Engaging the Open Distance Learners: A Strategy to Increase Retention and Improve Graduation Rates Richard Ng, PhD Open University Malaysia 14 - 15, Nov 2011, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Overview of Presentation OPEN UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA Overview of Presentation 1. Introduction 2. Research Objective 3. Interventions taken by Open University Malaysia 4. Research Methodology 5. Findings 6. Conclusion 7. Recommendations Email: richard_ng@oum.edu.my Page 2 ICLLL2011

1. Introduction: Attrition is widely researched since OPEN UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA 1. Introduction: Attrition is widely researched since 1970s - Spady & Tinto Based on Durkheim’s Suicidal Theory Cause of Attrition –> Lack of Academic and Social integration Study on attrition of ODL by Rovai, Paloff and Pratt, and Reisman Durkheim’s Suicidal Theory: a. Egoistic b. Altruistic c. Anomic d. Fatalistic 2. Technology, if managed well can engage learners Key factor –> Feelings of Isolation With technology -> Engage learners Email: richard_ng@oum.edu.my Page 3 ICLLL2011

MyVLE Tools for Engaging the learners OPEN UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA There are many ways to engage learners Use of existing portal to create Online Community to engage learners Email: richard_ng@oum.edu.my Page 4 ICLLL2011

OPEN UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA 2. Research Objective: The research will find the level of interaction as a results of OUM’s intervention It will establish the correlation between level of interaction (LL, LT, LC & LS) and Engagement High level of interaction -> Engagement -> Commitment to stay LL, LT and LC interactions were proposed by Moore (1989) LS interaction was proposed by Jiang (2008) Email: richard_ng@oum.edu.my Page 5 ICLLL2011

3. Interventions taken by Open University Malaysia Infrastructure Social Media COL ECRM MyVLE Pre-Tutorial Workshop Selected OL Tutors i-Lecture/ i-Radio The interventions above by OUM has been implemented since 2005 Social media is the latest interventions being used by OUM E-Counseling Pre-Tutorial Tutors’ Briefing Digital Library Email: richard_ng@oum.edu.my Page 6 ICLLL2011

4. Research Methodology: OPEN UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA 4. Research Methodology: Cross Sectional study using a 63-item survey Administered on 1500 learners from different cohorts located throughout Malaysia during tutorial Measures the perceived level of interaction between Learners and Learners (LL), Learners and Tutors (LT), Learners and Content (LC) and Learners and Staff (LS), the level of Engagement, Senses of Community (SCI), Satisfaction (JDI), Intrinsic Motivation (SDT) and Commitment to stay (TCM) Use of cross sectional studies where respondents are from the same semester though different cohorts To avoid questionnaire being administered to same respondents if carried out via Longitudinal studies More effective when administered during tutorial -> ensure higher success rate Correlation was established among these variables T-Test was carried out to find if there is a statistical difference in the level of learners’ Commitment to stay Email: richard_ng@oum.edu.my Page 7 ICLLL2011

5. Findings: 5.1 Sample Distribution: 5.2 Reliability of scale: OPEN UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA 5. Findings: 5.1 Sample Distribution: Cohort Targeted Number Actual Number Response Rate Year 1 300 372 124.0% Year 2 221 73.7% Year 3 214 71.3% Year 4 165 55.0% Final Year 144 48.0% Total N = 1,500 N = 1,116 74.4% Response rate = 74% 300 learners have been targeted from each cohort year Year 1 learners have exceeded the target due to administration of questionnaire randomly but this has no impact on the research 5.2 Reliability of scale: -> 0.73 Email: richard_ng@oum.edu.my Page 8 ICLLL2011

5.3 Mean Scores of the variables OPEN UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA 5.3 Mean Scores of the variables SCI JDI SDT TCM ENG LL LT LS LC N 1116 Mean Scores 3.87 3.57 3.70 3.88 3.90 3.35 3.51 3.50 Std. Deviation .43 .42 .32 .50 .51 .49 0.83 .76 .67 According to Jiang (2008): -> Mean score of 3.51 to 5 is considered high level of interaction -> Mean score of 2.5 and below is considered low level of interaction -> Mean score of 2.51 to 3.5 is considered interim level Email: richard_ng@oum.edu.my Page 9 ICLLL2011

5.4 Pearson Correlation coefficients of all the variables OPEN UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA 5.4 Pearson Correlation coefficients of all the variables Eng LL LT LS LC Pearson Correlation 1 .675(**) .238(**) .326(**) .394(**) Sig. (2-tailed) . .000 SCI JDI SDT Eng LL LT LS LC TCM Pearson Correlation .798(**) .609(**) .693(**) .848(**) .608(**) .238(**) .389(**) .493(**) Sig. (2-tailed) .000 Email: richard_ng@oum.edu.my Page 10 ICLLL2011

5.5 Independent Samples T-Test - Commitment to stay and Engagement: OPEN UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA 5.5 Independent Samples T-Test - Commitment to stay and Engagement: Levene's Test for Equality of Variances t-test for Equality of Means F Sig. t df Sig. (2-tailed) Mean Diff. Std. Error Diff. 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Upper Commitment to stay Equal variances assumed 30.95 .000 30.00 1114 .68 .023 .639 .728 Equal variances not assumed 28.83 835.98 .024 .637 .730 Email: richard_ng@oum.edu.my Page 11 ICLLL2011

5.6 Multiple Regression Analysis: OPEN UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA 5.6 Multiple Regression Analysis: Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Estimate 1 .848(a) .719 .2667 Model Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. 1 Regression 202.86 2853.52 .000(a) Residual 79.20 1114 .071 Total 282.05 1115 Adjusted R square = 0.719 indicating Engagement explains 72% of Commitment to stay ANOVA and Coefficient tables indicate significant Model Unstandardized Coefficients Standardized Coefficients t Sig. 1 (Constant) .41 .06 6.40 .000 Engagement .87 .02 .85 53.42 Email: richard_ng@oum.edu.my Page 12 ICLLL2011

OPEN UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA 6. Conclusions: The interventions taken by OUM has impact on the level of interactions between L-L (3.90), L-T (3.35), L-C (3.51) and L-S (3.50) The interaction level L-L, L-T, L-C and L-S has a strong correlation with Engagement and Commitment to stay There is a statistical significant difference in the level of Commitment to stay between learners who have a high level Engagement and those who have a low level of Engagement Engagement explains 72% of the variance of Commitment to stay Email: richard_ng@oum.edu.my Page 13 ICLLL2011

OPEN UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA 7. Recommendations: A tracking system must be developed to track the level of interactions of LL, LT, LC and LS more effectively A comparative study between reading subjects and technical subjects Effort must be taken by ODL Institutions to increase the level of interactions between LL, LT, LS and LC by capitalising on the LMS and the use of Social Media Email: richard_ng@oum.edu.my Page 14 ICLLL2011

Thank you Terima Kasih OPEN UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA Kan sam mi da Merci Gracias Shukria Email: richard_ng@oum.edu.my Page 15 ICLLL2011