Category: Research

Mel Henry, Julie Ann Pooley and Maryam Omari
Edith Cowan University
Email: mjohnst9@our.ecu.edu.au, j.pooley@ecu.edu.au, m.omari@ecu.edu.au

The availability of online courses has continued to grow over recent years with more students now turning to online offerings. The flexibility offered through online learning is attractive to prospective students with some of the benefits including reduced costs, and the potential to increase and diversify the student body. Online courses provide the advantage of reaching those who may be 'too busy' for traditional study, and offer flexibility through anywhere, anytime access. While these benefits may attract prospective learners to the online environment there remains little empirical evidence for the reasons students actually make the decision to study online over more traditional means. Here, it is important to understand students' motivations for choosing an online course. Without this information universities cannot assess if their programs are effectively designed to meet students' expectations, or that students are sufficiently informed and prepared for instruction and learning in the online environment.

As part of a PhD, research is currently underway investigating what students expect when commencing an online course at Edith Cowan University (ECU). This paper discusses findings relating to the motivation and reasons why first year students decide to study a course online at ECU.

Introduction

Researchers have highlighted the potential benefits of online learning to institutions in terms of reduced costs and increased savings (Twigg, 2003), as well as increasing and diversifying the student body (Brooks, 2009). Online courses provide the benefit of reaching those who may be 'too busy' for traditional study and offer flexibility through anywhere, anytime access (McAllister, 2009). A number of universities (e.g., Athabasca University, 2009; Edith Cowan University, 2010; Murdoch University, 2013; Swinburne University of Technology, 2013; University of Phoenix, 2010; University of Western Australia, 2013) promote online learning to prospective students as a suitable alternative for students who cannot attend a campus because of work or family commitments. The promotion of the benefits of online learning likely contributes to the formation of prospective students' expectations relating to what online learning may offer them, and would in turn impact their decision to enrol.

Student decisions regarding what and how they will study are based on their understanding and assessment of how a course might suit their needs and aspirations, in terms of learning outcomes, instructor characteristics, difficulty, workload and time demands (Kardan, Sadeghi, Ghidary, & Sani, 2013) . Students' expectations of what a course actually involves and the anticipated learning outcomes of the course are therefore pivotal to making an informed decision. Mupinga, Nora and Yaw (2006) found that students expected their online course to be challenging, but comparable in demand to on-campus courses. The apparent convenience of electronic participation may also prompt students to expect online learning to be easier and less time-intensive alternative to on-campus learning (Hyllegard, Deng, & Hunter, 2008; Moody, 2004). Research (Packham, Jones, Miller, & Thomas, 2004) however, suggests that many students actually find online courses more demanding and challenging than they had expected, and may withdraw as a result.

Lopez-Bonilla et al. (2012) identify that the most common motivations for course selection related to vocation and job opportunities. Kung (2002) also found that the most important factors in students' decision to take a distance learning course were subject matter, time flexibility, the chance to work with instructors in other locations and institutional/instructor reputation. This suggests that student expectations in relation to career and employment outcomes are significant in the decisions to enroll in a particular course, and students may decide to take a course online simply because they wish to access a particular program that is not accessible in any other way.

While not necessarily explicit motivators, the experiences of significant others and the student's own experiences at university and at high school may also play a role in forming student expectations of university (Brinkworth, McCann, Matthews, & Nordstrom, 2009; Buckley, Novicevic, Halbesleben, & Harvey, 2004; Licata, Chakraborty, & Krishnan, 2008; Walker et al., 2009). Brinkworth et al. (2009) for instance, surveyed students during orientation and found they expected university to be different to high school, but were unsure as to how it would differ. The decision to attempt an online course may therefore be based on basic assumptions about a course and its learning outcomes, but limited information relating to what the learning process might actually involve.

It is important to understand students' motivations for choosing an online course as without this, universities cannot be sure programs are effectively meeting students' expectations, or that students are sufficiently informed and prepared to learn in the online environment. Krause (2005, p. 9) further asserts that universities must investigate, monitor and manage students' expectations, particularly during first-year "as their early experiences of met or unmet expectations play such a significant role in shaping the rest of their experience". Furthermore, students' expectations can influence their perceived fairness and satisfaction with a university course, particularly in terms of grades (Cherry, Ordonez, & Guilliland, 2003). It is therefore important to understand, meet or adjust student expectations as appropriate.

Several researchers have acknowledged that some students may not be suitable or sufficiently prepared for online learning (Tanner, Noser, & Totaro, 2009; Milligan & Buckenmeyer, 2008). Students may be enticed to take a course online for the flexible learning opportunities it affords, but may not appreciate some of the other underlying differences involved in online learning. For instance, students may elect to take a course online as they are unable to attend on campus due to work or family commitments, and traditional students may be enticed by the thought of not having to attend classes on campus will eliminate one demand of their time (Moody, 2004). University study is in itself a substantial commitment irrespective of where it may take place. Some students may therefore underestimate or be unprepared for the time and resources required to complete a course online (Alexander, Polyakova-Norwood, Johnston, Christensen, & Loquist, 2003; Hyllegard et al., 2008; Packham et al., 2004).

In addition to the demands of the course itself, online students need access to, and knowledge of, the technology and systems they are required to use (Tanner et al., 2009). Trekles et al. (2008), found some online students did not actually own a computer and lacked the skills necessary to succeed in an online course. Mupinga et al. (2006), and Alexander et al. (2003), support this assertion and go further to advocate that online students must have access to timely technical assistance, course information and sample assignments, as well as flexible and understanding instructors. It is also vital that students have good self-efficacy and time management skills in order to manage their own learning within a flexible learning environment (Anderson, 2008). As a consequence, online students are often more likely to withdraw from their courses, especially where they experience technical difficulties, personal problems, work pressure or a lack of time (Hyllegard et al., 2008; Packham et al., 2004). It is unclear however, whether students are fully aware of these limitations when making the choice to study online.

While we may assume that students are attracted to the potential benefits offered by online learning, there remains little research that has sought to uncover why students make the decision to apply for a particular online course. This paper reports some of the findings of a broader (PhD) research project with particular emphasis on considering what students expect when commencing an online course at an Australian university: Edith Cowan University (ECU). The specific question sought to be answered is: Why do first year students chose to study a course online at ECU?

Method

The demographic and enrolment characteristics of participants are shown in Table 1. The sample included more female than male participants, though this is comparable to the ECU student body (Edith Cowan University, 2012). Most of the participants were residing in Western Australia, with the largest proportion in Perth, while 28 per cent were based interstate. Consistent with ECU enrolment patterns, just over two thirds of participants were enrolled in an undergraduate Bachelor Degree, and only small numbers in Graduate Certificate or Diploma programs, with the largest numbers enrolled in health or business-related courses. The majority of participants were also mature aged (aged 21 years and over), with only one school leaver. It is, however, noted that a greater proportion of participants were enrolled part-time (58%) when compared with the overall enrolment pattern of ECU students (approximately 25%), though this is likely representative of a more mature sample and of online students generally. While many students had some experience of university study, the majority were studying online for the first time.

Participant characteristic		Number of participants	Percentage of participants
Gender	Male	14	33%
	Female	29	67%
Age	Mature age (21 and older)	40	93%
	School leaver	1	2%
	Undisclosed	2	5%
Residential location	Perth	17	40%
	Bunbury	1	2%
	WA Regional	12	28%
	Other metropolitan	7	16%
	Other regional	5	12%
	No fixed abode (travelling)	1	2%
Course	Bachelor Degree	33	77%
	Graduate Certificate	6	14%
	Graduate Diploma	4	9%
Field of study	Health (including psychology, social sciences, social work, nursing, public health)	23	53%
	Law	3	7%
	Technology (including computer science, security)	3	7%
	Business (including management, human resources, occupational health and safety, risk management)	13	30%
	Other	2	5%
Study load	Full-time	18	42%
	Part-time	25	58%
Experience	First time at university	16	37%
	First time studying online	28	65%
Total participants		43	100%

This study involved a case study analysis of in-depth interviews with first-year ECU students to ascertain their motivations for choosing to take an online course. Ethics approval was granted by ECU's Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) prior to commencing data collection. Students enrolling in online courses were invited to participate via a news item on the Student Portal, as well as through relevant online course coordinators, with a prize draw offered as an incentive. Interviews were conducted online using the synchronous chat feature within ECU's standard learning management system: Blackboard, or, where this was unavailable, through Adobe Connect Pro (ACP), prior to or upon students commencing a course.

The interview itself involved a discussion of students' expectations for their experience in the online course, where students were specifically asked "Why did you decide to study online?" Students were then prompted to further discuss their reasons for doing so. Each interview transcript was reviewed in detail with discrete ideas or concepts identified and coded using nVivo 9. The researcher's subjective interpretations and thoughts that arose during the process of conducting the interviews were noted and reviewed in order to recognise and separate any personal bias from the interview data itself. Coded statements were grouped into related themes, which were periodically reviewed as new data and transcripts were coded. Relevant and meaningful coded data were then selected and sorted into thematic codes. Major themes were arranged into logical groups, verified through review of individual coded statements and data re-coded as necessary.

Findings

Convenience and flexibility

I have 2 children not of school age so it is more convenient for me to study online (Male, Bachelor of Psychology & Addiction Studies student)

I needed to a study method that still [allowed] me to stay working full-time and I didn't have time for contact hours. (Female, Bachelor of Business (HR Management)/Arts (Psychology) student)

My degree has to fit around my family commitments and my work commitments. I am currently sitting in a donga on the gold mine in Boddington. (Male, Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Health and Safety) student)

I have two very young children and I have recently started back at work. Attending on campus classes once or twice a week is just to impractical as I require childcare and I lose valuable time due to travelling. (Female, Graduate Diploma in Public Health student)

Being able to do things at my own pace is one of the big pluses of online study. (Male, Graduate Certificate in Risk Management student)

Studying externally means that I don't have to move back down to Perth... I figured starting studying again would be enough stress without adding packing, moving, renting, and finding a new job to the equation. (Female, Graduate Certificate of Planning)

Joondalup is an hour drive from here. And then looking for parking etc did not appeal. (Female, Bachelor of Social Work student)

I live ... just down the road from ECU in Joondalup (Male, Bachelor of Nursing student)

Accessibility

Immunity and sleeping problems... turning up to a 9:00 class is impossible for me, at least, cognitively speaking (Male, Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) student)

I am hearing impaired and I don't like to rely on notetakers to get my information (Female, Bachelor of Business student)

Attraction to a specific course or institution

ECU was one of the few unis that had a course available which suits the current job I am in. (Male, Bachelor of Science (Security Studies) student)

I also have heard the ECU is great for having practical degrees, not just theory. (Female, Bachelor of Social Work student)

ECU also recognises industry experience so that helped me take a leap with my study. (Male, Graduate Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety student)

I also liked that it was in the city I reside in (Male, Bachelor of Laws/Business)

Really, ideally I would like nothing more than to go on-campus (Male, Bachelor of Science (Security and Justice) student)

Ideally it would be fun to go to classes but I just couldn't see how it would fit with work. (Male, Graduate Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety student)

Benefits of university study

I hope it inspires my kids to work towards a difficult goal. (Female, Bachelor of Business student)

I wanted to do this 20 years ago and didn't get in for Psych I got sociology instead and declined so its been a long time coming (female, Bachelor of Psychology/Counselling student)

I see study as investing in myself (Female, Bachelor of Social Work student)

I really want a career/job I love and that I can continue to be useful and contribute and enjoy past the standard age barrier (Female, Bachelor of Arts (Psychology and Counselling) student)

This is the start of a new career for me (Male, Graduate Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety student)

Sourced [an] off campus style one as technology seems to be opening up resources to other areas (Male, Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) student)

Extrinsic encouragement

Work has encourage me to do this (Female, Graduate Certificate in Strategic Risk Management student)

I had some initial discussion with the course coordinator who encouraged me to apply for the course. (Male, Graduate Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety student)

Discussion

The motivations discussed by participants are consistent with the University's promotion of online learning as "... an option for students, who for reasons such as distance, domestic responsibilities, work commitments or disability would prefer not to relocate to study." (Edith Cowan University, 2010). Students choose to pursue an online course because of the convenience and flexibility it offers, with regard to time, pace and place. This reasoning corroborates the assertion that students' decisions to study online are influenced by university marketing that promotes the benefits of online learning. The fact students site the precise reasons promoted on ECU's website further supports research by Biswas, Perkins and Izard (2012), which identified university websites as the leading information source for students selecting particular institutions.

The assumption that studying online will enable students to participate whenever, and at a pace that is most convenient for them, however, may not always be accurate. Packham et al. (2004) and Hyllegard et al. (2008) warn that this apparent motivation of convenience may also present a challenge if the course turns out to be more demanding than expected. It is therefore important for universities to acknowledge this is an important motivation for online learning and to provide clear information about the commitment required to successfully participate in an online course, including any activities that must be completed synchronously with others, or within specified timeframes.

The motivation to access a particular course is determined by students' personal, family, career and employment aspirations. Students may specifically pursue online learning because it offers the best means to access a particular course or institution. The career-related motivations identified by participants support Kung (2002) and Lopez-Bonilla et al.'s (2012) findings for the importance of subject matter and expected vocational or employment outcomes, as motivators for course selection. The significance of institutional reputation is also evident in this motivation, consistent with Biswas et al.'s (2012) research, which found university academic reputation to be one of the most important factors in students' choice of institution. A student's decision to study online may therefore be motivated by the availability of their selected course at a chosen institution, rather than a specific desire to study online. In some cases, students may even prefer to study on campus, but are unable to do so in their current situation. An investigation into courses and subject matter that are most in demand would therefore help universities identify other on-campus programs that would benefit from online delivery and attract more students. Promoting the learning outcomes of particular courses in terms of personal, career and employment benefits furthermore, may entice students to pursue those programs.

The advice and support of significant others and experts also influences students' decisions to study online. Students may be encouraged by employers to undertake related studies and seek out the advice of significant others or university staff regarding their suitability for online learning or a particular course. Students may then proceed to apply for an online course on the basis of social endorsement. The socially-driven motivation for study described by participants supports prior research, suggesting that the experience of significant others and academic staff can influence students' decisions to study a course online (Brinkworth et al., 2009; Buckley et al., 2004; Greenbank, 2009; Heath, Fuller, & Johnston, 2010; Licata et al., 2008; Walker et al., 2009). Educating university staff about students' potential motivations and the realities of online learning may therefore aid in managing student expectations. Where open and accurate guidance is available to prospective students through the university, they will be empowered to make informed choices about their studies, thereby potentially enhancing enrolment and retention in online courses.

Concluding comments

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Please cite as: Henry, M., Pooley, J. A. & Omari, M. (2014). Student motivations for studying online: A qualitative study. In Transformative, innovative and engaging. Proceedings of the 23rd Annual Teaching Learning Forum, 30-31 January 2014. Perth: The University of Western Australia. http://ctl.curtin.edu.au/professional_development/conferences/tlf/tlf2014/refereed/henry.html

© Copyright 2014 Mel Henry, Julie Ann Pooley and Maryam Omari. The authors assign to the TL Forum and not for profit educational institutions a non-exclusive licence to reproduce this article for personal use or for institutional teaching and learning purposes, in any format, provided that the article is used and cited in accordance with the usual academic conventions.