Academic Persistence in an Online Course or Program

This chapter provides students with background information about academic persistence \i and associated factors that have been shown to present barriers to student success in an online course or program. When a student decides to pursue a college or university degree, they need to also examine their ability to persist from semester to semester and, to degree completion. The literature on academic persistence is primarily directed at faculty and college or university leadership. However, students who enroll in an online course or degree program need to also develop an understanding of factors that are within their control that may impact their persistence. Hence, academic persistence is critical to short-term and long-term student success, regardless of the course or program modality. In this chapter, theoretical frameworks are used to define and explain academic persistence, especially in the context of a higher education online learning \i environment. This chapter also explains other terms that an online student may encounter in higher education, such as attrition \i and retention \i, and how these terms differentiate from persistence. This chapter concludes with recommended strategies to help students identify and address any factors that are within their control which may impact their ability to persist in an online course or program. Furthermore, additional strategies are incorporated to guide students in navigating factors that are beyond their control.