A STUDY TO INVESTIGATE THE GENDER AND RISK VARIABLES OF NONTRADITIONAL STUDENTS HOW THEY RELATE TO ENROLLMENT IN COLLEGE DISTANT EDUCATION

Abstract

The purpose of this dissertation is to provide a response to the issue of if and how nontraditional student risk factors, such as gender, age, and the existence of such traits, predict enrollment in online college courses. The data used in this research came from the 2012 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:12), which surveyed more than 95,000 first-year college students during the 2011-2012 academic year. Indicators of unconventional students' risk, such as their age and gender, have been shown to serve as significant indicators of enrollment in distant education. It is hoped that this research would provide support for the hypothesis that leaders of educational institutions may achieve their aim of shortening the time required to earn a degree by offering more courses online. In order to provide a more in-depth analysis of indicators of enrollment in online courses or better data collection for separation schooling retention or success, more research is needed to dissect the unconventional student risk index outlined via the National Centre over Educational Statistics while looking at other factors such as ethnicity and GPA.