The influence of gender, age and race on attrition in distance education : reality construction through the lens of a deficit model

Abstract

Literature shows that online students are more likely to prematurely discontinue online courses and qualifications than campus-based students (Patterson & McFadden, 2009). This problem still exists despite a plethora of support interventions to address attrition in distance education (DE). While there is a proliferation of studies on attrition, there is limited research which focused on attrition at an honours level within the DE institutions in South Africa. This case study was anchored in a qualitative design and deficit model and explored students’ experiences of factors influencing attrition in honours courses in DE. Two questions guided the investigation: (a) What experiences do dropouts encounter prior to discontinuing online courses? (b) How can DE institutions support online students to prevent attrition? This was a two-stage data-generation process in which, first, two lists of dropouts who discontinued their studies in an Advanced Communication Research (ACR) course, from 2011 to 2016, were sourced from the University of South Africa’s ICT department. Second, 16 dropouts were sampled purposively and through a snowballing approach. Although numerous studies have linked age, gender and race to attrition in higher education, this study divulged that attrition in DE institutions is determined by various circumstances within both students’ and institutions’ contexts. To address attrition, preventive and remedial strategies are essential, and institutions and families alike must provide emotional, financial and academic support. These approaches will help DE institutions to achieve increased retention and a success rate which enable them to secure funding, while students may benefit from completing a course or a programme.