
an important part of their online education. The study conducted consisted of 15 online students
that were interviewed to discover the factors affecting online student retention. The study also
found that faculty feedback built rapport and was valued by students in the online environment.
Students found faculty feedback and interaction as connection to the school which increased
student retention.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

33
An integral part of student retention is reflective of the beginning of an online program.
It is critical for a student to become engaged with the school before courses begins. Prior to a
course start, Frydenberg (2007) found that online programs had a 21% drop-out rate while an on-
campus counterpart had a 16% dropout rate. Frydenberg (2007) conducted his study by
gathering data over a two-year period at University of California, Irvine, comparing a program
that had both on-the-ground and online sections. Retention for both on-campus and online
started from a proper orientation to the program and to the school. Prior to being oriented and
beginning the first course of an online program, Gaytan (2015) discovered that students were
more likely to drop out as they were less engaged. Leading to the first class, it was important to
monitor student activity in the online platform. Students that were more active in the online
classroom were seen to matriculate through the program (Adkins & Nitsch, 2005). It was vital to
foster engagement and support within this time-frame to positively affect student retention
(Boston et al., 2011). Student engagement in the beginning of the program was found to be a
critical component in determining the retention of a student.
Universities that promote engagement and participation have greater success with online
programs. However, in the world of distance education, engagement was found challenging.
Online students, away from the main campus, are isolated in their homes, take courses and lack
student and faculty interaction. Institutions desire to prevent the isolation a student feels by
taking classes online (Bos & Shami, 2006; Lynch, 2001). A key to combating isolation is
student engagement and a student’s primary contact in a program is their instructor. The
instructor, in distance education, not only plays the role of faculty but also of mentor for students
(Sutton, 2014). Sutton (2014) stated that faculty played an important role of a coach as well as
instructor. Furthermore, Bos and Shami (2006) stated that sustaining engagement was key to
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

34
online student retention. As students matriculated through the program it was important to
provide engagement opportunities with faculty and other students. Sutton (2014) found that
engagement opportunities provided opportunity for community-building within a distance
education program.
History of Social Work Academic Group
The Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) was founded in the early 1900s and built a
rich culture of advocacy and service for populations in need. The concentration-based
curriculum prepared students to work in areas such as mental health, health care, community
organization planning administration, and family and children. The concentrations provided
students with a strong foundation in social work practice alongside a rigorous field placement
requirement. Required by the Accrediting Social Work Council, the Masters of Social Work
program at SWAG followed a 1,000-hour standard requirement to complete during the program
to obtain the Master’s degree. The hours requirement was separated in first year (450 hours to
complete) and second year (550 hours to complete) in the field placement agency. Upon
inception of the Online Center, the school desired to meet these requirements to parallel the on-
campus program.
The Online Center began in Fall 2010 with an incoming class of 60 students. Stemming
from its on-campus counterpart, the Online Center used curriculum approved for its on-campus
program in the online environment to build an interactive experience that promoted student and
faculty engagement as well as field placement within the student’s community. The first cohort
of students was quickly followed by cohorts with semesters starts every three months that
doubled in size over the next two years. At capacity, the Online Center has enrolled 2,200
students at any given time. The Online Center has four semester starts a year allowing for new
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

35
students to enter the program at different times. Since 2010 the Online Center reached an alumni
base located in 50 states and 16 countries across the world.
The expansion of the school encompassed many programs to help provide assistance to
various populations. Military Social Work grew to encompass the Innovative Research Center,
an organization housed within the school to focus on providing mental health counseling to
military veterans. Furthermore, the Veterans Network was focused on providing resources to
newly-retired veterans to help them navigate in the civilian world. The most recent launch of
American Crisis Center, also found within the school, was focused on providing grieving
services for youth in schools while utilizing the Online Center platform to meet with institutions
nationally.
The Online Center also provided pathways for other online programs to begin. In Fall
2016, the Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) launched a Social Work Doctorate (SWD)
program. The SWD provided working individuals an opportunity to obtain a doctorate in social
work as a practitioner. The SWD program’s first cohort consisted of 20 students. In Spring
2017, the program tripled in size to have 60 students by the beginning of the semester. Also
beginning in Fall 2016 was the Nursing Department. The marriage of nursing and social work,
although unconventional, provided nurse practitioners with social work skills to treat mind and
body in their new roles. The Nursing Department’s Nurse Practitioner program began with a
group of 60 students for Fall 2016 and doubled in population by Spring 2017 to 120 students.
The Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) expanded its reach globally to provide social
work services and education in various countries. The school partnered with Chinese Social
Change University (CSCU) to provide instruction to students to serve the population around the
university. The Chinese Social Change University (CSCU), initiated in 2014, grew to utilize the
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

36
online education platform to engage with students located in China and with faculty in Southern
California. Recent outreach brought the school to Manila, Philippines. The outreach with the
Philippines government focused on preventing human trafficking and protecting children in the
Philippines. The school looked to further its reach by using its partnerships with the United
States Department of Defense. The program looked to provide mental health counseling for
active duty personnel and support services for families overseas.
In 2016, Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) received a multi-million dollar
endowment to the school providing it with the biggest gift to any school of social work in the
country. The endowment was primarily used to provide scholarships to students to help with the
cost of attendance and to ensure the school’s continued legacy of support across the United
States and the world. Furthermore, the endowment was used to improve the quality of student
life including engagement and increasing student retention for the school.
Importance of the Problem
The future of education relies heavily on the shoulders of distance education. To
continue the growth of online education and to produce quality graduates, schools would focus
on the problem of retention with respect to online education. Derringer (2010) stated that The
Arkansas School experienced a growth from 700 to 3,700 students over an eight-year time frame.
Distance education was also a primary source of tuition revenue for a university. Lederman
(2013) found that the University of Massachusetts made over $78 million in 2013 with their
online program. In continuing to reach a wider student population, schools retain students
through quality education, faculty-student interaction, and continued engagement to maintain the
revenue stream of tuition.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

37
Tuition is a driving force in higher education as it is the funding source for most
institutions. At the Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) 70% of the revenue for the school
was from its tuition while the remaining 30% was funded through grants, endowments, and
donations. The South-Western University had the highest tuition rate in the United States. One
academic year cost a student over $52,000 (Song, 2016). SWAG had been the most expensive
educational institution in the country. The Social Work Academic Group’s (SWAG) estimated
tuition for its two-year program was $104,466 for the 2016-2017 academic year. As tuition was
a driving factor for the organization, it must maintain increased student retention to fund its
various programs.
Stakeholder Knowledge and Motivational Influences
This review of literature focuses on knowledge-related influences pertinent to the
achievement of the stakeholder goal set by the Social Work Academic Group to increase student
engagement in coursework through discussion, interaction, relevant readings, and group work for
distant education students, providing an educational experience unlike any other research
institution. The Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) would reach this goal through the
Online Center, which enrolled students from all 50 states and 16 countries worldwide. It is
important to examine the knowledge and motivation of students as the primary stakeholder at the
Social Work Academic Group (SWAG), Online Center. As technology in education advances,
this problem showed the importance of retention as institutions adopted distance education
models to expand their student population (Dykman & Davis, 2008). Also, the growth of
distance education called the attention of educators to online student retention rates and best
practices to ensure quality of education was equivalent to its traditional classroom model.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

38
Essential to the education process, knowledge and motivation were key elements to students’
learning and success in academia.
Knowledge Influences
Knowledge. The literature examined is relevant to online student retention and the
stakeholder goal of student success in its virtual program. Each knowledge influence was
categorized in specific knowledge types. It was important to acknowledge the various
knowledge types and how they affected student learning and success. Specifically, at the Social
Work Academic Group (SWAG) Online Center, knowledge types were applied to better
understand how to improve student success rates to reach the stakeholder goal. Krathwohl
(2002) identified four types of knowledge as an update to Bloom’s taxonomy.
The first type of knowledge type identified by Krathwohl (2002) was factual knowledge.
In education, students experience this type of knowledge when they are familiar with the basic
components of a particular topic (Krathwohl, 2002). The Social Work Academic Group
(SWAG) ensured factual knowledge through its use of tests and quizzes. The organization
allowed curriculum to support factual knowledge through coursework. Faculty supported
coursework in the role of teaching allowing for students to gain factual knowledge in the
program. Students furthermore reinforced factual knowledge in their field practicum that was
completed in the program.
Krathwohl (2002) identified the second knowledge type as conceptual knowledge. A
step forward from factual knowledge, conceptual knowledge was defined as an individual’s
ability to use factual knowledge and interact in order to form a larger, functioning model.
Students met this knowledge type when knowledge of the classroom was applied to the real
world and they were challenged to apply it to the current society. Students engaged in field
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

39
practicum within their communities where they applied conceptual knowledge practices outside
of the classroom.
Procedural knowledge was identified as the third knowledge type (Krathwohl, 2002).
Procedural knowledge is visible when an individual understands how to complete a task
(Krathwohl, 2002). Procedural knowledge was demonstrated when an individual could take
steps to follow protocol provided by the organization. For example, at the Social Work
Academic Group (SWAG), students learned best practices to engage in the online classroom and
received faculty knowledge of Social Work education. Faculty provided best practices to their
students to become qualified practitioners once graduated from the program.
The fourth knowledge type explained by Krathwohl (2002) was metacognition.
Metacognition was knowledge and awareness of one’s self and one’s own thinking process,
otherwise known as self-knowledge. This type of knowledge was practiced at the Social Work
Academic Group (SWAG) through its coursework, where students were asked to challenge their
self-learning process through reflection. Students wrote multiple reflection papers throughout the
program which allowed reflection on previous experiences to engage current topics for better
understanding.
Knowledge of organization. The Social Work Academic Group Online Center seeks to
ensure that students succeed in the program and meet its graduation goals. In the online
environment, not all students thrive; rather, the student quality in online education is different
than that of on-campus programs. The students in online education are less likely to engage with
other students and the instructor, lowering the student quality (Oguz et al., 2015). The students
in online education also seem to be from a different student demographic. At the Social Work
Academic Group (SWAG), the average age of on-campus students was 26 years of age while the
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

40
online student’s average age was 34. This significant age difference increased the differences
between students’ demographics. Understanding student demographics allows faculty to better
equip themselves with tools for building a successful online student.
Organizations are challenged to provide content in new and exciting ways to engage
students in the online environment. Faculty delivered the content in the classroom and are
heavily relied upon to ensure student learning. The use of hybrid coursework (synchronous and
asynchronous) provides different engagement opportunities. The use of technology to maximize
learning and student engagement is important to the learning process as it provides avenues for
students to learn, interact, and engage with course material and each other (Oguz et al., 2015). In
allowing students to learn in different formats, the organization provided students with the
opportunity to best engage with curriculum. Engagement was taken a step further when students
processed information in the classroom and engaged with other students to increase learning.
One best practice for organizations is to use various types of learning methods including web-
based, synchronous, asynchronous, and blended methods (Cosgrove & Olitsky, 2015). The use
of different learning methods allows all student types to learn in various ways and the classroom
component provides necessary interaction for student learning.
Universities need to provide students with opportunity to learn and engage with content.
The opportunity to engage and learn provides students with a desire to complete coursework,
increasing school retention. One method of student engagement is reflection. Reflection is used
in the classroom to allow students to meditate on a particular topic to personalize meaning for
further discussion. The use of reflection with material is proven to increase student knowledge
retention (Ramsburg & Youmans, 2013). Reflection with material is a form of student
engagement that could be used in both on-campus and online environments. Reflection is often
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

41
led by faculty in the classroom through exercises such as discussion and breakout groups.
Engaging with course content provides students with knowledge retention methods in the online
environment (Cosgrove & Olitsky, 2015). Engagement is also done through collaboration.
Allowing in-class reflection provides students with the ability to further engage with coursework
(Deng & Tavares, 2013). Providing students with the opportunity to collaborate allows for
engagement with the content and others (Caballé, 2010). Knowledge management was
embedded in the coursework to skillfully promote course engagement and student interaction.
Understanding how the content was built allows faculty to deliver a more meaningful experience
for the student.
Knowledge influences in distance education. The growth of online education gave
opportunity for organizations such as Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) Online Center to
provide the best outcomes for student knowledge growth. Understanding the knowledge types
positively affected the student experience and increased retention.
Students and faculty accustomed to the classroom environment questioned the quality of
education in distance learning. However, when comparing knowledge retention at traditional
schools and online education, Cosgrove and Olitsky (2015) found that there was a significant
disparity in knowledge retention between online education and classroom education.
Furthermore, the results suggested that students in a traditional classroom retained more content
knowledge on average than those on the online platform primarily due to issues related to self-
efficacy (Cosgrove & Olitsky, 2015). Cosgrove and Olitsky (2015) conducted a study that used
quantitative research methods and compared three types of instruction models, blended, web-
based, and traditional. Blended instruction was a combination of both online asynchronous work
and faculty-student based instruction. Web-based was completely asynchronous instruction with
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

42
little to no faculty-student interaction. Traditional instruction was the more common, classroom-
based setting. The study focused on factual knowledge, testing students’ understanding of
concepts learned in the classroom (Krathwohl, 2002). The results favored the traditional
classroom model over both blended and web-based instruction. Confident students tended to do
better in the classroom regardless in online or traditional setting. Student self-efficacy was found
in feedback from faculty for coursework and throughout the program. Faculty feedback was
integral to student retention and provides areas for student engagement.
One method to increase knowledge intake for students and promote better student habits
was the use of meditation in the classroom (Ramsburg & Youmans, 2013). In practicing
wellness methods such as meditation, students found the ability to balance rigorous academics
with self-reflection and awareness. This brought a sense of relaxation to students and allowed
students to keep knowledge from coursework and perform better in the classroom. Ramsburg
and Youmans (2013) wrote that meditation used in study habits helped students to keep more
information. The results showed meditation improved students’ retention of information during
a lecture in each of the three experiments conducted (Ramsburg & Youmans, 2013). Students
showed that focused and open monitoring meditation increased performance on various tasks
including listening skills, attention skills, and memory. Meditation helped promote student
metacognition and allows for self-reflection during coursework (Krathwohl, 2002). The use of
meditation in education to increase knowledge retention increased student retention in the
classroom and increased graduation rates. Students that adopted reflection techniques in the
classroom also offered opportunity for knowledge retention.
A collaborative learning approach was given consideration in online education as it was
essential to build community and relationships that would otherwise be easily created in
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

43
traditional education. Caballé (2010) defined the collaborative approach as the combination of
both work and learning. The collaborative approach has two parts. The first was with group
activities, and the second used tutors, feedback, and supported in-group performance. The
collaborative learning approach provided students with opportunities to gain knowledge from a
diverse student population. Diversity within the student population provided students with
insight from different backgrounds and upbringing. Collaborative learning helped build upon
conceptual knowledge in education (Krathwohl, 2002). Furthermore, collaborative learning
helped students move from factual knowledge to conceptual knowledge to better understand key
concepts of the classroom. Organizations utilized collaboration through enhanced student
organizations. Collaboration was promoted in the classroom through group work such as
discussion exercises and breakout groups.
Online education increased the need for community. Traditionally students interacted not
only in the classroom, but also in the halls, lunch, and even outside of school. Additionally,
Tobin (2014) found that the classroom promoted community through group work and
organizations provided opportunity for students to collaborate in student organizations and
immersion programs. However, distance education students were challenged to build
communities outside of the social norm. Aichouni, Benchicou, and Nehari (2013) found that
knowledge management was attained and disseminated in virtual groups and networks of
students. The use of networks and groups allowed for students to move beyond factual
knowledge to conceptualize the information for further use (Krathwohl, 2002). The use of group
work in virtual learning provided students with increased learning outcomes leaning towards
graduation and increased retention for the school. Faculty supported group work through
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

44
curriculum and course content, which allowed students to interact with each other for learning
purposes.

Table 2
Assumed Knowledge Influences
Organizational Mission
The mission of the Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) is to improve the well-being of
vulnerable individuals and communities, advance social and economic justice, and eradicate
pressing societal problems in complex and culturally diverse urban environments throughout
Southern California, the nation and the world. Our mission is achieved through value-
driven, scholarly and creative social work education, research, and professional leadership.
Organizational Global Goal
By May 2020, Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) will establish itself as the leader in
social work education and reach 100% retention rate.
Stakeholder Goal
By May 2020, the Social Work Academic Group will meet a goal of 100% retention rate
through increased student retention in the Online Center.
Knowledge Influence Knowledge Type Knowledge Influence Assessment
Students need to have prior
knowledge of online
learning to be successful in
the online environment.
Procedural Students are asked to engage in the online
classroom environment.
Students need to find
curriculum engaging and
interesting.
Conceptual Students are asked to maintain interest and
engagement in coursework through the
program and use reflection as tool to
continue interest.
Students need to know the
program can be completed
within the provided
enrollment length.
Metacognition Students are asked to do self-assessment on
social work education and ability to
complete the program and learn materials
within the provided program length.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

45
Motivational Influences
Motivation. This section of literature focused on the motivation-related influences
pertinent to student retention at the Social Work Academic Group (SWAG). Eccles (2006)
stated that academic achievement builds motivation for academic success. More so, motivation
was defined by its perceived value (Eccles, 2006). Perceived value was categorized into four
components: intrinsic value, attainment value, utility value, and perceived cost.
Intrinsic interest was the enjoyment an individual obtains when engaged in a task (Eccles,
2006). Intrinsic value has greater academic engagement and learning because individuals were
interested in the specific task (Eccles, 2006). The students at the Social Work Academic Group
(SWAG) promoted meaningful learning to continue the ambition from point of admissions.
Students had an important role in intrinsic value as they were key owners of education
engagement in the classroom and help build motivation in the program.
Eccles’ (2006) second determinant was attainment value. Attainment value was the
extent to which engaging was consistent with one’s self-image or identity (Eccles, 2006).
Attainment value provided a more personal value to the individual. Social Work Academic
Group (SWAG) asked students to practice self-reflection to identify and acknowledge their own
self-identity in order to help the clients they would have in the future.
Utility value was how well a goal relates to the individual (Eccles, 2006). Utility value
proposed three basic needs to influence attainment. These three basic needs were the need for
competence, the need for relatedness, and the need for autonomy. A sense of belonging was
important to the academic aspect of utility value, where belonging supported learning and
increased engagement (Eccles, 2006). Students at the Social Work Academic Group (SWAG)
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

46
looked to create a sense of belonging not only to the school of social work, but also to the larger
university through the SWAG network.
Lastly, perceived cost was the cost of participating in a particular activity (Eccles, 2006).
Eccles (2006) furthermore explains cost as a loss of time or energy for participation in an
activity. Students at the Social Work Academic Group gained confidence in the program costs
through meaningful classroom instruction.
Motivation to maintain student retention. In 2010, the Social Work Academic Group
(SWAG) ranked in the top ten in the United States among schools that provided the same
degrees. In 2017, the Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) moved to the top 20 of social
work schools in the country. The school’s recent fall in ranking occurred with the growth of the
Online Center. School ranking was a factor for donors and stakeholders (Bogue & Hall, 2003).
Increased student retention through engagement would also increase the school ranking among
other social work institutions. Maintaining high rankings among similar schools increased the
organization’s interest among donors and other stakeholder groups.
Motivation of the faculty was considered and used by the organization to increase student
retention. Social networks existed in online education and were a source of community for the
distance education student. The community that students built was a motivational factor to
succeed in the classroom (Deng & Tavares, 2013). The community that was built amongst
faculty and students helped support motivation for students in distance education and gave
support for the learning process. The collaboration in the classroom allowed students to build
relationships and created social networks for academic motivation (Cosgrove & Olitsky, 2015).
Leveraging the student-to-student relationships allowed the organization to increase student
motivation for learning and increased student retention. Faculty reinforced the student-to-student
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

47
relationship through the curriculum and interactions allowed in the online classroom. The
organization offered ways to build community and professional networks through the online
community (Deng & Tavares, 2013). Community building and networking provided students
with opportunities for professional development and growth. These benefits were incentives to
support academic motivation in online education.
Organizations such as colleges addressed student motivation to learn and take part in
online education through an engaging curriculum. Building engaging curriculum keeps faculty
and students engaged in the learning process. Students benefit from engaging curriculum in the
online environment as it increased interest and motivation to learn (Lukaitis & Davey, 2010). By
increasing motivation to learn, the organization gives pathways to success and increased student
retention. Organized and well-balanced curriculum prevented cognitive overload allowing for
student success. Organizations used different content to balance coursework including videos,
texts, quizzes, and graphics purposely to prevent cognitive overload (Lukaitis & Davey, 2010).
Task engagement was important to the learning process and increases motivation to learn (Kim
& Frick, 2011). Balanced coursework allowed students to not only succeed in coursework, but
provided the ability to take breaks in the classroom coursework.
Providing relevant coursework and real-world applications best support learning for
students in the online environment. More so, Kim and Frick (2011) suggested that supporting
the learning process of students allowed successful education and increased online retention.
Established coursework was relevant to the beginning of a course (Kim & Frick, 2011). In
building relevance, the university allowed students to engage early and maintained the relevance
to students throughout the program. Instructors increased motivation through effective
curriculum and increased student retention. Applicable coursework and course discussion
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

48
allowed students to share relative and current situations in the classroom, and enhanced student
motivation to learn (Lukaitis & Davey, 2010). Faculty allowed students to engage with real life
scenarios which increased interaction with coursework and built confidence and understanding.
In addition, self-efficacy was an indicator used to gauge student success (Kim & Frick, 2011).
Students that were confident in learning and coursework were more likely to succeed in the
classroom than those that were less confident. Coursework that was relative to the student
experience was important to the learning process and student retention.
Motivation and student retention in distance education. The following section looks
at motivation as integral to student success. In building student success, Social Work Academic
Group (SWAG) will reach its goal of increased social workers nationally and allowed for student
graduation and growth of Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) alumni. Understanding the
motivational aspects of education would allow for the student stakeholders to successfully
complete the Master’s of Social Work program.
Online education grew significantly over the past decade and with growth came
challenges in student motivation. Oguz et al. (2015) found that students in distance education
selected online instruction for its convenience. Convenience was found as a low perceived cost
for students; they had opportunity to attend classes from their homes without the need to relocate
(Eccles, 2006). However, Oguz et al. (2015) found students had concerns of isolation from peers
and instructors, lacked professional development opportunities, and lacked networking
opportunities. Although convenience was a factor, some concerns prevented students from
pursuing online education degrees. Here, student intrinsic value to pursue an online education
degree is low because of concerns presented in the research (Eccles, 2006). Organizations must
find ways through engagement to promote value in the degree and utilize available social
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

49
network tools to enhance student community to build professional development opportunities for
students.
Students enrolled in distance education coursework are challenged with new learning
environments. Kim and Frick (2011) wrote that motivation was an integral part of the education
process and more important for online education because students were distant. Additionally,
Kim and Frick (2011) stated that the best predictor of motivation is at the beginning of a course
or a program. If a student was not motivated to succeed the university can immediately predict it
through the engagement in the classroom (Kim & Frick, 2011). Students found the coursework
valuable to their end goal, similar to Eccles’ (2006) concept of attainment value. The attainment
value of the coursework and curriculum correlated with the student’s interest and goals for
motivation to continue the pursuit of an online degree. Faculty were key to the attainment value
of coursework and curriculum as the deliverers of knowledge to the student.
Motivation to succeed in academia is challenging for traditional classroom students and
the added obstacles for distance education pose even more challenges for students. Lukaitis and
Davey (2010) found that one out of every four students in online education missed class
regularly. The lack of classroom interaction was the largest contributor to student absences
(Lukaitis & Davey, 2010). The social aspect of education was challenging for distance education
programs. As some students used social interaction as motivating to attending class, distance
education coursework lacked this feature. Without motivation to attend class and no value to
attend class, the trend for absences continued. The lack of intrinsic value in classroom
attendance for the online environment is one that needs to be overcome by educational
institutions (Eccles, 2006). Academic organizations promoted participation in the classroom to
continue to build student motivation to attend class.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

50
Table 3
Assumed Motivation Influences
Organizational Mission
The mission of the Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) is to improve the well-being of
vulnerable individuals and communities, advance social and economic justice, and eradicate
pressing societal problems in complex and culturally diverse urban environments throughout
Southern California, the nation and the world. Our mission is achieved through value-
driven, scholarly and creative social work education, research, and professional leadership.
Organizational Global Goal
By May 2020, Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) will establish itself as the leader in
social work education and reach 100% retention rate.
Stakeholder Goal
By May 2020, the Social Work Academic Group will meet a goal of 100% retention rate
through increased student retention in the Online Center.
Assumed Motivation Influences Motivational Influence Assessment
Self-Efficacy
Students need an increased self-efficacy in
the classroom through a sense of belonging
and participation.
Utility Value: Self-Efficacy
Personal statement questions:
“I have a relationship with faculty, staff, and
students of the program.”
Cost
Students need to feel that the investment in
school is worth the cost of tuition in which
they have paid.
Perceived Cost
Students feel the time and effort spent
completing the program is worth the program
costs.

Furthermore, social partnerships and communities built in an online environment are not
entirely absent. Deng and Tavares (2013) found that participation in forums created better
learning opportunities, built community, and promoted student interaction. The online presence
of students in outlets such as Facebook provided social connection and community, and
motivated students to continue in their coursework (Deng & Tavares, 2013). Through social
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

51
partnerships, students built bonds and found value in the education process. Students were
reminded on social platforms of the goals and expectations of curriculum, and were challenged
to identify utility value in continued participation in the online classroom (Eccles, 2006). An
online presence reinforces a sense of community influencing students’ motivation for online
participation in education. Student participation in social constructs has an integral role in
promoting the student community.
Organizational Influences
Organization’s investment in online education. Organizations must be aware of the
important role of the university to connect students in distance education. Students in distance
education often feel disconnected from the university. Disconnect creates even more distance
than just the miles away from the school; it increases disengagement between student and
organization. There is opportunity to enhance information and communication in online
education through social inclusion (Aichouni et al., 2013). Strengthening social relationships
between student, faculty, and staff allows for increased community among distance education
students (Lukaitis & Davey, 2010). Furthermore, Lukaitis and Davey (2010) found that
increased community also increased student support, students were more supported and less
likely to withdraw from coursework. Fostering the digital relationship through online
coursework was vital for student learning. Embedded collaborative opportunities in the
curriculum allowed students to engage with each other (Lukaitis & Davey, 2010). Connecting
the university and student in distance education builds relationships to both the curriculum but
also to the university.
Stakeholder organizational influences. In addition to the knowledge and motivation
barriers, organizational influences could also hinder an organization from meeting its goal.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

52
Clark and Estes (2008) explained that performance problems could continue even though
knowledge and motivation factors were accounted. Organization challenges are due to the
allocation of resources, the internal processes of the organization, and the friction that may occur
in organizational culture in contrast to the goals. In the Social Work Academic Group (SWAG),
the knowledge and motivational factors previously discussed, combined with organizational
challenges, were key components to problems of practice affecting student retention in online
education.

Table 4
Assumed Organizational Influences
Organizational Mission
The mission of the Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) is to improve the well-being of
vulnerable individuals and communities, advance social and economic justice, and eradicate
pressing societal problems in complex and culturally diverse urban environments throughout
Southern California, the nation and the world. Our mission is achieved through value-
driven, scholarly and creative social work education, research, and professional leadership.
Organizational Global Goal
By May 2020, Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) will establish itself as the leader in
social work education and reach 100% retention rate.
Stakeholder Goal
By May 2020, the Social Work Academic Group will meet a goal of 100% retention rate
through increased student retention in the Online Center.
Assumed Organizational Influences Organizational Influence Assessment
The students’ learning environment is
supportive.
Students’ learning is supported through
resources provided by the organization.
Cultural Model: The internal structure of the
organization is support to student learning
and success.
Cultural Setting: The organization is
structured to provide support for student
success in the program.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

53
Allocation of Resources
Resources are vital to the success of a program. Students use various resources as
support for the educational process. Clark and Estes (2008) explained that organizations
struggled with transparency and maintaining a clear vision when resources were limited. At the
Social Work Academic Group (SWAG), for the first time in 20 years, the school did not meet its
enrollment target. This created a culture of worry and fear among the organization. Reliant on
student tuition revenue as the main source of income, the organization was dedicated to reaching
100% student retention in all its programs, more specifically in the online program as the SWAG
OC comprised 66% of the school’s student population.
The Online Center, in particular, has a history of exceeding its enrollment goals, and for
the first time in its seven years of enrollment, underperformed. The program cost is $52,000 an
academic year and the South-Western University is among other universities nationwide for the
highest tuition rates (Song, 2016). As tuition revenue served as a key component of institutional
funding, student enrollment was an essential revenue source to support resources of the school.
A decline of resources created difficulty to align operations with organizational goals set to
graduate the student population.
On some occasions, organizations are resistant to change. In these situations, a different
approach is taken to advocate change when resources are needed in various areas. To promote
change and adjustment in an organization, stakeholders make use of existing resources. Agocs
(1997) explained that work must be made within an organization to convince authorities that
change is in their best interest. When possible, these changes alter the organizational policies
and practices. In gaining investment by the organization, the limited resources can be allocated
toward particular departments to improve work processes.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

54
Work Process
Limited resources for an organization create challenges in meeting the organizational
goal. Work processes are internal operating structures that determine how organizational
material and resources worked towards the organizational goal (Clark & Estes, 2008). Student
retention is supported through services given by faculty. At the Social Work Academic Group
(SWAG) various faculty groups exist, including curriculum planning and field placement. These
faculty departments require support to continue to graduate the student population at Social
Work Academic Group (SWAG).
Organizational Culture
Driven by a culture of evidence, the Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) seeks to
meet its organizational goal through increased student retention. Dowd (2005) used a culture of
evidence in the data-driven decision-making model where data was assessed and used to decide
where resources should be invested. Furthermore, the data gathered displayed what resources
were needed to support and find resources that are unnecessary. In focusing where support was
needed, the organization can focus on programs used by the student to increase retention and
increase graduation rates of the school.
Research showed a distinct difference in student retention for online programs in
comparison with their classroom counterpart. Online programs had an attrition rate at least 15%
higher than the campus-based counterpart (Frydenberg, 2007). More so, at the Social Work
Academic Group (SWAG), the classroom program’s attrition rate was 3% while the distance
education counterpart is 22%. A program as large as SWAG’s online social sork program has
challenges to student retention with limited resources and a large student population.
Detrimental to institutional survival, the Online Center needs to reshape its organizational culture
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

55
to offer support to students in distance education. In doing so, there are opportunities to mirror
the campus-based program, build important relationships, and lower the attrition rate of the
Online Center.
Conclusion
The growth of online education allows for institutions to examine their delivery of
instruction. Challenges persist in an online environment more than traditional classrooms with
respect to student knowledge and motivation influences. For Social Work Academic Group
(SWAG) to overcome these obstacles and meet the organizational goal by May 2020, the school
must take into consideration methods of knowledge retention and motivation sustenance to
ensure students complete the program. In doing so, the students of the Social Work Academic
Group Online Center (SWAG OC), by May 2020, will continue to be engaged in coursework
through discussion, interaction, relevant readings, and group work for distant education students
offering an educational experience unlike any other research institution.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

56
CHAPTER 3
METHODOLOGY
Purpose of the Project
The goal of this study was to measure student engagement in the online community of the
Social Work Academic Group (SWAG OC). The study took an in-depth look into the role of
students in the classroom, the support of curriculum to engage with students and promote student
learning, and the preparation of students to be successful in the online environment through the
perspective of the student stakeholder. This chapter presents research design and methods for
data collection and analysis. The study used two methods for data collection. The first was an
online survey sent through email to the student stakeholders of the organization. The online
survey was anonymous, protecting stakeholder identity to answer and provide honest opinions to
the survey questions. The final question of the survey asked if they would like to participate in a
follow-up interview. A total of three student participants agreed to participate in follow-up
interviews. The interviews lasted 40-45 minutes in duration and were held using the online
Adobe Connect platform. All sessions were recorded for review of the researcher during the
study. All items utilized in the data collection process, including the online survey, interview
recordings, and notes, were kept until the study was completed. Once completed, the researcher
destroyed all items to protect the identites of the student participants.
Research Questions
1. To what extent are the stakeholders meeting the current organizational goals of 100%
retention rate?
2. What are the knowledge, motivation, and organization influences related to achieving
the organizational goal?
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

57
3. What are the recommendations for organizational practice in the areas of knowledge,
motivation, and organizational resources?
Conceptual Framework: The Interaction of Stakeholders’ Knowledge and
Motivation and the Organizational Context
A conceptual framework was used to visually display the organization and ideas of the
organization. Maxwell (2013) stated that a conceptual framework is a map or model of how the
world is the way it is. Furthermore, the conceptual framework gave a frame for the main
concepts, setting the stage for interactions to be explained with a collaborating narrative
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The conceptual framework told a story, a narrative of any given idea
or concept. Furthermore, the conceptual frame, also known as theoretical framework, connected
knowledge of studies and experience. While each influencer was presented above, and they are
independent of each other, these influencers did not remain solely isolated. Within the larger
organizational context, they were interconnected. Figure 1 displays how the knowledge and
motivation influences interacted within the organizational context with respect to retention in
distance education at the Social Work Academic Group (SWAG).
The challenge of student retention in online education was an ongoing challenge with the
growth or distance education programs. Literature provided context for this challenge and an
opportunity existed for the organization to counter student attrition at the organizational level.
Literature showed the importance of the relationship between students and the institution — or,
in this scenario, student stakeholders. As illustrated in the literature, the connection between
faculty and student was integral to the success of students in any program. This was even more
true in distance education, where students played a key role of organizational representation to
find connectedness through the classroom experience.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

58

Figure 1. Conceptual framework in online education and student motivation

Organizational Influence
Students’ learning is supported through resources provided by
the organization.

Goal for stakeholders:
By May 2020, the Social Work Academic Group will meet a goal of
100% retention rate through increased student retention in the Online
Center.

Stakeholder Knowledge:
Students need to find
curriculum engaging and
interesting.
Stakeholder Motivation:
Students need an
increased self-efficacy in
the classroom through a
sense of belonging and
participation.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

59
The primary stakeholder group for this study were the students of the Social Work
Academic Group Online Center (SWAG OC). Students played the most integral role in
education, as they were the recipients of knowledge and the key indicator for organizational
success. In distance education, students received knowledge from faculty in the classroom. The
transference of knowledge in technology was representative of the organization’s ability to
provide quality distance education (Cosgrove & Olitsky, 2015). The organization must ensure
that the stakeholder knowledge was representative of a quality product and that they have
invested in the individuals entrusted to instruct the student population.
Furthermore, students needed outreach from the organization to build relationships and
connectedness to the school. Often, students in distance education courses felt disconnected with
the campus and the culture. The faculty provided a bridge to campus life and promoted
relationships among peers through coursework. Staff in online education offered further support
in the education process. Collaboration in the classroom gave students a sense of community
while taking coursework from a distance (Caballé, 2010). Collaboration provided an opportunity
for positive outcomes and created successful students (Aichouni et al., 2013).
Student academic motivation was supported through interaction with the faculty.
Fostering academic motivation and the desire to learn allowed students to challenge their thought
and practice in the communities (Lukaitis & Davey, 2010). In the restructure of curriculum,
organizations gave consistent messaging and positive student outcomes (Oguz et al., 2015).
Furthermore, the use of collaboration in the classroom built social networks within student
groups, offered opportunity for partnership, and enhanced collaboration and diverse thinking
(Deng & Tavares, 2013). The faculty were motivated to produce successful students as they
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

60
were contributing to the social work profession. It is in the best interest of the institution to
invest in the student population (Kim & Frick, 2011).
In Figure 1, an interconnected relationship was displayed between stakeholder knowledge
and stakeholder motivation within the greater organization. The relationship built community
for student engagement in distance education and allowed for knowledge, motivation, and
organizational influences discussed. The gap analysis model given by Clark and Estes (2008)
allowed guidelines to analyze an organizational model through looking at key knowledge,
motivation, and organizational influences through assessing the gaps within the organization.
This framework provided the roadmap by which the research has been analyzed and discussed in
upcoming chapters.
The culture of the organization was reflective of the accountability of the organization.
As an educational institution, the Social Work Academic Group (SWAG) was charged with
growing the social work profession and educating students to enhance their communities once
they have completed the program. As key stakeholders in the organization, the school’s students
took ownership of their learning in the education process and ensured they made a positive social
impact while in the program (Firestone & Shipps, 2005). At the Social Work Academic Group,
student stakeholders gained knowledge from faculty in the classroom to utilize in the real world.
The stakeholders’ use of collaboration in the classroom enhanced the student experience,
ensuring engagement and retention of theory. Collaboration built community in online education
as well as enhanced student knowledge growth. Through classroom engagement, the Social
Work Academic Group (SWAG) raised its student retention for the distance education program,
enhanced student academic motivation in the classroom, and built social partnerships in distance
education.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

61
Participating Stakeholders
The stakeholders were asked to complete the survey within a one month period. The
survey consisted of 45 questions focused on student engagement in the online learning
environment. Participants took no more than 15-20 minutes to complete the survey. Qualtrics
was named as the means for the survey as it was given by University of Southern California
Rossier School of Education as a tool for data collection. The final question of the survey
inquired if participants would like to be interviewed and give more information on their role as a
stakeholder in the organization. The interviews were conducted on the Adobe Connect learning
management system, which the Online Center uses for class. Each session was recorded to
review later for proper analysis by the researcher. At any time, participants could choose to not
take part in the study. During the interview, interviewees could at any time pick to skip a
question or end the interview session.
Survey Sampling Criteria and Rationale
The stakeholders surveyed were the students of the online education program. The
student participants selected were enrolled for at least two semesters, which was equivalent to
one academic year. Student stakeholders took a leave of absence through the program. The
leave of absence was selected as a key indicator as the student, at one point of the program, took
a hiatus from the program but returned to complete the Master’s degree. Participants were both
full-time and part-time students and offered insight on engagement and their experience in the
online platform.
Criterion 1
Participants were enrolled for a minimum of two semesters in the online education
program. This criterion was important as students enrolled for two semesters could offer insight
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

62
for the equivalent of one academic year. Students that met this criterion would have at minimum
two semesters completed and could give insight on the engagement process and its effects on
student retention from the perspective of one academic year. This criterion immediately
eliminated students interested in the program as well as alumni of the program.
Criterion 2
Participants took and returned from a leave of absence from the program. The leave of
absence of the program was allotted to students that needed outside resources or time for
personal circumstances. Those that have taken a leave of absence and have returned would
provide insight as to possible attrition from the program.
Criterion 3
Student participants were either full-time or part-time enrollment. Full-time students
were enrolled in a four-semester program. Part-time participants were in either the six or eight
semester programs. Students enrolled in either the full-time or part-time curriculum could
participate in the study. This criterion dismisses the advanced standing three semester students
as they were in an accelerated program.
Survey Sampling (Recruitment) Strategy and Rationale
Cluster random sampling was used during this survey. Cluster random sampling allowed
each participant to provide insight on the provided research questions (Johnson & Christensen,
2008). Cluster random sampling used elements of random sampling where participants were
randomly selected but divided into clusters in a larger organization (Creswell, 2008). The
clusters for this study included part-time and full-time students with varying enrollment start
dates. In doing so, each student member had full ability to participate in the survey to provide
insight on their position and its effects on student retention. The potential sample size consisted
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

63
of 1,802 student stakeholders of the organization. Of the 1,802 participants, the researcher
obtained 250 participants that completed the online survey. No incentives were given to
stakeholders for participation in the study. The survey was distributed in the beginning of the
Fall 2017 semester and was open for participation for 30 days.
The online survey stayed available to complete for four weeks, allowing participants to
partake in the survey at any time through the process. Qualtrics was used as the survey medium,
which aided in tracking of participants. Reminder emails were sent to the stakeholders that did
not participate in the survey after two weeks of the survey launch, one week prior to the due date,
two days, and finally a last reminder on the last day of the survey. Student stakeholders that did
not wish to not take part in the study could, at any time, notify the researcher through email or
phone and the individual was removed from the distribution list.
Interviews
Interviews served as the second method of data collection for the study. At the end of the
online survey, the researcher asked for participation in a follow-up interview. The interview was
no longer than 45-50 minutes in length. The interview took place in the online Adobe Connect
learning management system that was used for the online classroom. The interviews were
recorded for further analysis and were removed once the study was completed. Interview
participants remained anonymous protecting participant identity during the study.
Criterion 1
Interview participants showed interest through the online survey and provided their
information for further follow-up. The final questions of the online survey asked participants to
mark yes to participate in a follow-up interview and to provide their contact information for
follow-up. A question was identified towards the end of the online survey soliciting
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

64
participation in the follow-up interview. The researcher hoped to gain participants from each
student type: full-time and part-time.
Criterion 2
Interview participants took a leave of absence from the Social Work Academic Group
Online Center. A leave of absence indicated a gap in enrollment. The leave of absence criterion
displayed students that took time away from the program but returned to obtain a Master’s of
Social Work. The researcher gained the purest data collected to offer honest results without
opinion (Glesne, 2011). The researcher hoped to gain insight from the interview participants and
honest answers as stakeholders took part in a comfortable medium.
Criterion 3
Interview participants could meet for a scheduled one hour. The interview took up to 45
minutes to complete. The scheduled hour offered the researcher the opportunity to explain ethics
to the participants. The researcher also explained and emphasized the protection of human
subjects and adherence to ethical research standards (Krueger & Casey, 2014). Using verbal
consent, human participants were asked if the interview could be recorded for future
transcription with acknowledgement that the identifying data would be removed in the
transcription phase (Rubin & Rubin, 2012).
Interview Sampling (Recruitment) Strategy and Rationale
Recruitment for interviews was completed through the online survey asking for further
follow-up at the end of the survey. Participants gave insight on their role and its responsibility
towards online student retention. Interview information gave a second layer to the online
education process, offering personal reflection for the participant’s role in the online education
process. As said by Maxwell (2013), interviews were not the sole method of data gathering for
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

65
each student. The online survey served as the initial step in the data collection process. The
researcher based the criteria for interview participation to represent the students of the
organization. As the organization is comprised of 1,802 student stakeholders, the researcher
sought to interview three participants that would represent the subset of those surveyed.
For the purposes of this study, convenience sampling was practiced. Convenience
sampling was selected due to the constraint of time for the study. Convenience sampling,
although seen as information-poor, allowed the researcher to gather information during the time
constriction of the process (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The researcher planned to interview the
three participants over a one-month span gathering specific information on the knowledge and
motivation influences towards the organizational goal.
Data Collection and Instrumentation
The methodologies selected for this study were surveys and interviews. A mixed-method
was used to gather information from a large group then obtain clarity for specific demographics
of participants. The instrument of surveys was selected as the population for the Social Work
Academic Group (SWAG) Online Center were located in various parts of the United States, and
for convenience sampling surveys allowed the researcher to solicit participation from a wide
group of participants. With the pool of participants consisting of 1,802 student stakeholders, the
use of surveys as the first tier of data collection provided the opportunity to obtain data from a
wide group of individuals. The survey was used as preliminary data to guide the upcoming
interview questions. The results were also used to gain knowledge of the organizational culture
and perspectives that students may have towards the online education program at the school.
The second tier of the data collection process was interviews. Interviews provided the researcher
with more in-depth insight from the participants. The researcher obtained voluntary participants
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

66
representative of the participant demographic to ensure all stakeholders were represented in the
data collection process.
Surveys
Convenience sampling, although seen as information-poor, allowed the researcher to
gather information during the time constriction of the process (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
Convenience sampling allowed the researcher to solicit participation from potential students
located across the world. To reach all participants, the researcher distributed the survey through
email. The researcher selected the online survey website Qualtrics for the survey instrument.
Qualtrics allowed for distribution, tracking, and reminders of individuals that have replied and
responded to the online survey link. Distribution emails were sent using Qualtrics, the online
survey program provided by the USC Rossier School of Education.
The survey had 45 questions and was estimated to take participants no longer than 15-20
minutes to complete. The length of the survey was selected to continue engagement, obtain
maximum participation, and to obtain information for the study. All questions were written in
English and no interpretation took place in another language. To ensure validity and reliability
of the survey items, the researcher solicited maximum participation from the participant pool.
Salkind (2000) stated that maximum reliability and validity is considered with years of research,
however due to time constraints of the study the researcher produced the most reliable and valid
information within the given timeframe.
Interviews
At the end of the survey the researcher asked for voluntary participation for a follow-up
interview. The interviews were scheduled with the use of Outlook calendar and calendly.com.
Interviews took place on the Adobe Connect platform that was used for the Social Work
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

67
Academic Group (SWAG). The medium for the interviews was selected to provide the
participants with the opportunity to participate in any location and provide them with a safe,
comfortable environment. The Adobe Connect platform also provided the participants with the
ability to be interviewed in a familiar environment to provide honest answers to the interview
questions. The researcher gained the purest data collected to provide honest results without
opinion (Glesne, 2011). The platform also allowed for recording, which the researcher could
review later if any information was missed during the interview process. As interviews served as
the secondary data collection method for this study, the practice paralleled the suggestion of
Maxwell (2013), in which interviews should not be the sole data collection utilized in a research
study. The researcher reinforced voluntary participation at the beginning of each interview to
ensure the participants were safe and protected through the process (Rubin & Rubin, 2012).
Participants were reminded at the beginning of the interview that they could, at any time, elect to
skip a question or end the session. Participants were also reminded that their responses would
remain anonymous and their identities were protected by the researcher.
The researcher selected the interviews to be semi-structured. Semi-structured interviews
are guided but allow the interviewee to answer freely (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). A semi-
structured interview approach was selected to provide the participant with the opportunity to
answer freely and provide honest answers for the interview questions. All interviews were
conducted in English and no translation took place, as the researchers’ final document was also
in English. The questions asked of the participants focused on their knowledge and motivational
influences in distance education and the organizational structures to support the participant with
respect to student success. The participants were asked to provide insight with respect to their
role in the organization and how it was effective toward student retention in the online
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

68
environment. Participants were also asked to provide recommendations for improving their role
in the organization and how the organization can best support the success of the student
population.
Data Analysis
Once all surveys were completed and gathered, frequencies were calculated for the
survey questions. The stakeholder group consisted of 1,802 eligible enrolled students. Of the
1,802 students enrolled at the Social Work Academic Group, only 24 students were eligible for
interviews based on the participation criteria; however, some stakeholders chose to opt out of the
study and not take part in follow-up interviews. Once all surveys were collected, the data was
cleaned and prepared for analysis. Most data derived from Likert scales that measured
perceptions of organizational support by the student stakeholders. The questions were assessed
to find mean and standard deviation. Interviews were coded in a similar fashion to find themes
amongst study participants. Once all interviews were completed, the researcher transcribed each
interview using Microsoft Word and identified themes from each interviewee. The responses
were sorted according to knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences that were
discussed.
Credibility and Trustworthiness
As the study was composed of both quantitative and qualitative methodologies,
credibility and trustworthiness were supported in several ways. More so, credibility and
trustworthiness were maintained in regard to the qualitative components of this study. The
researcher used interviews as a secondary data collection method. In using interviews, there was
danger that data would be lost, misinterpreted, or removed from the study to fit the bias of the
researcher. Credibility first, is based on the trustworthiness of the researcher (Merriam &
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

69
Tisdell, 2016). The researcher, in practicing proper ethics in his previous organization looked to
answer the research questions with the intent to better the organization’s practices to reach its
goals. The researcher acknowledged various biases prior to the study and would continually
work to remove them in the design, data collection, and analysis phases of the study. In
following ethical procedures put forth by the USC Rossier School of Education, the researcher
built the credibility of the study. The researcher received data without the intention of inflating
results, to give honest data to answer the research questions of this study. Although data may not
be pleasing to the organization, the researcher presented findings to ensure that the best and most
uncontaminated data was presented in the conclusion.
Validity and Reliability
Quantitative components of this study maintained validity and reliability. As using
surveys to conduct the first findings of the study, the researcher presented unaltered results to the
reader. Reliability of the research study presented findings that could be reused in other studies
to further prove its reliability (Salkind, 2000). The purpose of this study was to utilize the
research to improve Social Work Academic Group (SWAG). The study was focused on
improving the organization’s practices to meet its organizational goal. As the survey was
administered digitally and distributed through email, the researcher relied on technology to help
track the completion of the survey. The researcher also relied on technology for the distribution
of the survey to the possible participants. Within a one-month time span, the researcher
completed the interviews with participating students. Those that wished to not participate
utilized the unsubscribe tool to remove their information from the distribution list. The study
was focused on the research questions to continue to answer the research questions posed in the
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

70
beginning of the study. The researcher maintained validity in using the data received to solely
answer the questions. The results presented would answer the research questions of the study.
Ethics
Human subjects were used in this research study. In doing so, the researcher conducted
the study in accordance with the ethical standards of informed consent, voluntary participation,
confidentiality of data and of their participation, gained permission to record, and stored and
secured the data. As per Krueger and Casey (2014), this study adopted the practice of
confidentiality and informed consent. Participants had the opportunity to stop participation at
any given time and acknowledged that participation was voluntary. However, for those that
continued to participate, confidentiality was used throughout the entire process to protect the
identities of the participants. Furthermore, Krueger and Casey (2014) continued to emphasize
the protection of human subjects. The participants were informed of how data would be used to
ensure they were aware of the risks and rewards of the study and participation thereof. Using
informed consent, human participants were asked permission to record interviews for future
transcription with acknowledgement that the identifying data would be removed in the
transcription phase (Rubin & Rubin, 2012). As a previous employee of the organization, the
researcher was aware his own bias when gathering and interpreting data provided by the
participants. In doing so, the researcher gained pure data collected to provide honest results
(Glesne, 2011). The protection of human subjects was held in the forefront in all data collection,
participation, and reporting of information at all points of the study.
The researcher was previously employed by the organization, Social Work Academic
Group Online Center, although when research began, the researcher was in a different
department and academic center than that of the study. Although with preexisting rapport with
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

71
students, the researcher was aware of previous relationships in the recruitment process and
ensured the protection of information of the participation of the survey and interview would stay
anonymous. The researcher was interested in discovering best practices for student engagement
and retention in online education. The researcher removed himself from immediate and direct
interaction with participants of the study. In doing so, he created space between himself and the
study participants and had no direct impact on the results of the study.
The researcher sought to learn more about distance education and discover the best
practices for student retention and increased graduation rates of institutions in distance education
programs. The assumptions and biases of the researcher were acknowledged when engaging in
data collection, analysis, and reporting data. As previously employed by the Social Work
Academic Group Online Center, the researcher worked closely with faculty and students of the
online center. In acknowledging favoritism of the department, the researcher practiced criteria-
based choice to purposefully select samples of student participants enrolled in the Social Work
Academic Group Online Center. The criteria for this choice process were purposeful to ensure
an equal voice for all students represented in the sampling process (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
In using purposive sampling, the researcher set aside biases during the data collection process.
In recently accepting employment from another organization, the researcher removed the
researcher-participant relationship, which can skew the data analysis process (Merriam &
Tisdell, 2016). The researcher-participant relationship poses possible bias towards selection of
participants as well as the human subjects’ desire to participate in the study.
Summary
For this study, the assumed knowledge, motivation, and organization influences upon
organizational engagement and online student retention found their foundation in scholarly
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

72
literature and theory. The qualitative method of one-on-one interviews with participant
stakeholders of the organization was used to verify the knowledge, motivation, and
organizational influences identified in the review of literature. The findings established an
understanding of the engagement levels of students to mitigate negative practices with the goal
of increasing student retention to meet the organizational goal of 100% retention. Furthermore,
the study provided context for the perceptions of role of students in the online classroom, the
preparation that they receive to succeed academically in the program, and their participation to
create and build the community in and out of the classroom.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

73
CHAPTER 4
RESULTS AND FINDINGS
The purpose of this study was to identify the knowledge, motivation, and organizational
influences that prevent the Social Work Academic Group Online Center from reaching its goal of
100% retention rate by May 2020. This study was important to conduct to better understand the
students in distance education and the various reasons for student attrition in online education.
Furthermore, the study looked deeper into the level of engagement for students in the online
learning environment and the feelings of connectedness to the organization that students possess.
A complete study would have included all stakeholders of the organization, but to understand the
influences upon student retention in online education, this study focused on students enrolled in
the Social Work Academic Group Online Center.
The research questions that guided this study were as follows:
1. To what extent are the stakeholders meeting the current organizational goal of 100%
retention rate?
2. What are the knowledge, motivation, and organization influences related to achieving
the organizational goal?
3. What are the recommendations for organizational practice in the areas of knowledge,
motivation, and organizational resources?
Quantitative data was collected through the distribution of surveys to student
stakeholders. Qualitative data collected during one-on-one interviews helped further develop
themes based on survey data collected. Both quantitative and qualitative data was used to offer
further insight on the survey questions and develop themes provided by the interview
participants. Interview information was coded and analyzed to identify themes from the
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

74
respondents (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). This chapter will explore results and findings of the
research study as they relate to research questions one and two, and recommendations made by
participants in developing solutions for research question three. Results are identified as
quantitative data collected from surveys while findings are identified as qualitative data collected
from interviews. For the purpose of this study, results and findings will be combined due to the
lack of participation in the interviews by respondents, which is discussed in the limitations
section of Chapter 5. Chapter 5 will continue to discuss the third research question and find
potential solutions to the knowledge, motivational, and organization challenges that the Social
Work Academic Group faces around retention in the Online Center.
Current Status of Organizational Goal
Currently, the Social Work Academic Group Online Center has a retention rate of 73%.
When compared amongst other organizations in distance education, the Social Work Academic
Group is a leader in their student retention. However, the 27% student attrition equates to a large
amount of tuition revenue lost each academic year. The 27% of students that withdraw each
academic year equate to 414 students. At the current tuition rate of $52,000 each academic year,
the school looks to lose $43,000,000 in tuition revenue in one academic year.
The organization supports a higher retention rate through its student support services
offered to the Online Center. Students have access to the school’s writing center to help with
academic writing for program completion. Additionally, the Social Work Academic Group
Online Center is committed to providing students with coaching and time management assistance
with the help of the Providers of Education Worldwide and the use of a student advisor to do
semester check-ins with the students. Similar to the on-campus program, the institution provides
career and professional development to the students throughout the program. Students at the
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

75
Online Center are also introduced to student-led caucuses and interest groups to support student
interest in the field of social work. The school provides various resources for students in the
Online Center to get connected, build relationships, and engage with the school; however, the
retention rate of the Online Center is still significantly lower than the on-campus program.
The Social Work Academic Group on-campus program reports a 97% retention rate.
Aligning with literature, the Online Center reports a retention rate 25% lower than the on-
campus counterpart. With a larger student population and in using a new medium of education,
it is important for the Social Work Academic Group to evaluate its current practices to
significantly impact student retention for the Online Center. Ultimately, the Social Work
Academic Group Online Center outperforms many other online programs in student retention,
however, there are still areas of improvement to reach the goal of 100% retention rate.
Survey Administration
As discussed in Chapter 3, the researcher used a mixed-methods approach to the study.
One survey was administered online using Qualtrics. The survey stayed active for 30 calendar
days, allowing opportunity for all enrolled students to participate in the survey. Reminders were
administered via email at key points of the data collection process: two weeks to completion, one
week to completion, one day to completion. Within the administered survey respondents were
asked two indicators to participate in a follow-up interview to gather qualitative data. The two
questions corresponded with the participants’ academic history and asked if the participant took
a leave of absence from the program. The survey consisted of 46 questions, which took an
estimated 15-20 minutes for participants to complete. Secondly, the respondents were asked
about their willingness to participate in a follow-up interview. If the respondent selected yes,
they were prompted to provide first name, last name, email address, and phone number. The
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

76
researcher used the participant contact information for the second part of the data collection
process.
The second part of survey administration was interviews. Qualified respondents were
contacted to provide availability to schedule a follow-up interview. The researcher conducted
interviews while simultaneously contacting other qualified respondents through email and phone.
Interviews took place over a two-month time-frame. Interviews took place on the Adobe
Connect platform provided by USC Rossier School of Education. Interviews were recorded to
ensure accuracy of data collected. The researcher coded interviews to identify themes among
participants to answer research questions identified for the study.
Participating Stakeholders
Participants of the study were enrolled in the Social Work Academic Group Online
Center as a requirement to participate in the study. Demographic information was gathered for
all respondents of the survey. The survey was distributed to 1,802 students of the Social Work
Academic Group Online Center who met the criteria of enrollment in the Social Work Academic
Group Online Center for at least one semester. Of the 1,802 student participants, 250 students
successfully completed the survey. Participants were asked to identify basic demographic
questions include age range, gender, program start, and location. Results showed a mode of 56
respondents in the age range of 31-35. Furthermore, data concluded that 37 students were above
the age of 50+. Table 5 displays the age range of all 250 respondents and their frequency.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

77
Table 5
Age of Participants
Age 21-25 25-30 31-35 36-40 41-45 46-50 50+
Frequency 22 63 56 30 24 18 37

Similar to the demographic of the school, gender was identified in demographic
questions. Participants were asked to identify “Gender” in question 2 where 249 students
responded, one student respondent selected to not identify a gender on the survey. Respondents
reported 85.54% female and 14.46% male. The response rate for gender was expected as the
demographic of the Social Work Academic Group is comprised of 90% female and 10% male.
Figure 2 displays respondents by gender.

Figure 2. Participant gender

14.46%
85.54%
Q2: Gender Percentage
Male Female
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

78
One of the demographic questions in the survey asked “When did you start the program?”
Figure 3 displays the start date of students that participated in the survey. Student participants
began as early as 2013 (1) and as recently as 2017 (93).

Figure 3. Participant program start year

Survey item six asked students to “Identify the state in which you reside.” Results
displayed in Figure 4 show, with a mode of 125, that 50% of participants resided in California.

2 1
62
91
93
Q5: When did you start the program?
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

79

Figure 4. Location by state

Of the 125 respondents in California, 90 answered yes to “Do you reside in Southern
California?” California residents comprised 50% of total respondents; furthermore, 36% of total
respondents resided in Southern California. The location results were as expected by the
researcher as previous demographic data showed that 25-30% of students lived in Southern
California, close to the University.
Interview participants provided findings for the study. Three participants were assigned
pseudonyms for protection of their identities. Each participant took a leave of absence from the
Master’s of Social Work program at the Social Work Academic Group Online Center and
volunteered to participate in the interview. Table 6 displays demographic information for
interview participants.
Having participants with different ages, genders, and locations allowed the researcher to
have a robust set of answers among both the survey and interview data.
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Alabama
Arizona
California
Delaware
Florida
Hawaii
Indiana
Kansas
Louisiana
Maryland
MIchigan
Mississippi
Nevada
New Mexico
North Carolina
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
South Dakota
Texas
Virginia
Wyoming
Q6: Location by State
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

80
Table 6
Interview Participant Demographics
Name
(Pseudonym) Age Gender
Program
Start Year Location
Southern
California
Leave of
Absence
Leave of
Absence
Reason
Tanja 50+ Female 2014 California Yes Yes Financial
Michael 31-35 Male 2013 California Yes Yes Personal
Brie 36-40 Female 2016 New York No Yes Academic

Results and Findings Overview
Literature explored the growth of education and the challenge of online student retention.
The literature was then focused on knowledge, motivation, and organizational factors that affect
student success in online education and causes for student attrition. The assumed knowledge
influences are that students need to have prior knowledge of online learning to be successful in
the online environment, students need to find curriculum engaging and interesting, and students
need to know the program can be completed within the provided enrollment length. The
assumed motivational influences include the following: students need to have a sense of
belonging and find value in participation, and students need to feel that the investment in school
is worth the cost of tuition which they have paid. Organizational influences are that the students’
learning environment is supportive and students’ learning is supported through resources
provided by the organization. Table 7 displays a summary of the assumed influences that guide
the conceptual framework of the study. These influences are factors that are assumed to
influence student retention in online education at the Social Work Academic Group Online
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

81
Center, and will be necessary to achieve the organizational goal of 100% retention rate by May
2020.

Table 7
Assumed Influences
Influence Type Assumed Influence
Knowledge
Procedural Students need to have prior knowledge of online learning to be
successful in the online environment.
Conceptual Students need to find curriculum engaging and interesting.
Metacognitive Students need to know the program can be completed within the
provided enrollment length.
Motivation
Self-efficacy Students need an increased self-efficacy in the classroom through
a sense of belonging and participation.
Perceived cost Students need to feel that the investment in school is worth the
cost of tuition which they have paid.
Organization
Cultural model The students’ learning environment is supportive.
Cultural setting Students’ learning is supported through resources provided by the
organization.

The following section provides results of the study and is arranged in three categories:
knowledge results, motivation results, and organizational results, as per the Clark and Estes
(2008) model. Quantitative data are presented first, then supported by qualitative data collected
throughout the study. Data collected was then synthesized to identify themes among students.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

82
Results and Findings for Assumed Knowledge Influences
This section of the study focused on the knowledge that would be necessary for students
to achieve success at the Social Work Academic Group Online Center. The data collected from
surveys and interviews either validated or did not validate the assumed influences of the study.
The assumed influences are described in Table 8.

Table 8
Knowledge Influences
Influence Type Assumed Influence
Knowledge
Procedural Students need to have prior knowledge of online learning to be
successful in the online environment.
Conceptual Students need to find curriculum engaging and interesting.
Metacognitive Students need to know the program can be completed within the
provided enrollment length.

Rueda (2011) suggests that it is important to understand what knowledge is required to
achieve a goal. For the purpose of this study, the necessary knowledge is focused around student
success. Oguz et al. (2015) stated that organizations must look at student demographics when
admitting students into the online program.
Students Need to Have Prior Knowledge of Online Learning to be Successful in the Online
Environment
The survey responses were divided on previous knowledge of online programs. In the
study, Question 8 asked students to answer yes or no to the statement “I have taken courses in
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

83
distance education prior to my experience at the Social Work Academic Group.” Gaytan (2015)
suggests that many students are new to the online environment and only have history of on-
campus classroom interactions. Prior knowledge of online programs allows students to navigate
through the online learning environment more smoothly than those who do not have this
background. The student participants in the study had previous experience in online education at
another institution, as seen in Figure 5. The data reports that 50.4% of students have taken
online coursework, while 49.6% have not taken online coursework prior to the experience at the
Social Work Academic Group Online Center.

Figure 5. Online course history

50.40%
49.60%
Yes No
49.00%
49.20%
49.40%
49.60%
49.80%
50.00%
50.20%
50.40%
50.60%
Q: 8 I HAVE TAKEN COURSES IN DISTANCE EDUCATION PRIOR TO MY
EXPERIENCE AT SWAGOC
Yes No
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

84
Interview data provided similar results. Two of the three interview participants, Brie and
Michael, have never taken online courses prior to the Social Work Academic Group, while Tanja
experienced online education courses in her undergraduate degree. Michael, although never
having taken online courses before, selected the Social Work Academic Group Online Center
because “at the time I was living abroad and looked to move back to California within a few
months. This program provided convenience to earn an MSW from a reputable university.”
Furthermore, Brie reported, “I questioned online education before but because the way this
program is set up I felt confident going into it.” Tanja, the interviewee that reported history in
online education stated, “I have taken courses online but nothing like this, I never saw the
students or the instructor before, this is much more fun and I like interacting with other
students.” The interview respondents reported convenience, selectivity, and a predisposition to
online learning. Oguz et al. (2015) stated online education appeals to students in different
demographics than just the surrounding university.
The survey results and interview findings provide background information of the student
respondents. Results and findings show that students that enrolled at the Social Work Academic
Group Online Center vary in academic background. More so, from the interview findings, it is
concluded that students select the SWAGOC MSW program for various reasons including
convenience, selectivity, and a predisposition to learning. The assumed influence that students
need to have prior knowledge of online learning to be successful in the online environment was
not validated through the study.
Students Need to Find Curriculum Engaging and Interesting
The respondents were strongly sided regarding engagement and interest in the
curriculum. In the study, students were asked to identify if “I find the curriculum engaging and
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

85
interesting.” Furthermore, students were asked to identify if “My instructors make the content
engaging.” Lukaitis and Davey (2010) suggested that student engagement with curriculum is
integral to student success in the program. Furthermore, Ramsburg and Youmans (2013)
indicate student knowledge retention is higher when the student is engaged with content.
Regarding instructor engagement, Allen and Seaman (2011) found that organizations need
faculty investment in the online environment for students to succeed. Of the student respondents
in the study, 241 identified Agree or Strongly Agree with the statement that “I find the
curriculum engaging and interesting,” resulting in nine students that marked Strongly Disagree
or Disagree. Respondents of the study identified 239 times (95% of students) that they Agreed
or Strongly Agreed with the statement that “My instructor makes the content engaging.” Only
11 students Disagreed or Strongly Disagreed with the statement regarding the instructor, which
accounts for 4% of student respondents. Figure 6 displays survey results.

Figure 6. Interest and engagement

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Curriculum and Content
Q31: My instructors make the content engaging Q30: I find the curriculum engaging and interesting
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

86
Interview findings support the survey data. Interviewees provided feedback on the
experience of the program. Michael stated, “the curriculum is engaging, but I think it’s more of
the instructor than I do the content.” Brie further stated, “I think this is interesting, this is why I
wanted to become a social worker.” Tanja also stated, “this stuff really makes you think. It
makes me wonder why more people don’t go into this profession. It really has got me interested
in school but there’s a couple topics [like research] that I am not a fan of.” Engagement in
curriculum is integral to student success in the online environment, supporting Sutton’s (2014)
findings that coursework keeps students engaged in online learning. Student engagement helps
student retention as students are interested in program and content and are more likely to
complete the program when interested. Interview findings and survey results validate the
assumed knowledge influence that students need to find curriculum engaging and interesting.
Students Need to Know the Program Can Be Completed Within the Provided Enrollment
Length
The respondents of the survey were asked about their ability to complete the coursework
within the provided program length. Respondents were asked to provide feedback on course
rigor and whether or not content should be reviewed by the school. Deng and Tavares (2013)
stated that students will enroll in a program that they know they can finish. Students that feel
that they cannot complete the coursework are removed from the content and have a higher
probability to drop out (Frydenberg, 2007). Figure 7 displays data gathered that measured
students’ mindset on the ability to complete the program and the course rigor. The data collected
displays 234 students Strongly Agree or Agree with the statement “The coursework can be
completed within my program length,” while 16 students Disagreed or Strongly Disagreed with
the statement. The program was found to be rigorous and challenging by 239 respondents as
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

87
they Strongly Agreed or Agreed with the statement “The program is rigorous and challenging,”
while 11 students Disagreed with this statement. The survey results responded to the last
statement of “The coursework is too strenuous and should be reviewed by the school” with 182
that Disagreed or Strongly Disagreed and 68 that Strongly Agreed or Agreed with the statement.
This data shows that, although the coursework is rigorous and challenging, student respondents
still find course completion achievable within the program length in which they enrolled.

Figure 7. Course completion

Interview participants provided more information about their circumstances regarding
program completion. Michael shared that he took a leave of absence from the program for
“personal reasons” as he was “moving back to the United States and needed time to move and
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree
Course Completion
Q27: The program is rigorous and challenging
Q28: The coursework can be completed within my program length
Q29: The coursework is too strenuous and should be reviewed by the school
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

88
settle before completing the program.” Michael continued, stating, “If I did not take the leave, I
would have completed the program in the four semesters as planned.” Brie stated in her
interview that:
I took a leave because of academics. The program was very tough for me and I needed a
mental break from the work. It started to take a toll on my confidence because I’m used
to getting it. In school I never had problems before this program.
Tanja, who responded to the survey that she took a leave for financial reasons, shared during her
interview that:
[T]he program is doable to complete if you are prepared for the sacrifice of school. I was
not, I have children and grandchildren to take care of, family is my priority. I think I
could’ve finished the program in six semesters but it was getting challenging to juggle
everything in life.
Although life circumstances provided challenges for the interview participants, they believed that
they could finish the program within the provided program length, supporting Deng and
Tavares’s (2013) claim that students will enroll in a program that can be completed. The
assumed knowledge influence that students need to know the program can be completed within
the provided enrollment length was validated through the data collected in this study.
Summary for Assumed Knowledge Influences Results and Findings
Three knowledge influences were assumed for the study. Only two of the three
influences were validated with the collected data through both interviews and surveys. Survey
results found that the majority of students found curriculum engaging and had the knowledge
that they would complete the program within the provided program length from enrollment.
However, data displayed that student knowledge of online education prior to enrollment at the
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

89
Social Work Academic Group Online Center was divided — close to even among the
respondents. The interview findings supported survey results, as student enrollment in previous
online coursework was not a factor in student success. Furthermore, interview participants
believed that the coursework can be completed within the program length of the university.
Table 9 provides a summary of results for the assumed knowledge influences of the study.

Table 9
Validation Status for Knowledge Influences
Influence Type Assumed Influence Validated
Knowledge

Procedural Students need to have prior knowledge of online
learning to be successful in the online environment.
No
Conceptual Students need to find curriculum engaging and
interesting.
Yes
Metacognitive Students need to know the program can be completed
within the provided enrollment length.
Yes

Results and Findings for Assumed Motivation Influences
The second section of the study focused on the motivational influences that would be
necessary for students to achieve student success at the Social Work Academic Group Online
Center. The data collected from surveys and interviews either validated or did not validate the
assumed influences of the study. The assumed influences are described in Table 10.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

90
Table 10
Motivation Influences
Influence Type Assumed Influence
Motivation
Self-efficacy Students need an increased self-efficacy in the classroom through a
sense of belonging and participation.
Perceived cost Students need to feel that the investment in school is worth the cost
of tuition which they have paid.

Students Need an Increased Self-Efficacy in the Classroom Through a Sense of Belonging
and Participation
Student confidence in the classroom is important to student retention and success. As
students have higher self-efficacy, they perform better in the classroom (Pajares, 2006). Positive
self-efficacy allows students to be more motivated in the classroom and build relationships with
faculty, staff, and other students. The survey participants were asked to rank their relationships
with faculty, students, and staff of the program. Deng and Tavares (2013) found that social
networks allow students to stay connected and build community. Students are socially motivated
to complete the program when having a relationship with faculty, staff, or students of the
program (Deng & Tavares, 2013). Survey respondents were asked in question 10 to rank the
statement “I have a relationship with faculty of the program.” Of the survey participants, 168
Strongly Agreed or Agreed with the statement, while 72 selected Disagree or Strongly Disagree.
Additionally, students were asked in question 11 to respond to the statement “I have a personal
relationship with staff of the program.” The data collected resulted in 106 students that selected
Strongly Agree or Agree while 143 students selected Disagree or Strongly Disagree, and one
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

91
student opted to not answer the question. Moreover, students were asked to respond to the
statement “I have a personal relationship with other students of the program.” Survey results
displayed that 200 students Strongly Agreed or Agreed with the statement, while 49 Disagreed or
Strongly Disagreed with the statement, and one student did not answer the survey question.
Figure 8 displays the results of the survey data. Deng and Tavares (2013) wrote that an
organization’s role is to provide methods for community building and networking. As found in
the data, the sense of belonging in the program is measured by the relationships that respondents
had to students, faculty, and staff. Results show strong relationships with faculty and students of
the program, while relationships with staff were not as strong.

Figure 8. Student relationships

35
141
50
22
15
91
112
31
70
130
40
9
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Relationship with faculty, staff, and students
Q12: I have a relationship with other students of the program
Q11: I have a relationship with staff of the program
Q10: I have a relationship with faculty of the program
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

92
Findings from interviews provided a richer perspective into the relationships with faculty,
staff, and students. Tanja provided a rather interesting statement when asked about relationships
in the program:
I do not have relationships with other students, faculty, or staff members. I tend to keep
to myself and since I’m at home for classes don’t need to interact with them. That’s one
of the reasons why I picked online courses, because I did not want to interact with other
students on a daily basis.
Tanja’s statement was quite contrary to Michael’s experience. Tanja stated that she selected
online education because of the disconnect from other students. Her choice was to not get
connected or build relationships. On the contrary, Michael stated:
Upon moving back to California we stayed in Los Angeles for the last year of my
program which made my experience more unique than other students. I was placed
within the school and built strong relationships as I worked with faculty and staff on a
daily basis. I tried my best to meet up with local students as well to continue building my
network. I even had the opportunity to engage with students for the on-ground program,
which shaped my experience a lot. I was familiar with both and connected to the school
through my placement.
The final interview participant, Brie, stated, “I have relationships with other students but not with
faculty and staff. I don’t hear much from faculty after the course is over and I don’t interact
much with staff unless I need something.” The interview participants here provide key feedback
regarding a sense of belonging and relationships in the program. Deng and Tavares’s (2013)
statement that organizations need to provide methods for students to build community is further
reinforced through interview feedback.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

93
Findings and results have concluded that students at the Social Work Academic Group
have community and a sense of belonging with the school. The sense of community in the
school allows students to be more confident in their learning, having a positive effect on their
self-efficacy. Whether it be through faculty, staff, or other students, a sense of community is
present at the Social Work Academic Group Online Center. The assumed motivational influence
of a sense of belonging is validated through the data selected.
Students Need to Feel That the Investment in School is Worth the Cost of Tuition Which
They Have Paid
The respondents of the survey were asked questions regarding the program’s cost and
quality of education. Bogue and Hall (2003) stated that a high quality program motivates
students to do well in school. Furthermore, Bogue and Hall (2003) continued to state that it is in
the organization’s best interest to maintain high academic ranking to motivate students to enroll
and please organizational stakeholders. Students were asked to provide feedback regarding the
cost and quality of the program in the statement, “The cost of attendance is justified by the
quality of education I am receiving.” Of the 250 total student participants, 115 Strongly Agreed
or Agreed with the statement, while 135 Disagreed or Strongly Disagreed with the statement.
Results showed that 54% of students either disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement
regarding the utility value of the program. In this scenario, the majority of student respondents
identified the program quality, not justifying the cost of attendance. The tuition of the program
in 2017 is reported to be $104,000. Figure 9 displays the results of the survey data.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

94

Figure 9. Cost of attendance

Findings from the interviews presented interesting statements by the student participants.
Brie stated:
The cost is too high and it seems to increase every year. I’m going to be a social worker
and am concerned about paying off student debt once I graduate. I’m paying for the
reputation of the school because I can get the same degree at another school for a quarter
of the price.
Tanja shared similar thoughts as she stated, “The education is great, but the price tag is way too
high for most students. I do not want to see the price in 5-10 years from now.” Michael shared
similar thoughts as he stated, “I’m receiving a great education, but I wish the school would
provide more financial support for the students. I’m going to be paying this student loan off until
my daughter graduates college.” Although the interviewees believed it is a high-quality
education, they shared concerns about the cost of tuition.
26, 10%
89, 36%
92, 37%
43, 17%
Q39: The cost of attendance is justified by the quality of
education I am receiving
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

95
Results and findings provided a clearer picture of student motivation. The assumed
motivational influence that students need to feel that the investment in school is worth the cost of
tuition which they have paid is not validated.
Summary of Assumed Motivation Influences Results
Two assumed influences were identified for the study. Many student respondents
reported having relationships with faculty, students, or staff. Two of the three interview
participants reinforced this information. The relationships in the program help support social
motivation to complete the program, validating this assumed influence. Conversely, most
students responded that the cost of attendance is not worth the education that they are receiving,
making this assumed influence not valid. Interview participants continued to share concerns
about the cost of attendance and lack of financial support from the school. Table 11 provides a
summary of results for the assumed motivation influences of the study.

Table 11
Validation Status for Motivation Influences
Influence Type:
Motivation Assumed Influence Validated
Self-efficacy Students need an increased self-efficacy in the classroom
through a sense of belonging and participation.
Yes
Perceived Students need to feel that the investment in school is worth
the cost of tuition which they have paid.
No

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

96
Results and Findings for Assumed Organizational Influences
The third results section is focused around organizational influences that would be
necessary for students to achieve student success at the Social Work Academic Group Online
Center. The data collected from surveys and interviews either validated or did not validate the
assumed influences of the study. Assumed organizational influences are described in Table 12.

Table 12
Organizational Influences
Influence Type:
Organization Assumed Influence
Cultural model Students’ learning environment does not promote community or
inclusion.
Cultural setting Students’ learning is supported through resources provided by the
organization.

Students Must Feel That They Are Supported As They Matriculate Through the Program
The survey participants were asked to rank their feeling of support from personal, school,
and curriculum or coursework. Gaytan (2015) found that students that lack institutional support
are more likely to drop out of an online program. Supporting Gaytan’s claim that institutional
support is necessary is the question “I feel supported by the school to succeed in the program.”
Results show that 208 students either Strongly Agreed or Agreed with the statement, while 42
Disagreed or Strongly Disagreed with the statement. Survey respondents displayed that
institutional support at the Social Work Academic Group Online Center is strong. More so,
academic motivation is integral to student success (Lukaitis & Davey, 2010). Academic
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

97
motivation is the personal motivation for a student to do well in the classroom. The survey
respondents were asked if “The program curriculum is supporting my desire to become a social
worker.” The data collected resulted in 235 students stated that they Strongly Agreed or Agreed
with the statement, while 12 students Disagreed or Strongly Disagreed with the statement.
Students that are supported in their motivation to learn have a higher success rate than those that
are not supported by curriculum (Kim & Frick, 2011). More so, Kim and Frick (2011) stated
that supportive curriculum increases student interest resulting in greater student attention.
Furthermore, Kim and Frick (2011) continued to identify elements such as sequencing, pacing,
and access as integral factors to student support in curriculum. Figure 10 displays the degrees of
support from the school and through the curriculum.

Figure 10. Organizational support

0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree
Organizational Support
Q34: The program curriculum is supporting my desire to become a social worker
Q42: I feel supported by the school to succeed in the program
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

98
Survey results and interview findings concluded that the assumed influence that students
must feel that they are supported as they matriculate through the program is validated through
the data collected.
Students’ Learning is Supported Through Resources Provided by the Organization
The survey respondents were asked to provide feedback on various support initiatives
which the organization has committed to, including career and professional development
workshops, writing coaches, tutoring services, and coaching and time management services.
These various support services have been provided to students of the Social Work Academic
Group Online Center. Aichouni et al. (2013) identify the organization’s opportunity to
strengthen the capacity for research, information sharing, cultural creation and performance
through supporting student success. More so, Caballé (2010) found that student support services
build community and enhance knowledge retention and engagement for online learners.
Students were surveyed regarding their participation in various student support services provided
by the school. The statement “I have participated in career and professional development
workshops” received 54 students that Strongly Agreed or Agreed with the statement, while 195
students Disagreed or Strongly Disagreed with the statement, and one student did not answer the
question. The statement “I have used the writing coaches in the school” received 134 students
that Strongly Agreed or Agreed with the statement, 115 students that Disagreed or Strongly
Disagreed with the statement, and one student that did not answer the question. Seventy-five
students replied to the statement, “I have used the tutoring services in the school,” with Strongly
Agree or Agree, 172 students Disagreed or Strongly Disagreed, and three students did not answer
the question. The statement of “I have used the coaching and time management services in the
school,” received 57 responses of Strongly Agree or Agree, 190 responses of Disagree or
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

99
Strongly Disagree, and three students that did not respond to the statement. Figure 11 displays
the survey results organized by question to graphically display the quantitative data.

Figure 11. Student support services

Interview findings support the data collected in the surveys as the interview participants
were unaware of various support services. When asked to identify support in the school,
Michael responded saying, “I have participated in the job placement process as I am nearing the
end of my program.” Aligning with survey data, Tanja stated, “I do not feel supported by the
school at times, I only hear from my advisor when it’s time to register.” Brie continued to align
with the survey results, stating, “I have participated in writing coaches help for a couple papers,
but it is very difficult to meet with them.” Interview data supports survey data to conclude the
underutilization of support services by the students. Furthermore, data shows that 78% of
respondents did not participate in career and professional development workshops, 69.6% of
9
46
28
17
45
88
47
40
138
72
117
134
57
43
55 56
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
Q19: I have participated in
the career and professional
development workshops
Q21: I have used the writing
coaches in the school
Q23: I have used the
tutoring services in the
school
Q25: I have used the
coaching and time
management services in the
school
Use of Student Support Services
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

100
respondents have not used tutoring services provided by the school, and 76.9% of respondents
have not participated in coaching and time management services provided by the school. Data
collected displayed that 54.2% of students have participated in the writing coaches’ services;
other student support services reported used 30.4% for tutoring, 22% for career and professional
development, and 23.1% for coaching and time management services. The assumed
organizational influence that students’ learning is supported through resources provided by the
organization is not validated by the data as collected.
Summary for Assumed Organizational Influences Results
Two assumed organizational influences were predetermined for the study. Both assumed
organizational influences were determined to be integral to meet the organizational goal. The
organization provides a supportive learning environment which is validated with 80% of
respondents reporting that the school and curriculum support student success. However, with
respect to the student support services provided by the organization an average of 68.9% of
students were not utilizing the support services provided by the school, which determined the
second influence to be invalid. Table 13 provides a summary of results for the assumed
organizational influences of the study.

Table 13
Validation Status for Organizational Influences
Influence Type:
Organization Assumed Influence Validated
Cultural model The students’ learning environment is supportive. Yes
Cultural setting Students’ learning is supported through resources
provided by the organization.
No

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

101
Summary of Knowledge, Motivation, and Organizational Results
Assumed knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences must be considered
validated when results provided evidence that the student stakeholders at the Social Work
Academic Group Online Center have a gap in knowledge, lack motivation, and are experiencing
obstacles within the organization. Table 14 provides a detailed list of the assumed knowledge,
motivation, and organizational influences and their validation status.

Table 14
Assumed Influences Summary
Influence Type Assumed Influence Validated
Knowledge
Procedural Students need to have prior knowledge of online
learning to be successful in the online environment.
No
Conceptual Students need to find curriculum engaging and
interesting.
Yes
Metacognitive Students need to know the program can be completed
within the provided enrollment length.
Yes
Motivation

Self-efficacy Students need an increased self-efficacy in the
classroom through a sense of belonging and
participation.
Yes
Perceived Students need to feel that the investment in school is
worth the cost of tuition which they have paid.
No
Organization
Cultural model The students’ learning environment is supportive. Yes
Cultural setting Students’ learning is supported through resources
provided by the organization.
No

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

102
Summary of Results and Findings
The assumed influences for the study were either found validated or not validated from
the data collected in the study. However, of all the assumed influences that were identified, four
were found validated: (1) knowledge influence two, “Students need to find curriculum engaging
and interesting,” (2) knowledge influence three, “Students need to know the program can be
completed within the provided enrollment length,” (3) motivational influence one, “Students
need an increased self-efficacy in the classroom through a sense of belonging and participation,”
and (4) organizational influence one, “The students’ learning environment is supportive.” Table
15 describes the validation of each assumed influence alongside the respective survey and/or
interview question/s. Each of these validated influences will be further explored and addressed
in Chapter 5 alongside with recommendations for the organization to address research question
three.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

103

Table 15
Traceability Matrix
Assumed Influence
Overall
Validated
Survey
Qs Validated
Interview
Qs Validated
Knowledge
Students need to have prior knowledge
of online learning to be successful in the
online environment. (P)
N Q8 N Q1, Q2 N
Students need to find curriculum
engaging and interesting. (C)
Y Q30,
Q31
Y Q2, Q3 Y
Students need to know the program can
be completed within the provided
enrollment length. (M)
Y Q27,
Q28,
Q29
Y Q4, Q5,
Q6
N
Motivation
Students need an increased self-efficacy
in the classroom through a sense of
belonging and participation. (Self-
Efficacy)
Y Q10,
Q11,
Q12
Y Q3, Q7,
Q9
Y
Students need to feel that the investment
in school is worth the cost of tuition
which they have paid. (Value)
N Q39 N Q9, Q10,
Q11,
Q12
N
Organization
The students’ learning environment is
supportive. (CM)
Y Q34,
Q42
Y Q5, Q7,
Q12
N
Students’ learning is supported through
resources provided by the organization.
(CS)
N Q19,
Q21,
Q23,
Q25
N Q6, Q7,
Q12
N

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

104
CHAPTER 5
SOLUTIONS AND INTEGRATED IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION PLANS
Chapter 4 presented results and findings from the participants. The first and second
research questions were addressed regarding influences upon student engagement in online
education at the Social Work Academic Group. The results and findings were shared using
Clark and Estes’ (2008) gap analysis model of knowledge, motivation, and organizational
influences. Findings were gathered together to create themes that resulted in the development of
a potential recommendation plan for practice. Chapter 5 addresses the final research question:
3. What are the recommendations for organizational practice in the areas of knowledge,
motivation, and organizational resources?
This chapter uses the Clark and Estes (2008) framework, like Chapters 2 and 4, to guide
the recommended findings for practice. An evaluation plan is presented using the New World
Kirkpatrick Model (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016), which follows recommendations for
knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences that would be integrated into solutions for
the organization. Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) constructed a model based on four levels of
planning: results, behavior, learning, and reaction. In using Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick’s model
in the recommended solutions, the researcher recommended an effective plan to discuss gaps in
the organizational framework that need further development to reach the organization goal of
100% retention rate in the Social Work Academic Group Online Center. Lastly, Chapter 5
concludes with strengths and weaknesses of the study, limitations and delimitations, and
recommendations for future study.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

105
Recommendations for Practice to Address KMO Influences
In this study, 250 students enrolled in the Social Work Academic Group Online Center
were surveyed regarding their experiences related to their role of student in the organization. Of
the students surveyed, three students took part in follow-up interviews and offered more
information regarding the connectedness to the university and challenges that they faced as
distance education students. The review and analysis of the data from the participants verified
various suggestions found in the literature. Literature suggests that students in the online
community have specific influences that affect their success in the online learning environment
(Aichouni et al., 2013; Gaytan, 2015; Kim & Frick, 2011; Lukaitis & Davey, 2010). Knowledge,
motivational, and organizational influences contributed to the Social Work Academic Group
Online Center retention rate and student success rates. Online programs report a higher attrition
rate than that of the on-campus counterpart (Frydenberg, 2007). Those that reported challenges
in online education were aware of the obstacles faced during the online learning process but felt
that they can succeed and complete the program to obtain the Master’s of Social Work from the
Social Work Academic Group Online Center.
Knowledge Recommendations
The knowledge influencers to aid the Social Work Academic Group Online Center reach
its organizational goal of 100% retention rate were supported by data analysis of 250 survey
respondents and findings from three interviews of the student stakeholders. The literature
presented in Chapter 2 gave foundation for the assumed knowledge influence for the Social
Work Academic Group Online Center. Engagement and community were identified as
foundational to the success of students in online learning environments. Students need to have
prior knowledge of online learning to be successful in the online environment. Gaytan (2015)
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

106
discovered that many students in the online environment were new to online learning. These
students did not know how to succeed in the online classroom and needed to make adjustments
to succeed in distance education (Gaytan, 2015; Oguz et al., 2015). Curriculum must be
interesting and engaging for students to stay active in online education. More so, student
engagement with curriculum is an important component to student success (Lukaitis & Davey,
2010). Furthermore, student knowledge retention was found to be higher when students were
engaged with curriculum (Ramsburg & Youmans, 2013; Sutton, 2014). Students needed
confidence and understanding that the program can be completed (Deng & Tavares, 2013). In
addition, students in the online environment need to know that they can complete the program of
study (Frydenberg, 2007). Derived from the data in this study, it was found that students at the
Social Work Academic Group Online Center were affected by previous learning experiences,
engagement with the curriculum, and the ability to complete the program.
Krathwohl (2002) defined four knowledge types: factual, conceptual, procedural, and
metacognitive. These four knowledge types explain the evolution of knowledge from cognition
to practice. In this study, three types of knowledge were assumed, but only two were validated
by the data collected. The first validated influence was procedural — assuming students need to
understand best practices for online learning. The second knowledge type that was validated by
the study is conceptual. Conceptual knowledge is based on relationships and understanding. At
the Social Work Academic Group Online Center students built relationships with interesting and
engaging curriculum. Lastly, the final knowledge type was metacognitive. Metacognition is the
awareness of knowledge. In this knowledge type students are aware that they can complete the
program within the enrolled time-frame.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

107
Introduction. Table 16 shows various knowledge influences that were suggested by the
literature review and frequency of suggestions mentioned by participants in the study. The
knowledge influences in Table 16 indicates the knowledge influences upon which students
completed the Master’s of Social Work program, validated by the data collected in the study.
According to Clark and Estes (2008), applied knowledge and skills are integral to the success of
the organization, furthermore, the ability to explain declarative knowledge. Table 16 outlines
knowledge influences impacting student retention and engagement in online education and is
validated through the data collection and recommendations to achieve the organizational goal.

Table 16
Summary of Knowledge Influences and Recommendations
Assumed Knowledge
Influence: Cause, Need,
or Asset*
Validated
Yes, High
Probability,
or No
(V, HP, N)
Priority
Yes, No
(Y, N) Principle and Citation
Context-Specific
Recommendation
Students need to have
prior knowledge of online
learning to be successful
in the online
environment. (P)
N Y Not a priority.
Not validated
Students need to find
curriculum engaging and
interesting. (C)
Y, HP N Procedural knowledge
increases when
declarative knowledge
required to perform
the skill is available or
known (Clark & Estes,
2008).
Include reflection in
course content to
allow students to find
personal importance
to curriculum.
Students need to know
the program can be
completed within the
provided enrollment
length. (M)
Y, HP Y Learning is highly
dependent on “goal-
directed practice” and
“targeted feedback”
(Ambrose, 2010).
Create scheduler to
increase students’
understanding of
graduate student
expectations towards
the school schedule.
Note: (C)onceptual; (P)rocedural; (M)etacognitive
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

108
Conceptual knowledge solutions, or description of needs or assets. Students need to
find the curriculum engaging and interesting. Literature suggested students need to be invested
in the content that they are learning to succeed in a program (Lukaitis & Davey, 2010).
Increased student retention was found to be higher when students were engaged with curriculum
(Sutton, 2014). Furthermore, student engagement with curriculum increases knowledge and
enhances learning for all students (Ramsburg & Youmans, 2013). Increased conceptual
knowledge of the student stakeholders positively affects student retention through the
engagement of content.
Key actions to be implemented by the organization to increase student retention include
building student connectedness through curriculum (Oguz et al., 2015). In addition, a
relationship with curriculum is built through the use of personal experience, reflection, and
engagement through content (Cosgrove & Olitsky, 2015). The recommended course of action to
discuss conceptual knowledge gaps found in data collection is outlined in Table 17. Actions for
improving procedural knowledge of students’ academic success in online education include
increasing reflection in curriculum to allow students to engage personally with course content.
Integrated student engagement in the online environment through coursework will positively
affect change to increase community in online education. Organizational leadership will support
the construct of the importance of student engagement by highlighting student engagement in the
online classroom with faculty.
Metacognitive knowledge solutions, or description of needs or assets. Students need
to find program completion attainable. Students need the confidence to know that they can reach
the degree that they started (Frydenberg, 2007). Furthermore, Frydenberg (2007) said that
students that feel program completion is unattainable have a higher probability of dropping out.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

109
Sequencing and pacing are integral for students during online learning (Kim & Frick, 2011).
Increased student knowledge will increase student retention at the Social Work Academic Group
Online Center.
Key actions implemented by the organization to increase student retention include
increased planning for student achievement. Students must be provided with a plan for
completion (Bogue & Hall, 2003). Kim and Frick (2011) suggest that increasing student
confidence for program completion is important to student retention. The recommended course
of action to discuss conceptual knowledge gaps found in data collection were outlined in Table
17. The action for improving student metacognition is using curriculum planning. Kim and
Frick (2011) found that students perform well in a structured environment. The organization will
provide a plan for completing the program within the four semester, six semester, or eight
semester plan. The curriculum plan will provide students with a visible representation of the
program of study allowing the students to track progress towards graduation. Organizational
leadership will support the construction of curriculum plans to provide to students upon
admission.
Motivation Recommendations
After analysis of data collected from surveys of 250 respondents and interviews of three
students at the Social Work Academic Group Online Center, one motivational influence upon
student retention and engagement was validated. Students need increased self-efficacy in the
classroom through a sense of belonging and participation. Literature suggested that student
motivation is a factor in student success in online education. Support with the school increases
the students’ connectedness and reinforces community (Deng & Tavares, 2013). A sense of
inclusion fosters opportunity and enhances communication among online students (Aichouni et
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

110
al., 2013). More so, Lukaitis and Davey (2010) found that students perform well when engaged
with both curriculum and each other. Relationships with students, faculty, and staff motivate
other students towards program completion (Deng & Tavares, 2013). The review of literature
provided assumed theories in which motivational influences for student attrition in online
learning were focused on self-efficacy. The students’ personal belief to achieve a task will
influence the choice to pursue a particular goal (Pajares, 2006). Positive self-efficacy is
commonly related to one’s ability to meet goals because of self-motivation, persistence, and
effort. Additionally, literature supports the concept of self-efficacy among students (Eccles,
2006), student success (Kim & Frick, 2011) and motivation to learn (Lukaitis & Davey, 2010).
Through data collection, it was uncovered that students in the online learning environment varied
from task to task as the program progressed. Efficacy to complete the program varied depending
on life circumstances that challenged students to complete the program.
Rueda (2011) categorized motivational influences into three classifications: self-efficacy,
attributions, goal and values. These motivation types provided reasons for student success in
education. In this study, two motivation types were assumed, but only one was validated by the
data collected. Students needed to have a sense of belonging and find value in participation.
Literature further suggests that students with increased self-efficacy retain more knowledge and
perform better in the classroom (Cosgrove & Olitsky, 2015). At the Social Work Academic
Group Online Center students need to build relationships with faculty, staff, and other students to
sustain motivation in the educational process.
Introduction. Prior to data collection, literature suggested that students in online
education were lacking community and social motivation. The data collection process results in
the validation of specific motivational influences present at the SWAG OC. It is proposed by
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

111
Clark and Estes (2008) that motivation is connected to choice, effort, and persistence. The
motivation influences in Table 17 represent the list of likely motivational influences validated by
data collection.

Table 17
Summary of Motivation Influences and Recommendations
Assumed Motivation
Influence: Cause,
Need, or Asset*
Validated
Yes, High
Probability,
or No
(V, HP, N)
Priority
Yes, No
(Y, N) Principle and Citation
Context-Specific
Recommendation
Students need an
increased self-
efficacy in the
classroom through a
sense of belonging
and participation.
(SE)
Y, HP Y Expectancy Value (Eccles,
2006).
Motivation is highest when
individuals are doing tasks
that are interesting and
meaningful (Eccles, 2006).
Individuals are more likely to
engage in an activity when it
provides value to them.
(Eccles, 2006).
Effective observational
learning is achieved by first
organizing and rehearsing
modeled behaviors, then
enacting it overtly (Ambrose,
2010).
Self-efficacy is increased as
individuals succeed in a task
(Bandura, 2000).
Student
mentorship
program.
Students need to feel
that the investment
in school is worth
the cost of tuition
which they have
paid. (Value)
N N Not a priority.
Not validated.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

112
Self-efficacy. Students surveyed and interviewed had positive self-efficacy about their
ability to build relationships in the program with each other. However, data provided showed
that the relationships with faculty and staff were minimal. This data suggests that the students in
online education need to feel connected to the university to increase self-efficacy in their role as
distance education students. Removed from the university, distance education students need to
find ways and methods to connect with the school to increase motivation to continue with the
program. If students increase their motivation and efficacy about a being part of the school, they
would be more likely to graduate and complete the Master’s of Social Work Program.
Increased self-efficacy promotes participation and work in activities (Rueda, 2011).
Students that are supported by the school have increased confidence in their ability to succeed. It
is recommended that students in online education with the support of the organization, increase
self-efficacy around connectedness to the school and other students to increase motivation and
participation in the classroom. When self-efficacy is increased, individuals succeed in a task
(Bandura, 2000). This approach would increase through the growth of a mentorship program
within the school. The Social Work Academic Group Online Center would begin, with the
partnership of the alumni program, a student mentorship program. The mentorship program
would allow incoming students to partner with both continuing students and an alumni for
support throughout the program and post graduation. The student mentorship program would
allow incoming students to immediately begin their network and support group while earning
their degree at the Social Work Academic Group Online Center. Lukaitis and Davey (2010)
identified problems with student motivation as the primary cause of online student attrition.
Deng and Tavares (2013) further went on to say that social motivation in schools is integral to
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

113
student success. In increasing student self-efficacy, the school would increase academic
motivation and meet its goal of 100% retention rate.
Organization Recommendations
Introduction. Table 18 provides an overview of the organizational influences validated
through the study. In addition to the knowledge and motivation barriers, organizational
influences also can hinder an organization from meeting its ultimate goal. Clark and Estes
(2008) explain that performance problems could continue even though knowledge and
motivation factors were accounted. The organizational influences were separated into both
cultural setting and cultural model. Table 18 summarizes the context-specific recommendations
for these influences.

Table 18
Summary of Organization Influences and Recommendations
Assumed
Organization
Influence: Cause,
Need, or Asset*
Validated
Yes, High
Probability, No
(V, HP, N)
Priority
Yes, No
(Y, N) Principle and Citation
Context-Specific
Recommendation
The students’
learning
environment is
supportive. (CM)
Y, HP Y Organizational
performance increases
when individuals
communicate
constantly and
candidly to others
about plans and
processes (Clark &
Estes, 2008).
Conduct outreach
to students
regarding
involvement to
determine support
needs for
students.
Students’ learning
is supported
through resources
provided by the
organization. (CS)
N N Not a priority.
Not validated.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

114
Cultural model. Student success in online education ideally would be supported by the
organization. Various departments in the organization would provide outreach such as surveys
and interviews to students to ensure their knowledge retention, but also to help support
motivation throughout the program. The organizational model would align to help students from
the point of admissions to graduation, ensuring support throughout the program and
connectedness post-graduation as alumni. The recommendation to discuss this cultural model is
to conduct student outreach to determine involvement of distance education students to increase
student support. The organization will survey student participation in support services and
determine which services are being utilized.
Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Plan
Implementation and Evaluation Framework
Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) provided a four-tiered model for program evaluation.
The model provided key elements of evaluation for organizations to focus on, beginning with
results and working backwards. In working backwards, organizations can identify key indicators
to help bridge organizational goals with solutions. The model provided by Kirkpatrick and
Kirkpatrick allows for solutions to be identified that are focused on work behaviors within the
organization. Once solutions are identified, key indicators are learned by key stakeholders
through the implementation phase. These identified indicators must satisfy the key stakeholders
of the organization. Utilizing this model allows for organizations to create relationships between
the solution and organizational goals allowing for investment by its stakeholders (Kirkpatrick &
Kirkpatrick, 2016).
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

115
Organizational Purpose
The purpose of the Social Work Academic Group Online Center is to provide social work
education to communities across the country and soon across the world. The organization will
meet this goal by obtaining a 100% retention rate of its online program. One key factor
impacting the organizational goal of 100% retention rate is the effectiveness of the organization
to enhance learning for students in distance education (Ramsburg & Youmans, 2013). More so,
the organization must find new ways to make curriculum content interesting and engaging for
students taking coursework online (Cosgrove & Olitsky, 2015). Furthermore, there is an
increased need to maintain connectedness with students of the online community. Students in
distance education are less connected to the school than students of on-campus education
(Caballé, 2010). The recommended solutions to this problem include increasing student
engagement with curriculum through reflection, providing an enhanced curriculum guide for
students to follow through coursework, initiation of a student mentorship program, and increased
organizational outreach to distance education students. These efforts would be targeted to all
students in the online education program and especially those graduating within the next
calendar year.
Level 4: Results and Leading Indicators
Table 19 shows the proposed Level 4: Results and Leading Indicators in the form of
outcomes, metrics and methods for both external and internal outcomes for the Social Work
Academic Group. If internal outcomes are met as expected, the result of increased student
retention will support increased job satisfaction for faculty and staff as well as enhance the
education opportunities for the school.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

116
Table 19
Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes
Outcome Metric(s) Method(s)
External Outcomes
1. Increase student
retention in Social Work
Academic Group Online
Center.
Number of students retained
per semester (student retention
per semester)
Gather retention data each
semester to gauge progress
over time.
2. Increased graduation
rate for Social Work
Academic Group Online
Center.
Student graduation rate
(number of students who
graduate per semester).
Graduation rates for program
over four years.
3. Improved use of
student support services.
Student participation in
writing, counseling, academic
advising services.
Monthly review of traffic to
various student support
services.
Internal Outcomes
1. Increase student
quality by enhancing
admissions requirements
for the program,
decreasing faculty
workload.
Measure faculty support
services referrals.
Aggregate data (Level 3.1)
from leads and reviewers (self-
report and supervisor
confirmation collected via
survey).
2. Decrease faculty time
on unrelated
responsibilities;
streamline job
responsibilities.
In use of student support
services faculty will be
alleviated of advisement duties
and can focus on teaching.
Aggregate data (Level 3.1)
from team leads and reviewers
(self-report and supervisor
confirmation collected via
survey).
3. Increased employee
and stakeholder
confidence/satisfaction.
a. Results on key questions
(student stakeholder).
a. Compare annual survey
results.
b. Positive/negative feedback
from supervisors.
b. Set aside regular times for
1:1 conversations (“Pull up a
chair”) between new reviewers
and supervisors.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

117
Level 3: Behavior
Critical behaviors. The stakeholders of focus are the students of the Social Work
Academic Group Online Center. The first critical behavior is that online students in danger of
withdrawal are connected to university resources to help provide solutions for academic success.
As the school grows, the university becomes more distant from the online population. Increased
investment by distance education students allows the school to better thrive and increases student
retention for the online community. The second critical behavior is increased trust between the
students and faculty. In increasing the student-faculty relationship, the university is represented
by its faculty and distance education students are connected to the university. In building trust
and connectedness to the university, the students are further invested in the institution. The third
critical behavior is student relationship with school staff. Staff provide academic services to
students to bridge the education gap as well as counseling services for the students. Distance
education students find difficulty in relating to the larger university. The specific metrics,
methods, and timing for each of these outcome behaviors appear in Table 20.
Required drivers. Students need the support of the organization to reinforce
engagement, confidence, learning, and connectedness. By monitoring the program, the
organization can provide incentives to its faculty and staff to increase the attainment of these
critical drivers.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

118
Table 20
Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods, and Timing for New Reviewers
Critical Behavior Metric(s) Method(s) Timing
1. Increased
connection to the
university by
distance education
students.
Total number of
students that
graduate over one
academic year.
The organization will survey
the student population to
determine gaps in student
need and adjust accordingly
to build investment for
distance education students.
Surveys will occur each
semester to gauge process
of student retention.
2. Increased trust
between the student
and faculty.
Frequency of
student-faculty
meetings.
The faculty will track
frequency, time, and
duration of student meetings
as part of employment
responsibilities.
Faculty will look to meet
with students twice
throughout the semester.
Veteran faculty members
will also be partnered
with incoming faculty
that they mentor and will
be expected to meet with
assigned students each
semester.
3.Student
relationship with
school staff.
The number of
contacts a student
has with a staff
member (email,
phone, online
meeting, advising
session).
The team will track various
contact points with the
students from point of
admission to graduation.
Timing will occur
throughout the student
lifecycle to increase
relationship between
student and staff. Contact
points include but are not
limited to:
1. Application
2. Admissions Decision
3. Registration
4. Orientation
5. First day of class
6. Mid-semester (each
semester)
7. end of semester
8. graduation.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

119
Table 21
Required Drivers to Support New Reviewers’ Critical Behaviors
Method(s) Timing
Critical
Behaviors
Supported
1, 2, 3 Etc.
Reinforcing
Student Aid including glossary of regulations and different types of
online engagement activities.
Ongoing 1, 2, 3
Student Aid including checklist for application contents and details of
different programs.
Ongoing 1, 2, 3
Student meetings with continuing and incoming students to provide
best practices for online learning success.
Semester 1, 2, 3
Use private list-servs and other internal social media to reinforce
communication outside of the classroom.
Ongoing 1, 2, 3
Student organization meeting to troubleshoot collaboratively and for
additional training.
Monthly 1, 2, 3
Encouraging
Collaboration and peer modeling during class meetings. Weekly 1, 2, 3
Feedback and coaching from instructor and staff. Ongoing 1, 2, 3
Rewarding
Increase completion rate of program. Semester 1, 2, 3
Public acknowledgement, such as a mention at semester meetings with
faculty and staff.
Semester 1, 2, 3
Monitoring
Student advisors can create opportunities at student organization
meetings to share success stories.
Monthly 1, 2, 3
Student advisors can ask course participants to self-report their
confidence and self-efficacy in job-related tasks.
Two months
after starting
program
1, 2, 3
Faculty and staff can assess the performance of the learner. Frequent,
quick checks can help the organization monitor progress and make
adjustments if results do not match expectations at that time.
Monthly 1, 2, 3

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

120
Organizational support. To ensure students have the support needed to succeed in
online education and the organization meets its organizations goal, the leadership will prioritize
efforts to support online learning and enhance the academic process for the Online Center. The
support needed from the leadership will come directly from management, to ensure students in
the online community feel connected to the school, are engaged with curriculum, have a
curriculum plan for completion, and have a sense of belonging to the school. More so, financial
support to the organization would be needed to ensure students in online education are able to
demonstrate these critical behaviors.
Level 2: Learning
Learning goals. Following completion of the recommended solutions, most notably the
Social Work Academic Group Online Center student stakeholders will be able to:
1. Recognize academic motivation and apply it 100% towards learning motivations (D)
2. Recognize the challenges of online education and community building (D)
3. Correctly attribute the aspects of online community building to enhance the distance
education relationship to the university (P)
4. Apply the procedures to engage with faculty and staff in distance education (P)
5. Create an appropriate timeline for program completion (P)
6. Plan and monitor students’ work to conform to academic guidelines (P, M)
7. Indicate confidence that they can review online student best practices and commit to
academic excellence in the first semester of the program (Confidence)
9. Value the accuracy and timeliness of the application review process (Value)
10. Value the planning and monitoring of their work (Value).
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

121
Program. The learning goals listed in the previous section will be achieved through
student support in the academic program. The organization will use its knowledge of student
retention to provide best outcomes for students to succeed in online education. The organization
will assist, in the on-boarding process, time management, financial responsibility, and mentoring
to ensure students build relationships with the school and with each other. The blended learning
model will take place over a two-month period prior to the first semester of coursework to serve
as orientation to online learning in an asynchronous model.
During the orientation phase, student stakeholders will undergo rigorous time
management and learning practices to ensure academic success in the Social Work Academic
Group Online Center. The orientation aids will provide strategic planning for the duration of the
program and ensure students understand the challenges faced in online education. Time
management seminars will allow students to properly gauge time commitments while in the
program. The student stakeholders will be asked to represent their time graphically and meet
with student support professionals to review time commitments and engage in any obstacles
towards academic success. Orientation aids will also provide students with financial literacy to
help understand the post-graduation reality of student loan repayment, the Public Student Loan
Forgiveness Program, and borrowing funds while in the program.
Components of learning. Demonstrating declarative knowledge is necessary when
student stakeholders apply this knowledge type to solve problems within their programs. It is
important to evaluate learning for both declarative and procedural knowledge being taught prior,
during, and post program completion. It is important that student stakeholders value this training
in pre-orientation to apply these skills to the academic setting for overall student success.
However, the student stakeholder must be confident in their skills and apply their knowledge to
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

122
the academic program. Table 22 lists the evaluation methods and timing for these components of
learning.

Table 22
Components of Learning for the Program
Method(s) or Activity(ies) Timing
Declarative Knowledge: “I know it.”
Knowledge check for academic motivation. Prior to admissions in the application
essay.
Knowledge checks through group work in pre-orientation. Group work and reflection in pre-
orientation process.
Procedural Skills: “I can do it right now.”
During coursework, build relationships with students of the course. During the program.
Apply procedures to engage with faculty and staff of the program. Pre-orientation, during program, and
after graduation.
Correctly attribute the aspects of online community building to
enhance the distance education relationship to the university.
During the program.
Create an appropriate timeline for program completion. Beginning of orientation.
Plan and monitor students’ work to conform to academic
guidelines.
During the program.
Attitude: “I believe this is worthwhile.”
Student observation of self-motivation to complete program. During the program.
Student participation in field placement. During the program.
Retrospective pre- and post-test assessment item. After the program.
Confidence: “I think I can do it on the job.”
Survey items using scaled items. Following each module/lesson/unit in
the asynchronous portions of the course.
Discussions following coursework and field placement. During the program.
Retrospective pre- and post-test assessment item. After the course.
Commitment: “I will do it on the job.”
Discussions following practice and feedback. During the program.
Create an individual action plan including schedule, financial
responsibility plan, and graduation plan.
During the program.
Retrospective pre- and post-test assessment item. After the course.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

123
Level 1: Reaction
Upon completion of the pre-orientation program, feedback about the quality of the
program and design is important to obtain. The feedback gathered during the program and upon
graduation could be used to alter content to improve the program and meet the needs of the
growing student population. The organization will better increase student engagement with
material and content by meeting the needs of the student learners. Table 23 lists methods to use
to determine participant reactions to the learning environment.

Table 23
Components to Measure Reactions to the Program
Method(s) or Tool(s) Timing
Engagement
Data analytics in the learning management
system.
Ongoing during asynchronous portion of the course.
Completion of online modules/lessons/units. Ongoing during asynchronous portion of the course.
Observation by instructor/facilitator. During the program.
Observation by staff. During the program.
Attendance. During the program.
Course evaluation. End of each course.
Relevance
Brief pulse-check with participants via
survey (online) and discussion (ongoing).
After every module/lesson/unit and the workshop.
Course evaluation. End of each course.
Customer Satisfaction
Brief pulse-check with participants via
survey (online) and discussion (ongoing).
After every module/lesson/unit and the workshop.
Course evaluation. End of each course.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

124
Evaluation Tools
Immediately following the program implementation. Prior to course enrollment
during the pre-orientation phase, students will engage with other students, faculty, and staff to
properly onboard to the online learning environment. During the pre-orientation phase, the
students will participate in various workshops and receive student aids on the learning
management system (LMS). During this time, the organization will collect data regarding
program start, duration, and completion of modules by the participants. This data will identify
engagement level of incoming students in the online learning environment. The LMS will also
administer brief surveys after each module requesting participants to provide feedback on the
relevance of the workshops to gauge their value to students.
For Level 1, during the online workshops, the instructor and staff will conduct pulse
checks by asking participants about the relevance of the content in the workshop and the
organization, delivery, and learning environment. Level 2 will expand on the confidence checks
to gauge understanding of student engagement through the orientation process.
Delayed for a period after the program implementation. Evaluation will occur at
various points of the program. To properly assess student engagement, the organization will
survey students based on key points of the program. The first assessment will occur after the
student orientation. The first survey will be satisfaction of the training provided (Level 1). At
the orientation, the organization will provide information on student support, time management,
financial literacy, and resources for student success. Students will be surveyed regarding the
quality and value of the first student orientation. Student will then be surveyed after the first
semester and at the end of the first year to gauge the quality of the orientation material. This
survey will assess the confidence and value of the training from the orientation (Level 2). The
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

125
end of the first year will provide the organization with feedback on the support they are receiving
(Level 3). Finally, the final assessment will provide an extent of performance for the
organization’s application of orientation materials (Level 4). During the second year of the
program, students will only be surveyed at the end of the program with a final question focused
on student recommendation for the program overall. This question will gauge if the program
was valuable to graduating students.
Data Analysis and Reporting
Data will be gathered at the end of each survey cycle to determine the value of the
information provided to students. Two weeks after the survey is completed, the Director of
Student Services and the student services team will combine information to share to key
stakeholders the value of the information provided to students. The organization will compile
two cycles of student data which will take three years to compile to create dashboards displaying
the value of each resource provided at point of orientation. Lastly, the dashboard will report the
percentage of students that recommend the program to other students. In doing so, the program
will gauge the quality through student experience. This information can be combined with
faculty data for future reporting. Figure 12 is a sample dashboard of how the metrics would be
displayed.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

126

Figure 12. Sample dashboard

Summary
The New World Kirkpatrick Model informs the stakeholders of how to implement and
assess the plan of this student (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). Training and evaluation are
used to ensure stakeholders have the knowledge, motivation, and organizational support to make
data-driven decision making to implement recommended strategies to support increased retention
rate of the Social Work Academic Group Online Center. In using the New World Kirkpatrick
Model, the training programs begin with the outcomes known to the organization. Furthermore,
the organization knows the metrics and methods of measurement for the specific outcomes of
student retention. Once goals are established, the organization will move onto the next step to
establish behaviors to assess participant feedback. Learning outcomes are identified and
evaluated on participant learning and knowledge during the orientation process. Lastly, methods
223, 90%
26, 10%
Q45: I would recommend this program to friends and family
Yes No
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

127
to assess how the participants are reacting to the orientation training are developed to determine
student satisfaction, engagement, and relevance of the orientation training. To maximize results
and implement change, the organization will evaluate and analyze the collected data during
program implementation.
Limitations and Delimitations
Limitations of the study were expected to be around the timeframe and location of the
study as it is conducted. Data collection for the study took place in the Fall 2017 semester.
Participants in the survey were identified as students of the virtual program. As the program is
continuous and distribution of the survey was through email, the researcher was wary of the
various communication types that occur in the school. Participants of the study were located
across the world. With a large sample group, the researcher obtained as many participants in the
online survey as possible to increase sample size.
The first limitation was the completion of the survey by the students of the Social Work
Academic Center Online Center. The survey was distributed via email to 1,802 students enrolled
in the Social Work Academic Center Online Center. Of the data collected, 250 students
completed the survey and 44 students took a leave of absence from the program. Of the 44
students, 24 were interested in taking part in follow-up interviews. The school surveys students
at the Social Work Academic Group Online Center, the Provider of Education Worldwide, and
the University. It is possible that students suffer from survey fatigue and did not participate in
the survey. The limitation of sample size created a constraint for student stakeholders to be
interviewed for the second part of the data collection process.
The second limitation that occurred for the researcher was participation in interviews.
The limitation of data collection was due to constraints of time for the second method of the
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

128
study. Interviews were scheduled to meet both the researcher as well as the participant
availability. As participants were located around the world, time constraints were expected to
schedule follow-up interviews. The researcher made himself available 24 hours a day, seven
days a week over a two-month period to accommodate interview participants to obtain the most
data for the study. As students live in various regions and interviews were not in person, the
researcher scheduled set dates and times to meet the goal of 8-10 interviews for the study. The
researcher completed outreach over the phone and email to schedule interviews with the students
that met the interview criteria. As students were located throughout the world, the researcher
was limited to phone and email outreach. The researcher tried to contact each interviewee
several times to confirm appointments for the interview, created calendar events as reminders, as
well as provided email and phone reminders to participants the day prior to the scheduled date.
However, with limited opportunities to connect with interviewees, the researcher had challenges
to connect with the student participants. When the scheduled interview time occurred, many
student participants that acknowledged willingness to be interviewed did not meet the researcher
in the online platform. Though various attempts to reschedule over a two-month period were
made, the researcher was only able to complete three interviews of the students that met the
criteria for interview participation. However, as reported by Patton (2002), when participants are
from one organization, limitations were expected to occur.
Future Research
As education continues to grow and more schools launch online programs, it is important
to continue research on student engagement to positively affect student retention. As institutions
grow and adopt distance education, consideration must be given to positively affect student
retention in schools. As discussed in literature, student retention affects school ranking and
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

129
organizational funding. To meet the needs of the distance education students, institutions must
shift focus to online education to not lose sight of students in the non-traditional setting.
To ensure academic success for the student stakeholders, the Social Work Academic
Group Online Center must focus on the goal of student retention. This study approached solving
the problem of student retention rates in online education by studying the student stakeholders.
Continued research into successful student support methodologies in online education and how
to increase connectedness with distance education would help to understand the problem of
practice.
This study revealed that 50% of student participants live in California. More so, 36% of
the total student participants live in Southern California. As the South Western University is in
Southern California, future research can be conducted in looking at student demographics,
distance from the school, and how students select the school for online education. Additionally,
research can be conducted on student age, race, and earlier experience to determine the
demographic of students in online education. This information can be used to look at success
rates of the student to create student profiles to decide success, areas of need, and opportunities
to aid students reach their educational goals. In having predictive data, schools can better equip
themselves with resources to guide students towards academic success.
The study also found that students had challenges with the cost of the program. The
larger university predetermines the organization’s cost of attendance, however, students at the
Social Work Academic Group reported that the program cost was very high. The institution can
continue research to find how to lower tuition cost or subsidize with scholarships. In doing so,
continued research can take place to decide the scholarship amount that will help student
confidence in enrollment of the Social Work Academic Group Online Center.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

130
A study of the impact of student support services in online education and relationships
between student, faculty, staff, and the organization for online education students would be an
area for further research. The limits of this study focused on student retention in online
education did not explore the knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences of faculty,
staff, and administration in online education. Future research about how faculty view online
education would allow for a more robust perspective about student outcomes in online education.
Similarly, research on staff roles in the organization would allow for perspective from the
foundation of the organization. Lastly, research on the organization administration would allow
diverse perspectives about the importance of student retention in online education. Furthermore,
the combination of student, faculty, staff, and administration would allow for research to cover
all perspectives of the organizational stakeholders. The educational community would receive
help from a study that offers full perspective from all those involved in student success to reach a
100% retention rate. This topic is important to study as the growth of online education
continues. More so, at the Social Work Academic Group, the Online Center demographic makes
66% of the student population. Thus, focusing research on the online students would serve the
organization to enhance its largest student population.
Conclusion
The Social Work Academic Group looks to enhance its organizational effectiveness with
online students. Student success measures the overall effectiveness of the organization. The
organization seeks to reach the goal of 100% retention rate. Online student stakeholders form
66% of the overall school population but have a disproportionate amount of resources and
support compared to the students of the on-campus program.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

131
As online students are the largest stakeholder group of the organization, this study looked
to understand the experiences of students in online education as they sought academic success
and the support received while obtaining a Master’s of Social Work. The model provided by
Clark and Estes (2008) looked at knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences that
affected the retention rate at the Social Work Academic Group Online Center. Using the
knowledge, motivation, and organizational model, data was collected through surveys and
interviews that helped develop themes about student success in online education. The data
collected, and themes created found that online students did not need earlier online experience to
succeed in the academic environment. Furthermore, the study found that students need engaging
and interesting curriculum to keep knowledge retention. Students in online education were also
confident that they could complete the program and graduate with their Master’s degree.
Additionally, the findings of the study revealed that students in online education needed a
sense of belonging. The value of participation not only in the classroom but with the school was
important for online student success. The study revealed that students in the online program felt
that the cost of tuition and quality of education were disproportionate. Although with costly
tuition, the students still were invested to complete the program regardless of cost. The study
revealed that students of online education valued the education that they were receiving from the
organization. The study found that students perceived the environment supportive of learning
but revealed little participation in student services resources.
The findings of this study will assist the Social Work Academic Group meet their goal of
100% retention rate for the Online Center. Supporting students in the Online Center is
challenging for the organization that is based in Southern California. The study provides insight
into how the stakeholders interact with the organization to increase its current retention rate.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

132
Through increasing organizational support for distance education students, more students will
increase knowledge and earn the Master’s of Social Work degree. If there is an increase in
student support, students will feel more connected to the school, and will less likely withdraw
from the program. In doing so, the organization will improve its academic achievement, increase
its retention rate for the Online Center, and meet the needs of the largest student population in
the school.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

133
REFERENCES
Adkins, M., & Nitsch, W. B. (2005). Student retention in online education. In C. Howard, J. V.
Boettcher, L. Justice, K. Schenk, P. L. Rogers, & G. A. Berg (Eds.), Encyclopedia of
distance learning (Vol. 4, pp. 1680–1686). London, UK: Idea Group Reference.
Agocs, C. (1997). Institutionalized resistance to organizational change: Denial, inaction, and
repression. Journal of Business Ethics, 16, 917–931.
Aichouni, M., Benchicou, S., & Nehari, D. (2013). Knowledge management through the e-
learning approach — a case study of online engineering courses. European Journal of
Engineering Education, 38(3), 316–328.
Allen, I. E., & Seaman, J. (2011, November). Going the distance: Online education in the United
States, 2011. Babson Park, MA: Babson Survey Research Group. Retrieved from
http://www.onlinelearningsurvey.com/reports/goingthedistance.pdf
Ambrose, S. (2010). How learning works: Seven research-based principles for smart teaching.
San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Bandura, A. (2000). Exercise of human agency through collective efficacy. Current Directions in
Psychological Science, 9(3), 75–78.
Bogue, E. G., & Hall, K. B. (2003). Quality and accountability in higher education: Improving
policy, enhancing performance. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group.
Bos, N., & Shami, N. S. (2006). Adapting a face-to-face role-playing simulation for online play.
Educational Technology Research and Development, 54(5), 493–521.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

134
Boston, W., Ice, P., & Burgess, M. (2012). Assessing student retention in online learning
environments: A longitudinal study. Online Journal of Distance Learning
Administration, 15(2). Retrieved from
http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/summer152/boston_ice_burgess152.html
Boston, W. E., Ice, P., & Gibson, A. M. (2011). Comprehensive assessment of student retention
in online learning environments. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration,
14(1). Retrieved from
http://www.westga.edu/∼distance/ojdla/spring141/boston_ice_gibson141.html
Caballé, S. (2010). Enhancing knowledge management in online collaborative learning.
International Journal of Software Engineering and Knowledge Engineering, 20(4), 485–
497. doi:10.1142/S0218194010004839
Clark, R. E., & Estes, F. (2008). Turning research into results: A guide to selecting the right
performance solutions. Charlotte, NC: Information Age.
Cosgrove, S., & Olitsky, N. (2015). Knowledge retention, student learning, and blended course
work: Evidence from principles of economics courses. Southern Economic Journal,
82(2), 556–579.
Creswell, J. W. (2008). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods
approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Deng, L., & Tavares, N. J. (2013). From Moodle to Facebook: Exploring students’ motivation
and experiences in online communities. Computers and Education, 68, 167–176.
doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2013.04.028
Derringer, P. (2010). Going for distance: Technology convergence powers growth of online
education. Technology & Learning, 30(10).
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

135
Dowd, A. C. (2005, December). Data don’t drive: Building a practitioner-driven culture of
inquiry to assess community college performance. Indianapolis, IN: Lumina Foundation.
Dykman, C. A., & Davis, C. K. (2008). Part one — the shift toward online education. Journal of
Information Systems Education, 19(1), 11–16.
Eccles, J. (2006). Expectancy value motivational theory. Retrieved from
http://www.education.com/reference/article/expectancy-value-motivational-theory/
Emanuel, E. J., & Emanuel, L. L. (1996). What is accountability in health care? Annals of
Internal Medicine, 124(2), 229–239.
Firestone, W. A., & Shipps, D. (2005). How do leaders interpret conflicting accountabilities to
improve student learning. In W. A. Firestone & C. Reihl (Eds.), A new agenda for
research in educational leadership (pp. 81–100). New York, NY: Teachers College
Press.
Frydenberg, J. (2007). Persistence in university continuing education online classes.
International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 8(3), 1–15.
Gaytan, J. (2015). Comparing faculty and student perceptions regarding factors that affect
student retention in online education. American Journal of Distance Education, 29(1),
56–66. doi:10.1080/08923647.2015.994365
Glesne, C. (2011). Becoming qualitative researchers: An introduction (4th ed.). Boston, MA:
Pearson.
Hughey, A. W., & Burke, M. G. (2010). External confirmation of adherence to standards: As
applicable to academic programmes as to business and industry. Industry and Higher
Education, 24(4), 257–262.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

136
Jenkins, R. (2011, May 22). Why are so many students still failing online? The Chronicle of
Higher Education. Retrieved from https://www.chronicle.com/article/Why-Are-So-
Many-Students-Still/127584
Johnson, B., & Christensen, L. (2008). Educational research: Quantitative, qualitative, and
mixed approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Kim, K., & Frick, T. (2011). Changes in student motivation during online learning. Journal of
Educational Computing Research, 44(1), 1–23.
Kirkpatrick, J., & Kirkpatrick, W. K. (2016). Four levels of training evaluation. Alexandria, VA:
ATD Press.
Krathwohl, D. R. (2002). A revision of Bloom’s taxonomy: An overview. Theory into Practice,
41(4), 212–218.
Krueger, R. A., & Casey, M. A. (2014). Focus groups: A practical guide for applied research.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Lederman, D. (2013, September 17). UMass online education program generates more than $78
million in revenue. MassLive. Retrieved from
http://www.masslive.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/09/umass_online_now_generates_mor.
html
Liaw, S. (2008). Investigating students’ perceived satisfaction, behavioral intention, and
effectiveness of e-learning: A case study of the Blackboard system. Computers &
Education, 51(2), 864–873.
Lukaitis, A., & Davey, B. (2010). Motivations of the online student. Issues in Informing Science
& Information Technology, 7, 25–39.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

137
Lynch, M. M. (2001, November/December). Effective student preparation for online learning.
The Technology Source. Retrieved from
http://technologysource.org/article/effective_student_preparation_for_online_learning/
Maxwell, J. A. (2013). Qualitative research design: An interactive approach (3rd ed.). Thousand
Oaks, CA: Sage.
Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2016). Qualitative research: A guide to design and
implementation (4th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Oguz, F., Chu, C. M., & Chow, A. S. (2015). Studying online: Student motivations and
experiences in ALA-accredited LIS programs. Journal of Education for Library and
Information Science, 56(3), 213–231.
Pajares, F. (2006). Self-efficacy theory. Retrieved from
http://www.education.com/reference/article/self-efficacy-theory/
Patterson, B., & McFadden, C. (2009). Attrition in online and campus degree programs. Online
Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 12(2). Retrieved from
http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/summer122/patterson112.html
Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research & evaluation methods (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage.
Ramsburg, J., & Youmans, R. (2013). Meditation in the higher-education classroom: Meditation
training improves student knowledge retention during lectures. Mindfulness, 5(4), 431–
441.
Rubin, H. J., & Rubin, I. S. (2012). Qualitative interviewing: The art of hearing data (3rd ed.).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

138
Rueda, R. (2011). The 3 dimensions of improving student performance. New York, NY:
Teachers College Press.
Salkind, N. J. (2000). Statistics for people who (think they) hate statistics. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage.
Simpson, O. (2013). Student retention in distance education: Are we failing our students? Open
Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning, 28(2), 105–119.
Song, J. (2016, March 4). USC’s tuition will top $50,000 for the first time. Los Angeles Times.
Retrieved from http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-usc-tuition-20160304-
story.html
Sutton, R. (2014). Unlearning the past: New foundations for online student retention. Journal of
Educators Online, 11(3), 1–30.
Tobin, T. J. (2014). Increase online student retention with universal design for learning.
Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 15(3), 13–24.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

139
APPENDIX A
SURVEY ITEMS
Research Question/
Data Type
KMO
Construct Survey Item
Scale of
Measurement
Potential
Analyses
Visual
Representation
Demographics –
Sample Description
NA Age
____ years.
Interval Mean,
Standard
Deviation,
Range
Table
Demographics –
Sample Description
NA I am:
Male
Female
Nominal Percentage,
Frequency
Table
Demographics –
Sample Description
NA Program length Nominal Percentage,
Frequency
Table
To what extent do
stakeholders meet the
organizational goal?
M I have a strong
relationship with
faculty/staff/students
of the program.
Ordinal Percentage,
Frequency,
Mode,
Median,
Range
Table
What are the
recommendations for
organizational practice
in the areas of
knowledge,
motivation, and
organizational
resources?
K-M The coursework can
be completed within
my give program
length.
Scale Mean,
Standard
Deviation,
Range
Table
What are the
knowledge,
motivation, and
organization
influences related to
achieving the
organizational goal of
100% retention for the
online MSW program?
M I have a strong
affiliation with the
school and the
school’s culture.
Scale Mean,
Standard
Deviation,
Range
Table
To what extent are the
stakeholders meeting
the current
organizational goals?
O I feel connected to the
University.
Scale Mean,
Standard
Deviation,
Range
Table
To what extent are the
stakeholders meeting
the current
organizational goals?
O I feel connected to the
Social Work
Academic Group.
Scale Mean,
Standard
Deviation,
Range
Table
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

140
Research Question/
Data Type
KMO
Construct Survey Item
Scale of
Measurement
Potential
Analyses
Visual
Representation
To what extent are the
stakeholders meeting
the current
organizational goals?
O The program is
rigorous and
challenging.
Scale Percentage,
Frequency,
Mode,
Median,
Range
Table
What are the
knowledge,
motivation, and
organization
influences related to
achieving the
organizational goal of
100% retention for the
online MSW program?
M My instructors make
content engaging.
Scale Mean,
Standard
Deviation,
Range
Table
What are the
knowledge,
motivation, and
organization
influences related to
achieving the
organizational goal of
100% retention for the
online MSW program?
K I have experienced
academic difficulty in
the program.
Scale Mean,
Standard
Deviation,
Range
Table
What are the
recommendations for
organizational practice
in the areas of
knowledge,
motivation, and
organizational
resources?
K I feel supported by the
school to succeed in
the program.
Scale Percentage,
Frequency,
Mode,
Median,
Range
Table
What are the
knowledge,
motivation, and
organization
influences related to
achieving the
organizational goal of
100% retention for the
online MSW program?
O I would recommend
this program to friends
and family.
Scale Percentage,
Frequency,
Mode,
Median,
Range
Table

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

141
APPENDIX B
SURVEY QUESTIONS
1. Age.
a. 21-25 e. 41-45
b. 26-30 f. 46-50
c. 31-35 g. 50+
d. 36-40

2. Gender.
a. Male
b. Female

3. Program length.
a. Advanced Standing — 3 semesters c. 3 year
b. 2 year d. 4 year

4. Program start semester.
a. Fall
b. Spring
c. Summer

5. Program start year.
a. 2012 d. 2015
b. 2013 e. 2016
c. 2014 f. 2017

6. Location (by State).
a. Alabama z. Montana
b. Alaska aa. Nebraska
c. Arizona bb. Nevada
d. Arkansas cc. New Hampshire
e. California dd. New Jersey
f. Colorado ee. New Mexico
g. Connecticut ff. New York
h. Delaware gg. North Carolina
i. Florida hh. North Dakota
j. Georgia ii. Ohio
k. Hawaii jj. Oklahoma
l. Idaho kk. Oregon
m. Illinois ll. Pennsylvania
n. Indiana mm. Rhode Island
o. Iowa nn. South Carolina
p. Kansas oo. South Dakota
q. Kentucky pp. Tennessee
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

142
r. Louisiana qq. Texas
s. Maine rr. Utah
t. Maryland ss. Vermont
u. Massachusetts tt. Virginia
v. Michigan uu. Washington
w. Minnesota vv. West Virginia
x. Mississippi ww. Wisconsin
y. Missouri xx. Wyoming

7. If in California, do you reside in Southern California?
a. Yes
b. No

8. I have taken courses in distance education prior to my experience at USC.
a. Yes
b. No

9. I have a relationship with faculty of the program.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

10. I have a relationship with staff of the program.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

11. I have a relationship with other students of the program.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

12. I feel connected to the School of Social Work.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

13. I feel connected to the university.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

14. I have visited the campus.
a. Yes
b. No

15. I have strong affiliation to the school and the school’s culture.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

143
16. The program is rigorous and challenging.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

17. The coursework can be completed within my program length.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

18. The coursework is too strenuous and should be reviewed by the school.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

19. While in the program I have experienced financial difficulty.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

20. While in the program I have experience personal life circumstances that have challenged my
ability to complete the program
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

21. I have used the writing coaches in the school.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

22. I find value in the assistance of the writing coaches.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

23. I have used the tutoring services in the school.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

24. I find value in the tutoring services.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

25. I have used the coaching and time management services in the school.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

26. I find value in the coaching and time management services.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

144
27. I have experienced financial difficulty in attending the program.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

28. I find the curriculum engaging and interesting.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

29. I have connected with other students on social media.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

30. I have connected with other students in person.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

31. My instructors make the content engaging.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

32. I have felt overloaded with coursework.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

33. I find difficulty in managing my time between classwork, fieldwork, studying, and personal
time.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

34. I have financial concerns post graduation regarding loan repayment.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

35. My family has also experienced difficulty with my attendance in the program.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

36. I have experienced academic difficulty in the program.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

37. I am motivated to become a social worker from previous experience.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

145
38. The program curriculum is supporting my desire to become a social worker.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

39. I feel supported by the school to succeed in the program.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

40. I have family support while completing the program.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

41. I have sought financial assistance to help me complete the program.
a. Strongly Agree c. Disagree
b. Agree d. Strongly Disagree

42. I would recommend this program to friends and family.
a. Yes
b. No

43. I have taken a leave of absence during the program.
a. Yes
b. No

44. My leave was due to:
a. Academic c. Medical
b. Financial d. Other Personal

45. I am interested in participating in a follow-up interview to provide more feedback to the
research study
a. Yes
b. No

46. If Yes, please provide your contact information
a. Name
b. Phone
c. Email

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

146
APPENDIX C
INTERVIEW RECRUITMENT LETTER
Re: Student Engagement and Retention in Online Education Study

Hello SWAG OC Students,

I am writing you as you have self-identified as a possible participant in the follow up interview
for the Student Retention and Engagement in Online Education Study. The study is being
conducted by, John Paul Alferos II, at the USC Rossier School of Education. You have already
completed part 1 of the study which included a 15-20-minute survey taken online. At the end of
the survey you provided your information as possible candidates for follow up interviews to
provide information on your experience as a student in the Virtual Academic Center for the
Masters of Social Work program.

Please take a moment and identify your availability for an online interview by using the link
below:

https://calendly.com/alferos/60min

Once identified, I will contact you via email and phone to confirm, create an outlook event, then
we will conduct the interview on the 2SC platform.

If you wish to no longer participate, please reply to this email stating your intentions. However,
your feedback will be used to increase student engagement for future students at the Social Work
Academic Group Online Center.

Please note that all information provided will be confidential. Identity of all participants will
remain confidential and information will not be distributed to the organization. The online
interview will be recorded however participant names will be coded and cameras turned off prior
to recording to protect all participants.

I look forward to speaking with you and obtaining your feedback in this process. Thank you
kindly in advance for your participation.

Do good and be well,

John Paul “JP” Alferos II, M. Ed
EdD Candidate, 2018

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

147
APPENDIX D
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Why did you select this program instead of a traditional on campus program?
a. What is your academic history?
b. Is this your first online program? What made you choose this program?

2. Please share your experience as a distance education student and your connectedness to the
school.

3. Please share your relationships with other students/faculty/staff in the program. How are
these relationships fostered while taking distance education coursework?

4. Please provide insight as to why you took a leave of absence.
a. How long of a leave did you take? Was there difficulty in returning to class?

5. Do you feel more successful or less after returning to school?
a. Why? What is different now?

6. What measures have you put in place to succeed in school? How does the school support
student success?

7. How are you supported in the school? What systems have you participated in? Are they
valuable to you as a student?

8. What motivates you to obtain your degree? Is the same motivation carried from beginning of
the program?

9. What would you recommend for the school to increase connectedness with students in the
online center?
a. How are you connected with the school, if any?

10. What would you recommend to a student that is considering withdrawing from the program?
a. Where can a student gain support for their challenges?

11. What do you feel are key causes to student withdrawal?
a. Have you seen this with other students/classmates? Have you experienced these
challenges yourself?

12. How can the organization address these elements of student withdrawal?

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

148
APPENDIX E
LEVEL 1 ORIENTATION SURVEY
1. I found interest in the orientation information provided to me prior to program start.
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

2. I found interest in the time management section of the orientation.
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

3. I found interest in the financial literacy section of the orientation.
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

4. I found interest in meeting key resources to help me while in the program
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

5. I found interest in meeting current students in the program.
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

6. I found interest in meeting alumni of the program.
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

7. I found interest in meeting faculty of the program
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

8. I would recommend this orientation to future cohorts
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

9. Please provide any additional comments you would like to add regarding the orientation.
a. Open Ended (Paragraph)

10. What else would interest you from learning in the beginning of the program?

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

149
APPENDIX F
LEVEL 2 MID-YEAR SURVEY (FIRST YEAR)
1. I have utilized skills gained from the orientation.
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

2. I have implemented student support services in this first semester of the program.
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

3. I have found benefit in the school resource of student mentorship.
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

4. I have found benefit in the school resource of faculty support.
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

5. I have found benefit in student support.
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

6. I have found benefit in support from other students.
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

7. I am familiar with my student support advisor.
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

8. What else would benefit you from learning in the midpoint of the program?

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

150
APPENDIX G
LEVEL 3 END OF FIRST YEAR SURVEY
1. The orientation provided me skills to have a successful first year of the program.
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

2. The orientation provided me with increased time management skills.
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

3. The orientation provided me with increased financial literacy for student loans.
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

4. Meeting other students assisted me in my first year of the program.
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

5. Meeting faculty assisted me in my first year of the program.
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

6. I found worth in the orientation process and recommend it to future students.
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

7. What else would benefit you from learning in the end of your first year of the program?

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE EDUCATION

151
APPENDIX H
LEVEL 4 STUDENT SERVICES END OF PROGRAM SURVEY
1. I recommend this program to future students interested in an MSW program.
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

2. I found the student support services valuable to my program success.
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

3. I found the financial literacy orientation valuable.
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

4. I found networking opportunities valuable.
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

5. I found value in interacting with incoming, current, and graduated students (alumni).
a. Strongly Disagree c. Agree
b. Disagree d. Strongly Agree

6. What would you change in the program for future students?
a. Open Ended (Paragraph)

7. What else would benefit you from learning in the beginning of the program?

Abstract (if available)

Linked assets

University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

Conceptually similar

PDF

The Bridge Program and underrepresented Latino students: an evaluation study

PDF

Completion in online learning: graduate students' perspectives

PDF

Coaching to increase retention in online degree completion programs

PDF

Teacher retention influences: an evaluation study

PDF

Online graduate-level student learning and engagement: developing critical competencies for future leadership roles: an evaluation study

PDF

Collaborative instructional practice for student achievement: an evaluation study

PDF

Employment rates upon MBA graduation: An evaluation study

PDF

Addressing the principal shortage: women teachers

PDF

Implementation of strategies to address the fiscal impacts of declining enrollment on school resources: an evaluation study

PDF

Application of professional learning outcomes into the classroom: an evaluation study

PDF

Eliminating the technology equity gap for students through parent support at home: an evaluation study

PDF

An analysis of online engagement of secondary teachers at high need schools during COVID-19 shutdowns

PDF

Nourish to flourish: strengthening social emotional wellness of teachers to mitigate stress, enrich engagement, and increase efficacy: an evaluation study

PDF

Developing a student athlete mentoring program to improve college readiness at a rural Hawaii public high school

PDF

Preparing university faculty for distance education: an evaluation study

PDF

Influencing teacher retention: an evaluation study

PDF

Supporting women business owners: the Inland Empire Women’s Business Center: an evaluation study

PDF

Curriculum mapping initiative: an evaluation study

PDF

Evaluation of thesis completion in a graduate blended learning program

PDF

Affluent teens and school stress: an evaluation study

Asset Metadata

Creator Alferos, John Paul Abaya, II (author)

Core Title Student engagement in online education: an evaluation study

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Organizational Change and Leadership (On Line)

Publication Date 03/28/2018

Defense Date 02/27/2018

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag Community,connectedness,Distance education,distance learning,education,engagement,global education,Masters,OAI-PMH Harvest,online education,retention,student engagement

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Datta, Monique Claire (committee chair), Picus, Lawrence (committee member), Stowe, Kathy (committee member)

Creator Email alferos@usc.edu,jpalferos@gmail.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c40-488317

Unique identifier UC11265681

Identifier etd-AlferosJoh-6131.pdf (filename),usctheses-c40-488317 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-AlferosJoh-6131.pdf

Dmrecord 488317

Document Type Dissertation

Rights Alferos, John Paul Abaya, II

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA