This study explored why undergraduate students choose online courses over in-person courses using the lens of the “Seven Principles of Good Practice of Undergraduate Education” (Chickering & Gamson, 1987). Using Q Methodology, students sorted 34 statements, which were analyzed using PQMethod sorting software. Follow-up interviews provided further explanations.
Why Is Online Education So Popular?
Online course enrollments have continued to climb, reaching over 6 million online education students (29.7%) in the United States in 2017 (Digital Learning Compass, 2017). These enrollments have steadily increased spanning more than a decade—over 350% between 2003 and 2011 (Allen & Seaman, 2011), with 46% of all enrolled students in the U.S. having taken at least one online course during their college career (Song, Kim, & Luo, 2016). With so many students enrolled in these types of classes, tuition revenue has surpassed $25 billion (Gallagher & LaBrie, 2012) and is spread among 89% of all schools and universities nationwide (Parker, Lenhart, & Moore, 2011). Online education is becoming more and more popular, but why?
Although several studies look at enrollments and other student statistics, little is known about why online courses are becoming increasingly popular each year. Researchers generally agree that the adoption of technology (Coyner & McCann, 2004), flexibility of use and attendance (Li & Irby, 2008), and its cost-effectiveness (Harish, 2013) are major draws. Now schools can extend their reach worldwide and thus create a more diverse student base (Li & Irby, 2008).
Despite the many advantages of online courses, critics point to the flaws in the system. Some of the weaknesses settled on by critics include the increase in cheating for online courses (Miller & Young-Jones, 2012), the lack of personalization in the online environment (Yob, 2012), and the increased amount of time and effort required to complete the course work for both the student and the teacher (Karber, 2003). The online system is far from perfect, but the increase in popularity is hard to ignore.
In order to understand why online course enrollments continue to grow, this study employed Q Methodology to investigate students’ attitudes and beliefs about their online courses. Because of the high dropout rates for noncredit online courses (Onah, Sinclair, & Boyatt, 2014), this study focuses on matriculated undergraduate students taking online courses to fulfill degree requirements. The researchers asked 33 individuals (21 male and 12 female) to sort 34 unique statements ranging from “Most Like Me” to “Least Like Me” with a neutral option available. Each of the subjects answered questions about their responses following the sorting process. These answers reveal why each study felt strongly about certain statements, and they also reveal perceptions and attitudes about online education in general. The sort data were recorded and entered into PQMethod sorting software, through which the researchers identified three factors—groups of people possessing similar beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors: the Busy Bees, the Teacher-Reliant and the A-Loners.
The results are not meant to generalize but provide insight into differing motivations among undergraduate online students. The results will be useful in determining ways to (a) improve online course content to help it appeal to more types of students, (b) increase the variety of online classes offered, (c) remedy perceived weaknesses in the online system, and (d) amplify the positive aspects for online enrollment.