Abstract
Teachers face different challenges and opportunities through distance education. We used a combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches to investigate the factors leading in-service science teachers to quit online courses. No differences were found between persistent and drop-out teachers based on their sociodemographic data and their technological skills. The dropout rates were unrelated to courses’ contents or duration. A follow-up procedure revealed that a heavy workload and technological issues accounted for most of the reasons teachers left courses. We conclude that financial incentives and reduced workload are key factors that could minimize attrition and increase persistence among Brazilian teachers.
Highlights
The models used to explain why learners drop out of face-to-face or online courses are constantly changing
A total of 1,543 teachers (46.9%) completed their courses by submitting the final paper resulting in a global dropout rate of 53.1% (Table 2)
The percentage of teachers that remained in the courses by handing in the distance activities (DAs) according to the schedule, fell gradually and along both the 12 and 16-week courses (Figure 1)
Summary
The models used to explain why learners drop out of face-to-face or online courses are constantly changing. The authors opted for a definition of non-traditional learners that contrasted some of their key features with those of traditional students; they categorized students that were mature, had enrolled in part-time courses, usually did not live in a college dorm, commuted to classes, and were more likely to have jobs as the non-traditional students (Bean & Metzner, 1985) Due to their maturity and less frequent interactions with the other members of the college community, non-traditional learners were considered unlikely to be as susceptible to the socialization and integration issues that more traditional learners face (Bean & Metzner, 1985).
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