Does Expectation Affect Behavior? The Effect of Credit Hour Notification on Retention Rates

• In Event: Poster Session 6
  In Poster Session: E-Learning Research

Abstract

This quantitative study conducted at an open-access online western university, measured the relationship between time-on-task expectations and behavior. The investigation attempted to discern three distinct behaviors when faculty and students received notification of an expected time commitment. First, would students be discouraged from completing the course if they knew the time commitment needed to complete the course? Second, would professors spend more time teaching their classes? Third, would students spend more time in the online classroom after being notified about expectations? Results were analyzed via t-tests to reveal if time expectations affected student retention, professor time-on-task and student time-on task. No significant difference was found in student retention, or professor time-on-task. However, there was a significant difference in student time-on-task.

Authors

• Jacqueline S Ryan-Rojas, Independent Scholar

• Iris Lafferty, Ashford University

• Christine Makris, Ashford University

• Mark Ryan, Ashford University