Reducing Distance Learners’ Attrition Rate at the University of Cape Coast: Tutors’/Students’ Perception

Abstract

The goal of Distance Education in Ghana is to make quality education, especially at the tertiary level, more accessible and relevant to meeting the human resource needs of the country. This is to improve performance as well as the quality of lives of Ghanaians. This dream can only be realised if students enrolled on the programmes graduate on schedule. Students' enrollment on the Distance Education Programme at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) currently is over 24,000. However, not every student enrolls on the programme graduates on schedule for various reasons. This paper examines tutors' and students' perception on the attrition rate of distance learners. Survey research method was used to gather data and analysis done using frequency count, simple percentages, mean and standard deviation. Factors identified as causes of attrition and measures to reduce the problem were significant as perceived by tutors and learners. However, this paper concludes that the complexity of causes of attrition and measures to reduce it allow for few practical or readily applied solution. Most of the significant causes were evolutionary issues that can be resolved as time goes on through improvement in technology, effective course designing, better understanding of learner characteristics and appropriate learner support systems. Some recommendations were made as interim measures to help reduce the high attrition among UCC distance learners.

Factors Related to Students’ Drop Out of a Distance Language Learning Programme

“…The researcher strongly believes that if these problems remain unsolved, this might in turn lead to dropping out. In terms of feelings of isolation, this finding is in accord with the studies conducted by Boateng and Boadu (2013) and Yang et al (2013) indicating that connectedness is a central issue in distance and e-learning context.…”

“…The findings of the current study showed that at Stage 1, despite being able to resit examinations, a student decided to exit from the Programme of Study because of failure to pass the examination. The finding seems to be consistent with Boateng and Boadu (2013) and Rashid et al (2015) who low academic capability is a reason to consider signing off on the program.…”

“…A systematic search to identify previous research of student dropout of distance and e-learning institutions found that student dropout is a complex issue. Boateng and Boadu (2013) listed nineteen factors that related dropout. Factors that received attention from the students were lack of communication between students and instructors, inability to understand the course content, inability to collaborate with other students, and low quality of teaching and instructors.…”

Tutoring support as a predictor of student retention in distance learning: The case of a University in Ghana

“…Several studies had been conducted to investigate measures that can enhance students' retention at the college. Studies that have investigated this phenomenon include that of Arhin and Wang'eri (2018) and Akuamoah-Boateng and Boadu (2013). Although the College has made tremendous efforts to put in place some measures based on the recommendations of the studies, retaining students at the college is still a problem.…”