Predicting successful completion using studentdelay indicators in undergraduate self-pacedonline courses

n this article, we outline the basic features of the strategy that Cracolice and Roth (1996) refer to: the Personalized System of Instruction (PSI), which is also known as the Keller Plan. PSI is a non-traditional method of teaching that thousands of instructors have used at colleges and universities since the 1960s. Although PSI is an effective and empirically validated method of instruction, many traditional and distance educators are unfamiliar with the system, mainly because dissemination of the method occurred during the 1970s, before an entire generation of instructors assumed their positions, and before distance learning came into prominence.

It used rich media and a mix of traditional and emerging asynchronous computer-mediated communication tools to determine what forms of interaction learners in a self-paced online course value most and what impact they perceive interaction to have on their overall learning experience. This study demonstrated that depending on the specific circumstance, not all forms of interaction may be either equally valued by learners or effective.

The performance of students in a remedial college mathematics course was examined as a function of class format (self-paced or lecture), achievement goal orientation and mathematics anxiety.

Although the classes were taught differently, the final course grades were not different. This is contrary to earlier research (Canelos & Ozbeki, 1983; Eniaiyeju, 1983) which found an advantage for self-paced instruction. Previous researchers did not look specifically at remedial mathematics classes and this may be one reason for the difference in results. Another possible reason may be that the self-paced class in this study lacked one aspect often found in self-paced instruction: a mastery-oriented method. While these self-paced students had the opportunity to take the test several times and count the highest grade, there was no requirement that they achieve a certain level of achievement before advancing to the next level as the mastery method requires. Buskist, Cush, & DeGrandpre (1991) found the mastery criterion to be an important variable in the success of self-paced instruction.

Teachers can continually remind students to narrow their focus to a step by step, systematic process, to persist and to acknowledge and reinforce persistence. When, for a variety of reasons, students do not use this mastery orientation, teachers can help students see how they lower their own achievement.

Thisstudyexaminesthecomponentsofaself-pacedonlinecoursespecificallydesignedtoincorporateweb-basedpedagogytocreateanengaginganddynamiclearningenvironment.Itcomparesstudentperformanceinaself-pacedonlinecourse,aconventionalonlinecourseandatraditionalin-classcourseandrevealsthepotentialforstudentstothriveinawidevarietyofonlinecourseformats

A course design question for self-paced courses includes whether or not technological measures should be used in course design to force students to follow the sequence intended by the course author. This study examined learner behavior to understand whether the sequence of student assignment submissions in a self-paced distance course is related to successful completion of the course.

Clark’s work with developmental math is part of a bigger transformation going on at Oregon State. A three-year, $515,000 initiative funded by an Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) grant is enabling educators to overhaul eight high-enrollment general education courses classrooms with adaptive and interactive learning systems.

If it can be established that student self motivation has a direct effect on remediation, it stands to reason that by finding a way to increase a student’s self motivation, the remediation process can be improved to increase the likelihood of success for a student who requires the use of remedial courses in the specialized classroom setting. Attempting to understand the factors that create a learning environment of poor motivation is an arduous task, but attempting to improve those factors that increase motivation is imperative.