An Examination of the Supports of Online Graduate Students

• In Event: 41.068 - Massive Open Online Courses, Flipped Classrooms, and Learner Support

Abstract

This study included an exploration of the university, work, and familial supports of online doctoral students and the challenges and opportunities they experienced during their degree programs. Participants’ responses from open-ended and demographic questions were collected to identify additional interventions that might assist future students in their pursuit of program success. The majority of students who participated in this study sought the degree for career advancement purposes. Family members, co-workers, and professors supported the students, but students perceived that a lack of empathy from some professors hindered their success. Although the students sought an online program for its scheduling flexibility and because it required less travel than traditional programs, some shared that they missed the traditional characteristics of face-to-face programs.

Author

• Casey Graham Brown, University of Texas at Arlington