Returning to High School Online: A Phenomenological Study Exploring the Student Experience of Internet-Based Learning Self-Efficacy and Persistence Dissertation Manuscript Submitted to Northcentral University Graduate Faculty of the School of Education in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY by SUZANNE DARROW-MAGRAS Prescott Valley, Arizona October 2015
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Returning to High School Online: A Phenomenological Study Exploring the Student Experience of Internet-Based Learning Self-Efficacy and Persistence
Online high schools provide alternatives for non-graduates opting to return to school, yet student attrition from these programs is a known problem. Internet-Based Learning Self-Efficacy (IBLSE) is a construct used to indicate student self-belief in the ability to succeed in an online course or online learning activity. IBLSE influences student persistence in online courses, yet non-graduates often have low self-efficacy due to previous negative school experiences. Despite a lack of research on student experiences within online high schools, investment in these programs continues. This research gap presents a problem, as educational stakeholders are unable to leverage data to inform programming decisions and reduce student attrition. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived student experiences of IBLSE and persistence in an online high school, in an effort to provide stakeholders with this necessary data. Self-efficacy theory served as the study’s framework and as a lens to evaluate findings. Purposive sampling identified five individuals who completed at least three courses at Career Online High School or who graduated within the past year. Phenomenological techniques of epoché, reduction, and imaginative variation helped identify the shared essences of the phenomenon under review. A coding process allowed for detailed data analysis and the identification and interpretation of common themes. Eleven major composite themes were identified from the interview data: perseverance and resilience, diploma required for future goals/understand the importance of education on success, high level of IBLSE, self-regulated learner, sense of responsibility to others, support, self-advocacy, belief in a higher power, and the following participant-identified self-efficacy sources: performance accomplishment, verbal persuasion and vicarious experience. Findings demonstrated alignment with the hypothesized sources of self-efficacy and to concepts of self-regulated learning, expectancy, and adult learning theories. Findings also aligned with research on IBLSE and the achievement of student goals, course performance, course satisfaction and persistence in the online learning environment. Study findings aligned with research on online high school best practices as well as research on common student challenges in online learning environments. Results contributed to understanding the factors that promote student IBLSE and persistence in online high schools. This study assists educational stakeholders in understanding and supporting student IBLSE and persistence in online high school environments.
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Returning to High School Online: A Phenomenological Study Exploring the Student
Experience of Internet-Based Learning Self-Efficacy and Persistence
Dissertation Manuscript
Submitted to Northcentral University
Graduate Faculty of the School of Education in Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
by
SUZANNE DARROW-MAGRAS
Prescott Valley, Arizona
October 2015
Approval Page
Returning to High School Online: A Phenomenological Study Exploring the Student
Experience oflnternet-Based Learning Self-Efficacy and Persistence
By
Suzanne Darrow-Magras
Approved by:
LJ,du.)~ 11/2/15
Chair: Leah Wickersham-Fish, Ph.D. Date
Certified by:
~~~ uW1s-Dean of School: Dr. Rebecca Wardlow, Ed.D. Date
ii
iii
Abstract Online high schools provide alternatives for non-graduates opting to return to school, yet
student attrition from these programs is a known problem. Internet-Based Learning Self-
Efficacy (IBLSE) is a construct used to indicate student self-belief in the ability to
succeed in an online course or online learning activity. IBLSE influences student
persistence in online courses, yet non-graduates often have low self-efficacy due to
previous negative school experiences. Despite a lack of research on student experiences
within online high schools, investment in these programs continues. This research gap
presents a problem, as educational stakeholders are unable to leverage data to inform
programming decisions and reduce student attrition. The purpose of this qualitative
phenomenological study was to explore the lived student experiences of IBLSE and
persistence in an online high school, in an effort to provide stakeholders with this
necessary data. Self-efficacy theory served as the study’s framework and as a lens to
evaluate findings. Purposive sampling identified five individuals who completed at least
three courses at Career Online High School or who graduated within the past year.
Phenomenological techniques of epoché, reduction, and imaginative variation helped
identify the shared essences of the phenomenon under review. A coding process allowed
for detailed data analysis and the identification and interpretation of common themes.
Eleven major composite themes were identified from the interview data: perseverance
and resilience, diploma required for future goals/understand the importance of education
on success, high level of IBLSE, self-regulated learner, sense of responsibility to others,
support, self-advocacy, belief in a higher power, and the following participant-identified
self-efficacy sources: performance accomplishment, verbal persuasion and vicarious
iv
experience. Findings demonstrated alignment with the hypothesized sources of self-
efficacy and to concepts of self-regulated learning, expectancy, and adult learning
theories. Findings also aligned with research on IBLSE and the achievement of student
goals, course performance, course satisfaction and persistence in the online learning
environment. Study findings aligned with research on online high school best practices
as well as research on common student challenges in online learning environments.
Results contributed to understanding the factors that promote student IBLSE and
persistence in online high schools. This study assists educational stakeholders in
understanding and supporting student IBLSE and persistence in online high school
environments.
v
Acknowledgements
I first learned about the “Law of Attraction” through the book The Secret by
Rhonda Byrne and further explored the influence of thought on manifestation through the
work of inspirational teachers like Esther and Jerry Hicks, Michael Losier, Mike Dooley,
Darryl Anka and Matt Khan. Internalizing the concept that I attract whatever I think
about, good or bad, significantly changed how I approached life decisions and interacted
with others.
The topic of virtual high schools has long been of interest to me. I live in the U.S.
Virgin Islands where only 60% of adults have high school diplomas. I have also taught
in a St. Thomas public high school and I know there is a need for school choice,
especially for students that need flexible schedules and for those that struggle in
traditional school environments. I wanted to study the use of virtual high schools by non-
graduates, in the hopes that this modality could provide a viable option for local
residents. In particular, I wanted to understand the perspective of successful online
students and use this information to inspire, motivate and support others to graduate.
As I explored theoretical frameworks, I came across the work of Dr. Albert
Bandura and self-efficacy theory. Dr. Bandura demonstrated that an individual’s ability
to achieve a goal depends on whether or not the individual believes he or she can achieve
the goal. With this information in mind, I was able to align my personal beliefs with
validated research and demonstrate to my family and friends that I wasn’t so crazy after
all. I sent an email to Dr. Bandura, thanking him for his work, and told him about my
research proposal. Dr. Bandura is 89 years old and professor emeritus at Stanford
University. While I did not expect a reply, I was thrilled to receive his one-sentence
response, “May the efficacy force be with you.” I often reflected on Dr. Bandura’s wish
for me, as the dissertation journey required immense dedication, focus, perseverance and
most of all, super Jedi-like self-efficacy powers. I’ve found that a self-efficacy mindset
makes all the difference.
I would like to thank the Career Online High School staff for sharing their data
and students with me. Thank you Dr. Howard Liebman, Wendy Kauffman, Teresa
Salafrio and Dr. John Padgett for trusting and believing in me. I know that you will use
the study findings to continue your uplifting work. I am also humbled and sincerely
vi
thankful to the students interviewed for this study. Your personal stories of triumph over
adversity were inspirational and speaking with you was heart-opening.
I would also like to thank the experts that helped to review my study proposal and
interview protocol and whose work is used extensively in this study: Dr. Dale Schunk,
Dr. Ellen Usher, and Dr. Chin-Chung Tsai. Thank you to my Dissertation Chairs, Dr.
Gregory Hickman and Dr. Leah Wickersham-Fish, and to my committee members Dr.
Eugene J. Polles and Dr. Scott Burrus, for your feedback and support.
I sincerely appreciate the support I received from my employer and colleagues at
International Capital & Management Company and the Cancer Treatment Centers of
America (CTCA). The CTCA approach to cancer care has long incorporated the mind-
body connection of fostering hope and healing through self-efficacy.
I also received immeasurable support from family and friends who never stopped
believing that I could earn my PhD. Thank you to my amazing husband Dana Magras for
your kindness, patience and love over the past six years of this dissertation journey. To
the entire Magras family circle, thank you for always loving and supporting me.
I am blessed to share this accomplishment with my mother, MaryAnn Darrow, my
father, Michael Darrow and my stepmother Irene Darrow. Thank you for always giving
me your unwavering support. To my sisters, Christine Darrow, Lynn Chylinski,
Maribeth Darrow and extended family members, thank you for your love and
encouragement.
To my daughters, Jade Sunshine Barber and Alice Moon Barber, I dedicate this
dissertation to you. You are my life, my heart and my love. Always believe in your
dreams and follow your passion. I love you.
vii
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1 Background ................................................................................................................... 3 Statement of the Problem .............................................................................................. 5 Purpose of the Study ..................................................................................................... 5 Theoretical Framework ................................................................................................. 8 Research Questions ..................................................................................................... 14 Nature of the Study ..................................................................................................... 14 Significance of the Study ............................................................................................ 17 Definition of Key Terms ............................................................................................. 19 Summary ..................................................................................................................... 25
Chapter 2: Literature Review ............................................................................................ 27 Documentation ............................................................................................................ 28 The Problem of High School Dropout ........................................................................ 29 Returning to High School ........................................................................................... 36 Online High Schools for Reentry Purposes ................................................................ 41 Human Development, Learning and Self-Efficacy ..................................................... 47 Student Motivation and Internet-Based Learning Self Efficacy ................................. 57 Self-Efficacy, Expectancy, and Self-Regulation in Online Learning Environments .. 60 Summary ..................................................................................................................... 65
Chapter 3: Research Method ............................................................................................. 66 Research Methods and Design(s)................................................................................ 70 Population ................................................................................................................... 74 Sample......................................................................................................................... 77 Materials/Instruments ................................................................................................. 80 Data Collection, Processing, and Analysis ................................................................. 81 Assumptions ................................................................................................................ 87 Limitations .................................................................................................................. 89 Delimitations ............................................................................................................... 90 Ethical Assurances ...................................................................................................... 91 Summary ..................................................................................................................... 95
List of Tables Table 1. Participant Demographic Information ............................................................... 100 Table 2. Composite Textural Themes and Definitions .................................................... 142
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List of Figures
Figure 1. Moustakas’ (1994) Modified van Kaam Method of Data Analysis. ................ 85 Figure 2. Composite Themes by Participant ................................................................. 143
1
Chapter 1: Introduction
This phenomenological study explored the lived student experiences of Internet-
Based Learning Self-Efficacy (IBLSE) and persistence within an online high school.
IBLSE is a construct used to indicate student self-belief in the ability to succeed in an
online course or online learning activity (Tsai, Chuang, Liang, & Tsai, 2011). Study
participants were former high school non-graduates who opted to return to school online.
This study used the term ‘non-graduate’ to indicate individuals who have formally
withdrawn from traditional high school. Prior phenomenological research with this
population revealed that individuals prefer to be called non-graduates as the term
‘dropout’ has negative connotations that signify quitting and those that drop out of school
are often perceived as failures (Hynes, 2014). Use of this terminology allowed for
avoidance of judgment of a marginalized population. This phenomenological study
aimed to highlight the voices of non-graduates who returned to high school online. These
students were the experts on online high school persistence and their stories deserved to
be heard and honored (Hynes, 2014).
According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau (2012), approximately 3.1 million
students formally withdraw from school each year. A highly skilled, educated population
is fundamental to the economic strength of the United States, yet this is threatened as
individuals that leave school have lower median incomes, higher rates of unemployment,
greater incarceration rates, and poorer health in comparison to their graduate counterparts
aspires to be an elementary school teacher and a diploma is required for her future goals.
Her desire to obtain her CDA was a driving force behind her decision to return to school
and stay engaged. She has already started the college application process. Valerie
acknowledges that furthering her education will help secure her future and allow her to
improve the support she provides for her family. As someone that has previously worked
in childcare, who has homeschooled a child and is going into a teaching career, Valerie
places a high value on education. Valerie also demonstrated a strong sense of self-
advocacy.
The journey to obtain her high school diploma has not been an easy one for
Valerie. She tried in the past to obtain her GED but balancing in-person classes and
family proved too challenging. When Valerie first enrolled into COHS, she again
encountered challenges balancing school and home life. At one point, Valerie stopped
and then restarted the COHS program. With perseverance and resilience, Valerie was
able to obtain her diploma within the 18 months allotted for program completion.
140
Valerie used various self-regulated learning techniques to stay on track. She
found verbal, moral and academic support from others including her family and COHS
academic coaches. Valerie’s husband was able to care for her toddler and take care of the
household, which allowed Valerie to concentrate on her studies. Valerie used self-
discipline to avoid distractions and stay focused on her goals. Her faith in God also
helped to support her IBLSE.
Valerie had a high sense of IBLSE, as she felt confident and had experience with
the high school content. Valerie had experience using a virtual program to homeschool
her older child and felt comfortable with the format. The online, student-paced nature of
the COHS program met Valerie’s need for schedule flexibility. Valerie identified verbal
persuasion as having the greatest influence on her IBLSE and this was evident based on
the examples shared during the interview. She found great support in the COHS
academic coaches as their frequent calls and words of encouragement helped Valerie to
persist. Valerie’s family members also provided verbal and moral support as she
completed the program.
Composite textural, structural and textural-structural descriptions.
Integration of the individual participant textural, structural and textural-structural themes
led to the creation of composite textural and composite structural descriptions,
accounting for all participants as a whole. This synthesis includes a summary of
common and unique themes that described the essence of the student experience of
IBLSE and persistence within online high schools.
Composite textural description. Eleven major composite themes were
identified from the interview data and are presented with significant study participant
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quotes that aligned with each of the themes. The themes are: perseverance and
resilience, diploma required for future goals/understand the importance of education on
success, high level of IBLSE, self-regulated learner, sense of responsibility to others,
support, self-advocacy, belief in a higher power, and the following participant-identified
self-efficacy sources: performance accomplishment, verbal persuasion and vicarious
experience. Six themes were consistent across all participants: perseverance and
resilience, diploma required for future goals/understand the importance of education on
success, high level of IBLSE, self-regulated learner, sense of responsibility to others and
support. The remaining five themes were significant enough to warrant their own
distinction. Seven minor composite themes were noted as relevant to understanding this
phenomenon including: positive outlook, wanting to support other online high school
students and/or potential students, satisfaction with independent online learning, gratitude
for scholarship opportunities, pride in COHS accomplishments, renewed sense of hope
and increased self-confidence.
Table 2 indicates the composite textural themes, along with their respective
definitions. Figure 2 indicates the consistent and unique composite themes among
participants.
142
Table 2
Composite Textural Themes and Definitions
Textural theme
Definition
1. Perseverance and resilience
Demonstrating a drive to overcome challenges and recover from adversity
2. Diploma required for future goals/understand the importance of education on success
Understanding the necessity of a high school diploma in obtaining future goals (i.e., enroll in college), and having an awareness of the importance of education on success (i.e., to improve the ability to support family and enhance financial circumstances)
3. High level of IBLSE
Demonstrating strong belief in the ability to succeed in an online course or online learning activity
4. Self-regulated learner
Demonstrating practices and beliefs to obtain academic skills and self-monitor learning effectiveness such as goal setting, study skills, self-motivation techniques and seeking assistance from others
5. Sense of responsibility to others
Drive to obtain a diploma is based on feelings of responsibility to others, such as wanting to improve family financial circumstances, not let someone down, or make someone proud
6. Support
Having a connection with caring adults that provide academic and moral support
7. Self-advocacy
Demonstrating the ability to speak or act for oneself, make choices and decisions that impact one’s life
8. Belief in a higher power
Believing in a higher power, having faith in something bigger than oneself, belief in the power of prayer
9. Performance accomplishment identified as most influential self-efficacy source
Identifying performance accomplishment (an individual’s personal accomplishment of a task or goal) as the most influential self-efficacy source
10. Verbal persuasion identified as most influential self-efficacy
Identifying verbal persuasion (attempts by others to influence an individual’s behavior through suggestion) as the most influential self-efficacy source
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source 11. Vicarious experience identified as most influential self-efficacy source
Identifying vicarious experience (personal witness of task attainment by others) as the most influential self-efficacy source
Figure 2. Composite Themes by Participant
Perseverance and resilience. All study participants demonstrated perseverance
and resilience in regards to IBLSE and persisting within an online high school. These
two themes are presented together as they have similar characteristics, yet they are
distinctive. Perseverance reflects an individual’s drive to overcome challenges and
improve personal circumstances while resilience is an individual’s capacity to recover
from adversity (Hynes, 2014).
Linda, a COHS graduate who learned about COHS through a local library
partnership, experienced a rigorous scholarship application process. Program enrollment
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challenges did not impact her belief in her ability to complete the program and neither did
difficult math content. The following quote from Linda demonstrates this theme, “I got a
70%, the bare minimum to finish and had to retake the test a lot of times.”
David is a COHS graduate from a corporate partnership program. His experience
as a natural disaster survivor and immigrant made him resilient and able to persevere to
overcome challenges. When David learned that his traditional high school certificate was
not valid for college admission and he had to retake high school courses due to credit
transfer issues, this did not deter him from moving forward. The following quote from
David illustrated this theme:
Considering what life has presented me and where I've come from… reflecting on
my accomplishments and failures as a young adult who never had a father figure
to seek guidance from, I kept true to myself and maintained my desire to
persevere. Being a survivor…taught me to understand that it’s not okay to
abandon my dreams.
Maya is a current COHS student who enrolled through her local library. As an
individual with undiagnosed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Maya used
techniques, such as visualization and motivational self-talk, to help her persevere when
coursework became challenging. As a mother of two young boys with autism and
ADHD, Maya wants her children to see her as someone who knows how to overcome
challenges. Failure is not an option and graduation is so close that “she can taste it.”
Maya tells her children, “Yeah, I have some obstacles, but you can do it—work as a team
and we can achieve our goals, together.”
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Jessa is a current COHS student who enrolled through a career college
partnership. Demonstrating resilience, Jessa overcame homelessness and many
educational disappointments prior to enrolling into COHS. Within the online program,
Jessa demonstrated perseverance as she encountered obstacles such as an inability to
transfer credits, having to be physically on-site at the career college several days a week
and lack of support from her partner program. The following quote from Jessa illustrated
this theme:
During that time I went through, it gave me a chance to reevaluate my life and
really get to where I have determined that I have to have a career established. I
don’t want to get in that predicament again, where I have nowhere, no one, all
alone, no one to help me. Just to totally depend on someone–that’s not me.
Coming from a person who’s been independent since fourteen. That was just a
real big wake-up call for me and a learning experience. So now, every time that
I’m doing my lessons, I think about where I just came from, where I’m at now
and where I want to be.
The journey to obtain a high school diploma was not easy for COHS graduate,
Valerie. Valerie tried obtaining her GED, but balancing in-person classes and family
proved too challenging and she left the GED program. When Valerie first enrolled into
COHS, she again encountered challenges balancing school and home life. At one point
Valerie stopped and then restarted the COHS program. She worked with three different
academic coaches over the span of 18 months. With perseverance and resilience, Valerie
was able to obtain her diploma. The following quote illustrated this theme:
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…getting your GED, it’s just not the same and I’ve tried that numerous times and
it never works. I started Smart Horizons before, for a few months and I quit due
to just not being able to balance that and home life. Then I started back.
Diploma required for future goals/understanding the importance of
education on success. All study participants expressed needing a diploma in order to
achieve future goals and emphasized the importance of education to their success. These
themes combined reflect the idea that a high school diploma is a necessary ‘ticket’ to new
opportunities; attaining this education level is critical to overall personal, family and
financial success. This theme reflects a goal-orientated mindset.
All study participants were mature adults who experienced a disruption in their
traditional high school education and their subsequent experiences, as parents and
caregivers, fostered a depth of insight into the importance of education on success. Two
of the female participants, Linda and Valerie, were experienced homeschoolers. They
both demonstrated a heightened awareness of learning success factors, for both
themselves and for their children. Another participant, Maya, was actively involved in
supporting her special needs children. The topic of children and education was a passion
that Linda, Maya and Valerie shared.
Linda has many future personal and family goals that were only achievable with
the completion of her high school diploma, including homeschooling, enrolling in college
and going back to work in a higher capacity. As a homeschooling parent, Linda
understands the importance of a quality education. The following quote from Linda
illustrated this theme:
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Some states require you to have college credits, but now I can do that with a high
school diploma! I know that there’s so many job opportunities now that I can do,
because I didn’t have that high school diploma. As far as if they offer training, if
it’s an office job at a dentist’s, answering phones and there’s training involved, I
have the confidence now to do even better in an interview because I know I have
that diploma.
For David, education is important and essential to improving his standing in life.
Earning his high school diploma was a necessary step towards realizing his dream of
enrolling in college. David understands the myriad career opportunities that are now
available to him with this degree. The following quote from David illustrated this theme:
My dreams of going back to school were still in the forefront of my mind and
didn't want to lose sight of this goal. Now that I have my diploma, I qualify for
anything, in any industry. I had a timeline and I wanted to go back to college. I
was really, really motivated to go ahead and complete those classes so I could
receive my diploma on time. Now that I have my diploma, I can continue my
endeavor to pursue computer programming and business management courses. I
still believe an education is one of the most prestigious rewards (that) no one can
take from you. I believe education is really, really important for everybody. We
need education in life.
For Maya, being a role model for her children and improving her ability to
provide for them is her motivation to graduate. She knows a diploma is required to
secure her family’s future. She aspires to go to college and wants to become a social
worker. The following quote from Maya illustrated this theme:
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Being able to go to school online really helps me to focus on school and
improving myself as a person, I suppose as a mom too, to disabled children.
Eventually, I will get a job that can support my family and that’s the ultimate goal
for me, to be able to support my family and not have to rely on public assistance.
I was thinking about being a social worker or a coordinator at the Regional Center
or at the Health group because I really want to help families with children that are
disabled.
Jessa’s experience with homelessness helped her realize the importance of a high
school diploma in improving her ability to support herself and her family and in
reclaiming her independence. She worked in healthcare in the past but needs her diploma
to pursue her career. The following quote from Jessa illustrated this theme, “I’d like to
finish high school and take up a little more learning so that I can apply to the (radiology)
program. I’ve always wanted to work in the medical field.”
Valerie aspires to be an elementary school teacher and a diploma is required for
her future goals. She has already started the college application process. Valerie felt that
furthering her education would secure her future and allow her to improve the support she
provides for her family. Valerie places a high value on education; she has worked in
childcare, she has homeschooled a child, and is going into a teaching career. The
following quote from Valerie illustrated this theme:
I don’t know what I would have done without this program. Well, I know what I
would have done—I would still be sitting here, wondering what I’m going to do
about my future and where I’m going to go in life. Honestly, I think this was the
key to open another door for my future and my family as well.
149
High level of IBLSE. Study participants demonstrated this theme by expressing
a high level of belief in the ability to succeed in an online course or online learning
activity. Four student participants indicated a high level of belief, while one participant,
Jessa, described her IBLSE as “medium-high.”
For example, Linda “absolutely knew” she would complete the program. The
rigorous scholarship application process strengthened her self-efficacy, as she felt she
invested too much time and effort to fail. As Linda had prior experience with senior-
level coursework, she felt confident in mastering the COHS curriculum. The following
quote from Linda exemplifies this theme:
I did have a high self-efficacy; I knew I could do it. There was no question.
(Completing my high school diploma) made me feel like I could conquer anything
because my high school experience was 13 years ago….but the fact that I was
able to do it, just kind of instilled this confidence.
David had extensive experience with senior-level coursework and as a result, his
IBLSE was very high. David’s experience as a tennis coach helped him maintain a high
level of self-efficacy to succeed online. The following quote from David illustrated this
theme:
I had a high, high, high belief (to succeed) in everything I do. I’m always
thinking about winning; I always go for the win. So anything I’m doing, I want to
win. I hate losing. I hate…being the guy in the corner, with the blues. I never
want to fail. I already completed high school so I know about (the subjects).
Certain things I’ve taken twice, or probably like three times because I came from
(another country) and there were certain things I knew already.
150
Maya had a high self-efficacy to succeed online and used visualization techniques
to stay motivated. The following quote exemplifies this theme:
I’m definitely determined and I’m so close that I can almost taste it! I want the
whole shebang; I want the graduation with the hat, the frame with my high school
diploma. I can see it, I believe I can do it and I’m going to do it. I didn’t put in
all this time and effort just to quit now.
Jessa explained that her IBLSE level was “medium-high” as she had experience
with high school coursework, but her self-efficacy was influenced by challenges with
transfer credits and on-site partnership program requirements. The following quote from
Jessa illustrated this theme:
(My self-efficacy) was high at first because…when I first enrolled they told me
that they would transfer credits from my traditional high school, so if they
transferred the credits over from my traditional high school, then I probably
wouldn’t have to be there so long…I did three years in high school. I started
online classes January 26 and here it is March 25; I still have yet to get those
credits. So I’m doing all this work over, so it did discourage me for a moment.
Valerie also had experience with traditional high school coursework and in using
an online school program to homeschool her older child, which helped her to feel
comfortable with the online program format. The following quote illustrated this theme,
“I already had most of the knowledge that I needed to succeed.”
Self-regulated learner. All study participants demonstrated the use of Self-
Regulated Learning (SRL) practices and beliefs such as setting goals, using study and
self-motivation techniques and seeking assistance from others.
151
Linda found ways to balance caring for her children with completing coursework.
She knows her learning style and uses her preference for visual learning to help her retain
information. She sought out academic tutoring support from her husband. The following
quote illustrated this theme, “Let’s just say the kids watched a lot of PBS Kids because I
plugged in for like 8 hours a day! And sometimes I would stay up through the night.”
David used many SRL techniques, including goal setting. David’s goals of
graduating from high school and enrolling in college kept him motivated. When
necessary, David sought support from his academic coach and members of the corporate
partnership/education team. As a non-native speaker of English, David developed
strategies to help him learn the local language. He understood that schoolwork required
dedication and focus and he recognized that certain habits, like procrastinating online,
would not help him graduate any sooner. David used his experience as a tennis coach to
motivate himself and focus on success. The following quote illustrated this theme:
“Break your addiction to certain things. If you know for a fact that social networking is
not going to help you out—then do what is best for your life.”
Maya used SRL skills to manage coursework and to manage her undiagnosed
ADHD. As her own children have ADHD, Maya has learned to apply to herself, the
same techniques she uses to support her children. Maya uses goal setting, visualization,
and study skills to stay focused. The following quote illustrated this theme:
I try to finish a semester a week so that I can get done faster, but some lessons are
longer than others. I also have ADHD and I tend to make goals that are not
reasonable, so I’m learning not to make my goals too hard for me. (I’m) trying to
make them more realistic. World History was hard because it was a lot of
152
information. You weren’t sure what you were going to be tested on, so I wrote
tons of notes and how to dissect what I’m going to need for the test. When
lessons are too long, I forget what the beginning of the semester information is, so
I have to go read over that.
The following quote illustrated Maya’s ability to use visualization and SRL
techniques:
…picture yourself getting that diploma, picture yourself wearing that hat, that
gown, hearing your name being called. Picture it all and keep going, you’ve got
to keep that motivation going. I know it’s hard, trust me it’s hard. Some days I’m
too tired, I don’t want to work on school, but I have a picture of my son, with his
little hat and everything when he graduated from pre-school and I look at it and
I’m like, “I want a picture with my cap and gown, like he does,” and I use that to
keep myself going and focused. And don’t try to be perfect, just try to do your
best, focus, take notes, use different colored pens if that helps, highlighters,
whatever helps you study, use it. Use every tool you can find.
Jessa also used SRL techniques to stay focused on success. She enrolled into
COHS with her best friend who helped her remain motivated. Jessa knows how to pace
herself to independently complete coursework. The following quote illustrated this
theme, “(After my surgery) the whole time that I was home, my work was getting done. I
didn’t fall behind. I was still on-pace.”
Valerie found balancing family and home life with school to be the biggest
challenge, yet she was able to use SRL techniques to stay focused. She sought out
tutoring support when necessary. The following quote illustrated this theme, “You have
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the discipline and you just do it and pay attention and leave the room if there are
distractions and things like that. You can get through it.”
Sense of responsibility to others. This theme was developed based on study
participants’ drive to graduate based on a sense of responsibility to others, such as wanting
to improve family financial circumstances, not let someone down, or make someone
proud. This theme was consistent across all study participants.
Linda felt it was of critical importance to earn her diploma in order to legally
homeschool her children. In addition, Linda’s graduation commitment to the library
partnership team was a driving force in her desire to succeed. The following quote
illustrated this theme, “… the gift was given to me, the scholarship, I see this as a gift.
I’m not going to fail anyone.”
Family is of critical importance to David and was his primary motivator to earn
his high school diploma and enroll in college. David is committed to caring for his
mother and sister, especially in consideration of natural disaster devastation back home.
For David, education is essential to supporting himself and his family. The following
quote illustrated this theme:
It was just me and my mom in the house and my little sister and everything is
falling on my back. I have to work hard. I cannot be in street. I cannot do certain
things that will probably make my mom disappointed. When it comes to things
you need, for your career and for your life–you have people who believe in you.
You can’t go ahead and just dismiss that and make people disappointed. Like I
said, my mom is my everything and everything I’m doing right now is just to
make her happy.
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With Maya, her children are her main source of inspiration to graduate; she wants
to improve her ability to support them. Maya explained:
Eventually, I will get a job that can support my family and that’s the ultimate goal
for me, to be able to support my family and not have to rely on public assistance.
(In traditional high school) I remember always being behind and trying to catch
up and not catching up. So as a kid, that you know, wasn’t diagnosed with
ADHD early on, I can relate. That’s why I try so hard to make sure I get all the
information I can for my boys to benefit them, get all the therapies I can get for
them, do all the techniques they suggest, just so they can have a better future than
what I had. I know the benefits of early intervention.
Due to her recent experience with homelessness, Jessa feels a strong sense of
responsibility to her family and wants to improve her ability to support them. When she
became homeless, she “lost everything” and she was separated from her children.
Reflecting on this experience keeps Jessa motivated to graduate. The following quote
exemplifies this theme:
(Being homeless) gave me a chance to reevaluate my life and really get to where
I have determined that I have to have a career established. I don’t want to get in
that predicament again, where I have nowhere, no one, all alone, no one to help
me.
Valerie understood that a high school diploma was necessary to secure her future
and improve the support she provides to her family. The following quote illustrated this
theme, “(Earning my diploma) was the key to open another door for my future and my
family as well.”
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Support. The theme of support involved study participants connecting with
caring adults that provided academic and moral support. This theme was consistent
across all participants.
Linda found support from her husband, especially when she needed tutoring
assistance with challenging math content. While Linda found the support of her
academic coach nice to have, she did not feel it was essential to her success. The
following quote illustrated this theme:
I got help from my husband at night. He’s a chef, so he has to be good in math.
So he was able to help me some. (In regards to my academic coach), every time
you finished a course, or courses within credits or semesters they emailed you,
like, “Great job,” or, “We saw that you got an A on this.” They would see that I
was working on something or finishing something and they would email me. But
even if I didn’t get that, I would still be doing it, but it was a nice little reminder
that I’m almost done.
On the other hand, David found the support and involvement of his academic
coach, as well as the COHS corporate partner support staff, to be essential to his success.
Knowing he had support made him feel he was not alone in his education journey. David
found support from his mother who encouraged him to complete school and pursue his
dreams. The following quote illustrated this theme:
Ms. (name withheld), she was my academic coach. I would complete one lesson
and she would email me saying, “You’re doing a great job, keep up with the good
job,” and that makes me understand that I have somebody who cares about what
I’m doing right. Anytime I had a question; she was always available at that time.
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She’d call me on the weekdays. She’d say, “How are you doing? Are there any
courses you are having a problem with?” Anytime I needed her, she was just
there to listen to me. Also with email, anytime I see her email, I know I’m never
alone. She’s there for me.
Maya made the decision to go back to school when her child’s therapist told her
that she was capable of returning. The library partnership program identified a local tutor
to provide Maya with academic support. Her mother provided support by caring for her
children and doing housework, allowing Maya to focus on school. The following quote
illustrated this theme:
If it weren’t for (my child’s therapist) pointing out that I can do it and my tutor
saying that, “You’re very smart and everything is falling into place,” and plus
seeing all the courses getting done, all the semesters and everything getting done–
that’s what motivates me.
Jessa and her best friend enrolled into COHS together and made a commitment to
support each other. Jessa also found support from her best friend’s brother, as well as her
academic coach. The following quote illustrated this theme, “(My academic coach)
corresponds pretty often. She lets you know that you did a good a job with the course;
you completed this course in a timely manner, at your own pace and things like that.”
Over 18 months, Valerie worked with three different COHS academic coaches.
She described the coach she worked with the longest as, “amazing”. Valerie also found
support from her husband and other family members. The following quote illustrated this
theme, “(My husband) was just supportive with my toddler. He picked up the slack
around the house and helped me with her so that I could concentrate.”
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Self-advocacy. The study’s definition of self-advocacy is participant
demonstration of the ability to speak or act for oneself, to make choices and decisions
that impact one’s life (Ryan & Griffiths, 2015). Although all participants were self-
advocates, data from three participants identified this theme.
For example, Linda contacted the local library herself to learn more about the
COHS scholarship opportunity. She displayed a strong sense of independence and self-
determination and was driven to obtain her degree to solidify her ability to homeschool.
The following quote from Linda illustrated this theme:
I didn’t have anyone verbally, other than the high school… checking in on me or
the library checking in on me, I didn’t really have anyone rooting for me
necessarily. I have a two-year-old and a four-year-old and my husband works 70
hours a week, so he wasn’t even here. Not many people know that I never
finished high school. It’s kind of been like a dirty little secret. I didn’t have that.
David expressed a strong sense of self-advocacy and independence. As a natural
disaster survivor and immigrant, David has learned to depend only himself. He
researched the COHS program offered by his employer and made the decision to enroll.
The following quote from David illustrated this theme:
Because everything I do, I never had support from anybody. It’s just me. I’m by
myself. I never had anyone tell me, “This is exactly what you need to do for
yourself.” Sometimes I would ask people for advice, but you know sometimes
when you ask people stuff you already know—then you know it twice!
Everything I do is just on my own. I can push myself and then I can push other
people to motivate them, to do what’s best for them.
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Valerie demonstrated self-advocacy characteristics by researching COHS and the
affiliated career certificate in Child Care and Education to meet requirements for her
Child Development Associate (CDA) application. She did not enroll through a
partnership program; she paid for school herself. The following quote from Valerie
illustrated this theme:
I was working at a daycare in (state), about five years ago and some co-workers
were getting their CDA… and I was inquiring about that and through my
employer. And the co-worker I was working with mentioned that is how she
obtained the 120 hours she needed for her CDA, through this program.
Belief in a higher power. This theme involved participant belief in a higher
power, having faith in something bigger than oneself, and belief in the power of prayer.
This theme was identified from the transcripts of three participants, Linda, David, and
Valerie.
A strong belief in a higher power and in the power of prayer helped Linda make
the decision to go back to school and persist in her classes. Prayer helped her overcome
challenges presented by difficult math coursework. The following quote illustrated this
theme:
I really felt that this was a gift on my faith, a gift from God, to give me this high
school diploma so that I can start the process of homeschooling, which I’ve been
praying on too…I definitely know that this is all God’s will, so for me, I’m going
to follow through with any clear gifts I receive from God. I never wanted a GED,
especially now with Common Core involved…I have been praying on this
situation for at least ten years because it’s always bothered me.
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For David, prayer helped him to overcome challenges associated with going to
school and working long hours during the busy holiday season. The following quote
illustrated this theme:
I remember it was Black Friday, I was working like 12 hours a day and then I
went back home at like 11 at night. I told myself I know that day, I need to
complete at least one lesson. But when I came back home I was really exhausted.
I wanted to go to bed. But then I sat down on my computer and I prayed to God.
I said, “God, help me make it through.” That was the day that made me
understand that I can do anything if I put my mind to it.
Valerie mentioned during the interview that her faith in God was an important
influence on her belief in her ability to succeed. She explained, “We have to believe in
somebody else other than us.”
Performance accomplishment identified as most influential IBLSE source.
Two study participants, Linda and David, self-identified performance accomplishment as
having the most influence on their IBLSE. Performance accomplishment is an
individual’s personal accomplishment of a task or goal (Bandura, 1977a). The following
quote from Linda illustrated this theme, “I was there once before, I can do this again. I
just knew because I did 4 ½ years of high school, I was like, I should be able to finish
those last six credits.”
Prior to enrolling into COHS, David completed similar courses both in his native
country and in a traditional U.S. high school. Thus, he was very comfortable with the
COHS content and online format. The following quote illustrated this theme:
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There was really no challenge for me…I already completed high school, so I
know about (the subjects). Certain things I’ve taken twice or probably like three
times because I came from (country name withheld) and there were certain things
I knew already. Then when I went to (high school name withheld), I took those
classes again and when I signed up for the online classes, they were the same
thing.
Verbal persuasion identified as most influential IBLSE source. Two study
participants, Maya and Valerie, identified verbal persuasion, as the most influential self-
efficacy source. Verbal persuasion occurs when others attempt to influence an
individual’s behavior through suggestion (Bandura, 1977a). Maya’s son’s therapist was
instrumental in helping her decide to go back to school and her mother provided verbal
support. Maya’s tutor at the library was supportive in helping her realize her academic
potential. The following quote illustrated this theme:
My tutor, she’s listening to some of the lessons with me and she said, “This is like
college, they’re preparing you for college,” and I was like, “Yay, I can do
college!” Before I was like, “I can’t even finish high school” and now I have the
hope of being able to go to college and get a degree. So, now I don’t even need
tutoring anymore. My tutor (says), “You’re very smart and everything is falling
into place.”
Valerie also selected verbal persuasion as the self-efficacy source that had the
greatest impact on her IBLSE. She acknowledged the verbal support provided by her
husband, family members, and academic coaches. The following quote illustrated this
theme:
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I feel like the coaches are just great. I would have bad days where I just didn’t
want to do anything. You know you have your home life and things going on and
you feel that there’s just not enough time in the day and you go a whole two days
without doing any work. And then you get a call from your coach saying, “You
can do this, come on. You only have a few more left.” So, that was great.
Vicarious experience identified as most influential IBLSE Source. One study
participant, Jessa, self-identified vicarious experience as the most influential self-efficacy
source. Vicarious experience is personal witness of task attainment by others (Bandura,
1977a). Jessa enrolled into COHS with her childhood classmate and best friend of 29
years, which is motivating for her. The following quote illustrated this theme:
I told (my best friend), “You know what? That will be something that we can do.
We started school together, we might as well finish school together.” I just felt
that if she can do it, I know I can do it because she has nine kids. I’m only at
home with an eleven-year-old. If she can still maintain a home and go to school
and get these grades and stuff, we can do this!
Minor composite themes. Seven minor composite themes were noted in the
findings and were relevant to understanding the overall student experience of IBLSE and
persistence within an online high school. These include a positive student outlook and
participant desire to support other online high school students and/or potential students.
Participants expressed satisfaction with the COHS learning experience and the self-
paced, independent nature of the program, as well as gratitude for the opportunity to earn
their degree online through either a scholarship or corporate partnership program. All
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participants felt proud of their accomplishments at COHS and earning a diploma gave
them a renewed sense of hope and increased self-confidence.
Composite structural description. Eleven composite themes were identified:
perseverance and resilience, diploma required for future goals/understand the importance
of education on success, high level of IBLSE, self-regulated learner, sense of
responsibility to others, support, self-advocacy, belief in a higher power, and the
following participant-identified self-efficacy sources: performance accomplishment,
verbal persuasion and vicarious experience.
Composite textural-structural description. The eleven themes that emerged
from the data clearly illustrated the student experience of IBLSE and persistence in
online high schools. Six themes were consistent across all study participants:
perseverance and resilience, diploma required for future goals/understand the importance
of education on success, high level of IBLSE, self-regulated learner, sense of
responsibility to others and support. An additional five themes were unique but
warranted greater attention: self-advocacy, belief in a higher power, and the following
self-efficacy sources: performance accomplishment, verbal persuasion, and vicarious
experience. Seven minor composite themes were noted as relevant to understanding this
phenomenon including: positive outlook, wanting to support other online high school
students and/or potential students, satisfaction with independent online learning, gratitude
for scholarship opportunities, pride in COHS accomplishments, renewed sense of hope
and increased self-confidence.
In discussing challenges in the online high school program environment,
participants reflected on past challenges as their motivation to succeed. All participants
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experienced a major life challenge, including surviving a natural disaster, overcoming
homeless and high family mobility, the experience of teen pregnancy and single
parenthood, raising disabled children and living with an undiagnosed learning disability.
Participants demonstrated their ability to persevere and show resilience when they
encountered challenges in the online environment.
All participants were goal-oriented and recognized that a high school diploma was
required for attainment of life goals. They strongly expressed the importance of
education on their success; a diploma was either necessary for admission into a college or
medical program or to the pursuit of a career goal. Study participants recognized the
increased opportunities affiliated with having a high school diploma, such as the
improved ability to support family with new job opportunities and the ability to earn a
living wage. For participants that were parents, there was an additional emphasis on
education as a critical factor for success. Several participants demonstrated strong self-
advocacy behaviors that helped them achieve their educational goals.
Having a high level of IBLSE was a consistent theme across all participants. For
many, there was no doubt that they would graduate from COHS. They absolutely knew
they would earn their high school diplomas. Participants often felt that past high school
experiences gave them the foundation and confidence needed to finish school online.
Other participants had prior experience with online learning, either as a homeschooling
parent or with online college courses, and felt comfortable with the online program
format. Support from others also led to a high level of IBLSE.
All participants expressed a clear understanding of their academic strengths and
weaknesses and understood how to use a variety of SRL techniques to overcome
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challenges and maintain progress. For example, participants used goal setting,
visualization, time management, and study techniques. They asked for and received
tutoring and moral support from academic coaches, family, and friends. Several
participants had an understanding of their learning style and used this information to
comprehend new content. Others had a strong sense of self-advocacy.
Participants wanted to obtain a high school diploma out of a sense of
responsibility to others, either to: (a) improve their ability to provide for family; (b) not
let someone down; or (c) make someone proud. Several participants were solely
responsible for caring for other family members and expressed an urgency to obtain a
high school diploma in order to improve family circumstances. One participant felt
responsible to her local library scholarship committee. Not graduating would have meant
throwing away a valuable gift and letting others down. Other participants wanted to
make their families proud by graduating; they wanted to be viewed as a success or as a
role model for others.
The theme of support was consistent across all study participants. Participants
found a great deal of value and support in their relationships with the COHS academic
coaches. Encouraging words, emails, and notifications from coaches helped participants
stay motivated. They felt their academic coaches were true partners in their success.
Others received support from family members in the form of tutoring, child care, and
moral support. Some participants relied on support from library tutors or corporate
partner program staff. One participant found support from her child’s therapist who
convinced her that she was capable of earning a high school diploma. The theme, belief
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in a higher power, also served as student support as individuals felt strengthened by their
faith.
When asked to identify the self-efficacy source with the greatest impact on their
IBLSE, participants provided a variety of responses. Two participants identified
performance accomplishment, two identified verbal persuasion, and one identified
vicarious experience. Participants that identified performance accomplishment felt that
prior traditional high school courses provided the foundational experience needed to be
successful. There was a strong belief that, “I’ve done this before, I can do it again.” As
challenging COHS courses were completed, this compounded participant belief in
success.
Two individuals identified verbal persuasion as the self-efficacy source with the
greatest impact, as they felt influenced by the verbal support of others. One participant
was strongly influenced by the positive encouragement she received from her son’s
therapist, her library tutor, and her mother. Another participant found the verbal support
provided by her academic coach and family members to be critical to her success as they
listened when she was having a difficult day, encouraged her to press on, and reminded
her of how far she had already come.
One participant identified vicarious experience as the self-efficacy source with the
greatest impact. This individual enrolled into COHS with her best friend and was
motivated by knowing that her friend was successful despite having nine children. She
felt that if her friend could succeed under challenging circumstances, she could too.
There were several minor composite themes identified from the data. The
majority of study participants exhibited a positive outlook on life; they were ready to
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move on from the limitations of the past towards a brighter future. Many participants
talked about a desire to support struggling online high school students and/or motivate
non-graduates to return to school online.
All of the students expressed satisfaction with the COHS online learning
experience and appreciated the self-paced, independent nature of the program. All
participants had busy lives and were challenged to balance work, school, and family.
Some participants tried to go back to school through an on-site adult education program,
but were unsuccessful due to challenges managing school and family. For these busy
individuals the online format was the only manageable option.
Students affiliated with a library or corporate partnership program expressed
gratitude for the ability to earn a degree through a scholarship or as an employment
benefit. All students expressed being proud of their COHS accomplishments. Some
were proud to have completed difficult classes after being out of school for a significant
amount of time or in earning their high school diploma and reaching the finish line.
These accomplishments resulted in a renewed sense of hope and increased self-
confidence to succeed in the future.
Evaluation of findings
This phenomenological study involved the exploration of lived student
experiences of IBLSE and persistence in online high schools, through the use of a self-
efficacy framework. IBLSE is a construct used to indicate student self-belief in the
ability to succeed in an online course or online learning activity (Tsai et al., 2011). In
their critical review of the literature on self-efficacy in schools, Usher and Pajares (2008)
cited several studies that utilized a qualitative phenomenological approach, including an
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interview protocol, to assess student self-efficacy. Other researchers successfully used a
phenomenological approach to capture the lived experiences of non-graduates (Hynes,
2014).
This study added credibility to the use of a phenomenological methodology to
explore the experiences of non-graduate populations in online learning environments.
This research approach allowed the phenomenon to be understood from the experience of
study participants and generated rich, detailed participant descriptions (Maxwell, 2013;
Moustakas, 1994). Phenomenological research is an important methodology as it allows
the voices of marginalized groups, like high school non-graduates, to be heard (Hynes,
2014; Moustakas, 1994).
The study problem, a lack of information on student experiences of IBLSE and
persistence in online high schools and the inability for educational stakeholders to
leverage this data to reduce student attrition and inform programming decisions, was
addressed through Research Question 1: What are the student experiences of IBLSE and
persistence within online high schools? The following evaluation of findings indicated
the researcher’s interpretation and alignment of study themes to the knowledge base.
Research Question 2 addressed the study’s purpose: How can educational stakeholders
leverage student experiences of IBLSE and persistence to reduce student attrition and
inform online high school programming decisions? Data addressing practical application
recommendations is located in Chapter 5.
Study findings aligned with Bandura’s (1977a) self-efficacy theory. Self-efficacy
is one’s belief in one’s competence to perform tasks and attain goals (Bandura, 1977a).
Individuals have differentiated self-efficacy beliefs as they relate to specific functional
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domains, meaning that an individual’s expectations about performing a task is relative to
a particular situation (Bandura, 2006). To align with self-efficacy and functional domain
parameters, the study focus was the student experience of IBLSE within an online high
school environment. Student self-efficacy in this domain is indicative of student
motivation to enroll into an online course, student persistence, achievement of student
goals, and student satisfaction with online coursework (Artino & Stephens, 2009; Kim &
Frick, 2011; Oliver et al., 2009; Petty & Loboda, 2011; Tsai et al., 2011).
To meet study criteria, all participants needed to be COHS graduates or had to
have completed at least three COHS courses. Thus, all participants had experience with
academic success in an online learning environment. During interviews, all participants
indicated that they had a high self-efficacy to succeed in an online course or online
learning activity and all cited examples of how their self-efficacy directly influenced their
ability to persist. Students with self-professed high self-efficacy levels may be at an
advantage, as student over-estimation of self-efficacy can result in higher student
motivation, higher achievement levels, and improved student self-confidence, in
comparison to students with a more realistic sense of their capabilities (Bandura, 1997;
Gonida & Leondari, 2011; Schunk & Meece, 2006).
The researcher aligned participant self-efficacy examples with Bandura’s (1977a)
four hypothesized sources of personal self-efficacy expectations: performance
accomplishment, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion and physiological and
emotional states. Performance accomplishment, or personal mastery, refers to an
individual’s personal accomplishment of task or goals (Bandura, 1977a). This self-
efficacy source is known to have the greatest effect on personal self-efficacy as repeated
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successes or failures can raise and lower personal efficacy expectations (Bandura, 1977a,
1986). Researchers supported personal mastery by providing individuals with tangible
evidence of their success (Maddux, 2012).
Participants shared information on the influence of personal mastery experiences
on their IBLSE. Participants felt that prior experiences with high-school-level course
work, or with online courses, gave them the confidence and motivation needed to believe
they could succeed. This finding aligned with research on students’ prior knowledge of
course material as a motivational factor (Hartnett et al., 2011). For some students, seeing
courses marked as complete in the course room heightened their sense of personal
mastery.
The second self-efficacy source, vicarious experience, refers to the personal
witness of task attainment by others (Bandura, 1977a). Individuals that view their peers
as accomplishing, or not accomplishing tasks or goals are more likely to believe that they
too, can succeed or fail based upon what they have witnessed (Schunk & Meece, 2006).
A commonplace use of this source to influence individual self-efficacy is in mainstream
media, where often advertisers will feature testimonials for products such as weight loss
and smoking cessation (Maddux, 2012). The testimonial message is that real people have
accomplished similar, often challenging goals, and “so can you” (Maddux, 2012).
Support groups, where individuals share personal experiences, can also enhance self-
efficacy (Maddux, 2012).
Within the research study, one study participant’s IBLSE was influenced by
vicarious experience as she was motivated by seeing her best friend succeed online,
despite challenges. Going to school with her friend helped the participant remain
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motivated and engaged. The participant’s self-efficacy was influenced by observation of
her friend’s behavior (a single mother raising nine children) and the related consequences
of her behavior (succeeding in school) (Bandura 1977b; Maddux, 2012).
Another identified student strategy related to both performance accomplishment
and vicarious experience is visualization. Visualization involves imagining oneself or
others in hypothetical situations and these imaginary beliefs can build self-efficacy
(Bandura, 1977a; Maddux 2012). According to Bandura (1994), visualization is not a
self-efficacy source but a, “cognitive, psychological process through which self-efficacy
beliefs impact human functioning” (p. 80). In the research study, one participant
demonstrated a strong preference for visualization to help her attain her goals. The
participant imagined herself in a photograph, wearing her graduation cap and gown and
visualized her high school diploma in a frame. This example reflects performance
accomplishment as the participant was “seeing herself” graduate. The participant also
had a picture of her son in a graduation cap and gown and she used this image as
motivation to stay focused on graduation. This example reflects vicarious experience,
where seeing someone else (her son) achieving a goal (graduating), influenced the
participant’s self-efficacy.
The third self-efficacy source, verbal persuasion, refers to attempts by others to
influence an individual’s behavior through suggestion (Bandura, 1977a). Researchers
successfully applied this self-efficacy source by helping people believe they can cope
with situations that have overwhelmed them in the past (Bandura, 1977a). The
effectiveness of verbal persuasion in influencing others’ self-efficacy depends upon
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several factors including the expertise level and perceived trustworthiness of the person
providing feedback (Maddux, 2012).
Two study participants felt that verbal persuasion was the most influential self-
efficacy source on their belief in their ability to persist and succeed in online. For one
participant, her child’s therapist was her inspiration to return to school because he
convinced her that she could succeed. Her library tutor was instrumental in helping her
realize her academic potential beyond high school. Another participant found the support
of her COHS academic coach to be essential to her success, especially during challenging
times.
The theme of support was consistent across all study participants and aligned with
both vicarious and verbal persuasion self-efficacy sources. Participants found value and
support in their relationships with COHS academic coaches as their encouraging words,
emails, and notifications helped participants stay motivated. Other participants received
support from family members and friends in the form of tutoring, childcare, and moral
support. Some participants relied on support from library tutors or corporate partner
program staff.
Research showed that individuals who leave high school often need assistance to
become re-engaged; this can occur through authentic connections with adults and peers
that care about, support and guide them (Hynes, 2014). Reengagement is fostered when
students feel part of a caring community that values them as individuals and as learners
(Cavanaugh et al., 2013). As learning within the online model is autonomous, on-going
access to academic, technical and moral support is vital to student success (Cavanaugh et
al., 2013). The COHS model aligned with this research as the learning experience is
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individualized; students are assigned academic coaches who understand their learning
goals and help foster a sense of belonging to the wider education community (Cavanaugh
et al., 2013). Support provided by corporate, library, or career college partnerships, in the
form of tutors and on-site computer labs, also influenced student success and aligned with
the aforementioned research.
Bandura’s (1977a) fourth hypothesized self-efficacy source is physiological and
emotional states which indicates an individual’s mood, attitude, emotional and
physiological response in consideration of a goal or task. Self-efficacy is influenced
when individuals learn to associate poor performance or perceived failure with a negative
physiological response, and associate success, or perceived success with a positive
physiological response (Bandura, 1977a; Maddux, 2012). Thus, when individuals are
aware of having a negative physiological response in consideration of a goal, they will be
more likely to doubt their ability to achieve the goal and vice versa, a more positive
physiological response will generate feelings of confidence in consideration of the goal
(Bandura, 1977a; Maddux, 2012). Perceived self-efficacy beliefs can fluctuate due to
changes in personal conditions, such as an individual’s motivation level or state of mind
(Schunk & Meece, 2006).
Although this self-efficacy source was not self-identified by study participants as
having a strong influence on their IBLSE, interview data revealed significant evidence of
behavioral alignment to physiological and emotional states. For example, participants
discussed their emotional responses to challenging high school content and one
participant exclaimed, “I’m awful at math, beyond division and long hand—I can’t do
algebra. I can’t.” The participant’s physiological and emotional states (anxiety, distress)
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most likely had an impact on her IBLSE and her belief in her ability to pass the math
course.
Overall, the majority of participants expressed a positive emotional response in
regards to their IBLSE and positive outlook was identified as a minor theme. A student’s
emotional state can influence how they interpret experiences (Usher & Pajares, 2008).
Students can misinterpret a pessimistic outlook as a sign of inability, which can in turn
diminish self-efficacy (Usher & Pajares, 2008). Conversely, a positive student outlook
can raise self-efficacy beliefs, motivation, and achievement, resulting in enhanced well-
being (Usher & Pajares, 2008). Other minor themes that may be categorized under
physiological and emotional states include participant gratitude for scholarship
opportunities, pride in COHS accomplishments and feeling a renewed sense of hope and
increased self-confidence.
The theme, sense of responsibility to others, can also be categorized under the
self-efficacy source of physiological and emotional states. Study participants expressed a
strong desire to succeed online in order to improve their ability to provide for their
families, make others proud, or not let others down. This emotional reaction in
consideration of a goal (graduation) positively influenced participant self-efficacy and
motivation to succeed (Bandura, 1977a). This finding aligned with data on extrinsically
motivated students who may participate in learning activities out of a desire to meet
others’ expectations (Hartnett et al., 2011; Kim & Frick, 2011; Paechter et al., 2010).
Several participants were solely responsible for caring for other family members.
These individuals expressed an urgency to obtain a high school diploma in order to
elevate family circumstances. One participant felt responsible to her local library
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scholarship committee. Not graduating would mean throwing away a valuable gift and
letting others down. Other participants wanted to make their families proud by
graduating and wanted to be viewed as a success or as a role model by others. A minor
composite theme that emerged from the findings was study participant desire to give back
and support other online high school students and/or encourage potential students. While
this theme may have emerged as a result of the purposive sampling method, it also may
indicate a sense of fellowship or responsibility to others experiencing a similar life path
(Hynes, 2014). These study findings aligned with qualitative, phenomenological data
from The Center for Promise (Hynes, 2014), where non-graduates cited a desire to return
to school in order to: (a) support their families; (b) be seen as role models for their
children; and (c) have the ability to give back to the community.
The theme, belief in a higher power, emerged from the transcripts of three
participants who explained the impact of their faith on their self-efficacy. This theme is
related to an individual’s physiological and emotional states as belief in God and the use
of prayer influenced participant mood and fostered participant motivation to succeed.
For one participant, a strong belief in a higher power and in the power of prayer helped
her make the decision to go back to school and persist in her classes. Other participants
used prayer as a coping mechanism to overcome challenges with difficult coursework and
to help manage work and school responsibilities.
There is little research on students’ belief in a higher power and academic self-
efficacy, but there is data correlating belief in a higher power and use of prayer with
health-related self-efficacy (Molter & Abrahamson, 2015; Oman & Bormann, 2015;
Pérez & Smith, 2015). Researchers found that among those with cancer and sickle cell
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disease, scripture reading and prayer improved patient confidence in managing disease
symptoms (Molter & Abrahamson, 2015; Pérez & Smith, 2015). Among military
veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) patient use of mantras, (short,
sacred phrases based on spiritual traditions) fostered self-efficacy to manage PTSD
symptoms (Oman & Bormann, 2015). Among women who experienced abuse by a
significant other, spiritual coping processes promoted self-efficacy for resilience and
healing (Drumm et al., 2014).
Several minor study theme findings aligned with the category of influencing
physiological and emotional states, these include: positive student outlook, pride in
COHS accomplishments, renewed sense of hope and increased self-confidence, and
gratitude for scholarship opportunities. These themes involved student mood and attitude
in consideration of a task and aligned with positive psychology research findings on
psychological health and happiness (Maddux, 2012). Findings also aligned with research
on resilience among high school non-graduates as these individuals are known to
demonstrate personal agency, courage, and optimism about the future (Hynes, 2014).
Study findings aligned with social cognitive theory and the concept of self-
regulation, which is the self-influence process of self-monitoring one’s behavior
(Bandura, 1977a, 1986). Self-regulation correlates with positive self-efficacy beliefs and
is a self-influence process consisting of: (a) self-monitoring of one’s behavior to include
causes and effects; (b) self-judgment of one’s behavior to include the influence of
personal morals, standards and circumstances; and (c) self-reaction to one’s behavior to
include self rewards and self-punishments (Bandura, 1986; Shea & Bidjerano, 2010;
Zimmerman 2008). In essence, individuals identify goals, regulate behavior in pursuit of
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goals, and use past knowledge and experience to inform self-regulating behaviors
(Maddux, 2012).
In the field of education, SRL refers to the metacognitive, self-directed practices
and beliefs students use to obtain academic skills and self-monitor learning effectiveness
(Schunk, 2008; Zimmerman, 1986). Students that can self-regulate in an autonomous
online environment are at an advantage as SRL includes utilization of learning strategies
such as goal setting, content review, rehearsal and memorization, forming mental images,
self-recording, and seeking assistance from others (Artino & Stephens, 2009; Cavanaugh
et al., 2013; Paechter et al., 2010; Schunk, 2008; Shea & Bidjerano, 2010; Zimmerman,
1990, 2008). Characteristics of proactive, self-regulated learners include self-confidence,
high self-efficacy, initiative and perseverance (Artino & Stephens, 2009; Zimmerman,
1990, 2008). Self-regulated learners also take responsibility for learning outcomes, have
awareness of academic shortcomings and utilize adaptive strategies to mitigate
deficiencies (Artino et al., 2011; Zimmerman, 1990, 2008).
In the research study, all participants expressed an understanding of their
academic strengths and weaknesses and understood how to use SRL techniques to
overcome challenges and maintain progress. For example, participants applied goal
setting techniques, visualization, time management, and study techniques. They also
asked for and received tutoring and moral support from academic coaches, family, and
friends. Several participants understood their learning style and used this information to
comprehend new content. The use of SRL techniques influenced student IBLSE and
persistence as students understood how to obtain needed academic skills and self-monitor
learning effectiveness.
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The study theme, perseverance and resilience, closely aligned with the theme of
self-regulation. Perseverance is an individual’s drive to overcome challenges and
improve personal circumstances while resilience is an individual’s capacity to recover
from adversity (Hynes, 2014). Research on high school non-graduates demonstrated that
individuals who leave school often show great resilience and the ability to recover from
difficult situations (Hynes, 2014). Resilience is a human norm, yet individuals who leave
high school are often recovering from traumatic and toxic situations that are not typical of
the wider U.S. population such as physical and mental abuse, being a witness to violence,
teen pregnancy and early financial responsibilities (Hynes, 2014). These individuals
need authentic connections with adults and peers that understand, care for, and support
them, and guide them to educational programs and social services (Cavanaugh et al.,
2013; Drysdale et al., 2015; Hynes, 2014). An individual’s personal resilience, in
conjunction with social and institutional supports, enhances the academic reentry path
(Hynes, 2014).
During research interviews, study participants discussed the challenges of the
online high school environment and reflected on past difficult life experiences as
motivation to succeed. All participants experienced major life challenges, such as
surviving a natural disaster, overcoming homeless and high family mobility, teen
pregnancy, and single parenthood, raising disabled children and living with an
undiagnosed learning disability. In several instances, participants found strength in
knowing they overcome obstacles and were able to apply this knowledge to overcome
difficulties online.
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Other study themes overlapped with the theme of self-regulated learner. These
included: diploma required for future goals/understand the importance of education on
success, high level of IBLSE, support, self-advocacy and positive student outlook. The
aforementioned student characteristics aligned with data on effective self-regulated
learning behaviors and beliefs (Cavanaugh et al., 2013; Schunk, 2008; Zimmerman,
2008). Study data aligned with research correlating high student IBLSE and student
achievement, motivation and self-regulation in online learning settings (Artino &
Stephens, 2009; Kim & Frick, 2011; Tsai et al., 2011).
The study theme, diploma required for future goals/understand importance of
education on success, aligned with research on expectancy theory and aspects of
extrinsically motivated learners (Hartnett et al., 2011; Kim & Frick, 2011; Paechter et al.,
2010; Vroom, 2006). Expectancy theory indicated that individuals are motivated to
behave in certain ways based on perceived results of behavior, with correlations between
perceived desirability of an outcome and an individual’s motivation level (Lunenburg,
2011; Vroom, 1964). In education, expectancy refers to an individual’s perception that
coursework will lead to the acquisition of knowledge, skills or abilities, and to specific
outcomes, such as respect from peers, increases in pay and improved job performance
(Mathieu et al., 1992).
Expectancy is influenced by valence, which is a motivational variable used to
indicate an individual’s perception of the importance of the expected outcome (Vroom,
1964). For example, the importance of an expected outcome, such as graduating from
high school, is directly affected by how important obtaining this outcome is to the
individual (Vroom, 1964). An individual that cares about an outcome is more likely to be
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highly motivated and confident that he or she can exert the required effort and will be
more likely to believe that the outcome is attainable (Vroom, 1964). Thus, self-efficacy
and expectancy are interconnected; the more confident an individual feels about the
importance of a task, the more likely he or she will exert effort to obtain a positive
outcome (Vroom 1964).
Student motivation is a necessary component for student success within an
online learning environment; when students believe content is relevant, motivation to
learn independently increases (Cavanaugh et al., 2013). All study participants were goal
oriented and recognized that a high school diploma was required to attain life goals.
They understood the importance of education on their success. These drivers influenced
student IBLSE and course persistence. For participants, a diploma was either necessary
for admission into a college or medical program, or in the pursuit of a career goal.
Study participants recognized the increased opportunities affiliated with having a
high school diploma, such as the improved ability to support family through new job
opportunities and the ability to earn a living wage. For participants that were parents,
there was an additional emphasis on education as a critical factor for success. For
example, one participant wanted her children to view her as a role model while another
needed her high school diploma in order to homeschool her children.
Findings aligned with adult learning theory core principles, including the learner's
need to know, self-concept of the learner, prior experience of the learner, readiness to
learn, orientation to learning and motivation to learn (Knowles et al., 2014). All
participants were mature adults who were motivated to graduate based on their desire to
improve their lives. They connected with the “why” of learning and clearly understood,
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“what’s in it for me.” Findings aligned with research on the topic of online learning and
students with disabilities as motivation increases and learning occurs when students make
real connections with learning content and understand why they are learning it
(Cavanaugh et al., 2013). When students believe that content is relevant, student
motivation to learn independently increases (Cavanaugh et al., 2013). Study participants
demonstrated self-concept as they completed work online in an autonomous and self-
directing fashion. They were able to use their prior experiences in school and in
overcoming challenges to help them persist. Participant motivation to learn had intrinsic
and extrinsic value.
Study findings aligned with research on student IBLSE and the achievement of
student goals, course performance, course satisfaction and persistence in the online
learning environment, as well as findings on student motivation to enroll into and
complete an online course and exert effort in an online learning activity (Artino &
Stephens, 2009; Kim & Frick, 2011; Oliver et al., 2009; Petty & Loboda, 2011; Tsai et
al., 2011). All study participants expressed having a high IBLSE level due to prior
experience with high school coursework and based on commitments made to family,
friends and tutors. IBLSE was also influenced by effective participant use of support,
self-motivation and self-regulated learning techniques.
Study data aligned with findings on CSE, which indicates an individual’s general
beliefs about his or her computer skills (Tsai et al., 2011). Research showed that
individuals are more likely to adopt new computer technologies if they perceive that the
technologies will be beneficial, if the technologies are easy to use, and if individuals
believe they will be successful in their use (Cheng et al., 2012). Ease of technology use
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aligned with self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, improved student confidence and
intention to use technology, and positive user attitudes (Cheng et al., 2012).
All study participants expressed satisfaction with the COHS online learning
experience and appreciated the self-paced, independent nature of the program.
Participants found value in the support provided by COHS academic coaches. These
findings aligned with research on online high school components and best practices such
as student-paced programming, flexible schedules, and individualized curricula
(Cavanaugh et al., 2013; Collins & Halverson, 2010).
Another benefit of the online model, as mentioned by a study participant, was
elimination of student bullying and stigma, and an opportunity for a fresh start (Collins &
Halverson, 2009). Online high schools are advantageous for individuals who are
significantly over-age and far from meeting high school completion requirements as
stigmas are lessened (Balfanz et al., 2009). For these individuals, reentry options like
COHS that incorporate career training are more feasible, as students can earn their
diplomas while gaining important career and workplace skills (Balfanz et al., 2013;
Wilkins, 2011). The COHS model includes partnerships with corporations, libraries and
career colleges. Partnerships are a best practice as they improve student enrollment and
graduation rates (Wilkins, 2011).
Study participants discussed challenges encountered online and findings aligned
with research on student attrition from online learning programs. Student perception of
course difficulty may result in decreased student motivation and increased student
anxiety (Kim & Frick, 2011). Participants discussed addressing and overcoming known
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issues such as time constraints, course difficulties, and competing priorities, like family
and career demands (Kim & Frick, 2011).
Study findings aligned with research on the importance of stakeholder support of
student self-efficacy as this can influence student academic achievement, improve student
performance, and facilitate student goal attainment (Artino & Stephens, 2009; Caprara et
al., 2008; Tsai et al., 2011; Usher & Pajares, 2008). The COHS model utilizes academic
coaches who provide individualized and timely support for all COHS students. Based on
positive study participant reaction and academic results, the utilization of academic
coaches is clearly a best practice. It is important that stakeholders continue to understand
student self-efficacy in online environments as this construct influences the choices
students make, the amount of effort and persistence they exhibit on tasks, and the level of
anxiety or comfort they feel when approaching learning tasks (Usher & Pajares, 2008).
Summary
This chapter included results and evaluation of findings of a qualitative
phenomenological study examining the student experiences of online high school
persistence and IBLSE. Meticulous phenomenological analysis of interview data,
following a modified van Kaam methodology, generated common participant themes. In-
depth analysis of themes revealed individual thoughts and perspectives of the
phenomenon. This chapter also included an analysis of study findings and comparison of
results based on other studies in the field.
An overview of the study’s research design was presented, including study
demographics and research questions. Use of a modified van Kaam methodology
generated individual textural, structural and textural-structural descriptions (Moustakas,
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1994). The researcher created descriptions by analyzing each transcript and listing and
grouping all expressions related to IBLSE and persistence in an online high school. The
researcher used imaginative variation to identify underlying themes within study data
(Moustakas, 1994).
The individual structural and textural-structural descriptions provided a synopsis
of the underlying themes that described the individual student experience of IBLSE and
online high school persistence. Integration of individual textural and structural
descriptions led to the creation of composite textural and composite structural
descriptions. The final composite textural-structural description for the entire study
involved the integration of these descriptions. This synthesis was presented within this
chapter and included a summary of common and unique themes that described the essence
of the phenomenon.
Eleven major composite themes were identified from the interview data and were
presented with significant study participant quotes aligned to each of the themes. Major
themes included: perseverance and resilience, diploma required for future
goals/understand the importance of education on success, high level of IBLSE, self-
regulated learner, sense of responsibility to others, support, self-advocacy, belief in a
higher power, and the following participant-identified self-efficacy sources: performance
accomplishment, verbal persuasion and vicarious experience. Several minor composite
themes were noted as relevant to understanding the phenomenon: positive outlook,
wanting to support other online high school students and/or potential students,
satisfaction with independent online learning, gratitude for scholarship opportunities,
pride in COHS accomplishments, renewed sense of hope and increased self-confidence.
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Tables and figures within this chapter provided detailed information on participant
demographics, composite textural themes, and consistent and unique composite themes
among participants.
Evaluation of findings demonstrated alignment with the use of a qualitative
phenomenology methodology to explore the experiences of non-graduate populations in
online learning environments. Alignment to the study’s problem, a lack of information
on student experiences of IBLSE and persistence in online high schools and the inability
for educational stakeholders to leverage this data to reduce student attrition and inform
programming decisions, was presented. Data indicated the researcher’s interpretation and
alignment of study themes within the knowledge base. Data reflecting Research
Question 2 addressing the study’s purpose: How can educational stakeholders leverage
student experiences of IBLSE and persistence to reduce student attrition and inform
online high school programming decisions?, is located in Chapter 5.
Evaluation of findings demonstrated alignment with the four hypothesized
sources of self-efficacy as defined within Bandura’s (1977a) self-efficacy model.
Findings aligned with research on SRL, expectancy theory and adult learning theory.
Study findings aligned with research on student IBLSE and the achievement of student
goals, course performance, course satisfaction and persistence in the online learning
environment, as well as findings on student motivation to enroll into and complete an
online course and exert effort in an online learning activity, as well as research on CSE.
Findings aligned with research on online high school best practices such as
student-paced programming, flexible schedules, individualized curricula, and career-
focused coursework. Findings aligned with research on typical student challenges with
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online learning environments including issues around student motivation such as
competing priorities, course difficulties and family and career demands. The importance
of stakeholder support of student self-efficacy was highlighted in the study and aligned
with similar research findings in this topic area. The study demonstrated the importance
of stakeholder understanding of how student self-efficacy in the online environment.
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Chapter 5: Implications, Recommendations, and Conclusions
This chapter begins with a review of the study’s problem statement, purpose,
method, limitations and ethical dimensions. A discussion of study implications based on
the lived student experiences of Internet-Based Learning Self-Efficacy (IBLSE) and
persistence in an online high school, follows. Recommendations for practical study
application and for future research are included, along with concluding researcher
thoughts.
Student enrollment into online high schools has increased exponentially (Queen &
Lewis, 2011), yet student dropout from these programs remains a known problem with
dropout rates in excess of 60% (Barbour & Reeves, 2009; Roblyer, 2006). Students with
previous negative school experiences often struggle in these programs and fear of failure
can cause students to drop out once again (Cavanaugh et al., 2013; Collins & Halverson,
2010; Hammond et al., 2007). This study addressed the problem of a lack of information
on student experiences of IBLSE and persistence in online high schools and the resulting
inability of educational stakeholders to leverage this data to inform programming
decisions and reduce student attrition.
The purpose of the qualitative phenomenological study was to examine student
experiences of IBLSE and persistence in an online high school in order to provide
stakeholders with data to reduce student attrition and inform programming decisions.
Research on this phenomenon is beneficial as support of student self-efficacy can
influence student academic achievement, improve student performance, and facilitate
student goal attainment (Artino & Stephens, 2009; Caprara et al., 2008; Tsai et al., 2011;
Usher & Pajares, 2008).
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This study utilized a phenomenological research method and analysis of interview
data followed a modified van Kaam methodology to generate common participant themes
(Moustakas, 1994). This method involved the processes of phenomenological reduction,
imaginative variation, and synthesis (Moustakas, 1994). Central limitations of the study
include the qualitative approach, the use of a single study site, the limited number of
participants involved, and the limited participant demographic. The study demographics
represented multiple forms of reentry pathways, (i.e., students self-enrolled or enrolled
through library/corporate/career college partnerships), which was an unintended
demographic division identified in the data.
To meet study criteria, all participants were required to complete at least three
online courses or be recent Career Online High School (COHS) graduates. This
delimitation ensured that all participants experienced success in achieving an online
learning goal or completing an online learning task. These criteria were also a limitation
as participants were primarily program advocates and this did not provide a balanced
student-experience perspective. As the study sample was purposive and only involved
students that attended COHS, findings are not generalizable to other populations,
programs or school districts.
A qualitative phenomenological approach was identified as the best method to
explore the phenomenon of IBLSE and student persistence in an online high school
environment. One methodological assumption was that qualitative interviews, with
limited numbers of participants, could generate meaningful, rich data (Maxwell, 2013).
Although the researcher’s use of bracketing supported study result credibility,
transferability and dependability, the researcher’s biases, beliefs, and personal
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experiences were potential limitations to interview and data analysis processes
(Moustakas, 1994). As differing researcher ideas and beliefs emerged, they were
documented in journal format and reflected upon. Study literature served as a critical
guide to analyzing and interpreting the study data. Other limitations included the
newness of the interview protocol, the phone-based nature of the interview, the inability
to read participant body language, and lack of opportunity to build a trust-based
relationship with participants. Without this established relationship, participants may
have held back in revealing personal life experiences.
The study aligned with the Belmont Report and basic ethical principles for
behavioral research with human subjects including: (a) respect for persons (acknowledge
autonomy, protect those with diminished autonomy, ensure subjects participate willingly
and with adequate information); (b) beneficence (maximize benefits, minimize possible
harm); and (c) justice (ensure for equal distribution of study burdens and benefits on
study subjects) (National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of
Biomedical and Behavioral Research, 1979). The researcher established trust with
participants by being clear about the researcher role, the study processes, and study
objectives. Signed informed consent was received from all study participants prior to
interviews and verbal permission was received to audio record the interview sessions. In
the data and the findings, participant names were replaced with pseudonyms to ensure for
anonymity.
As high school non-graduates are considered a vulnerable population, care was
taken not to place undue burden on these individuals (National Commission for the
Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research, 1979). Study
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participants have previously experienced school failure and care was taken to ensure that
sensitive topics that arose during the interview, such as such as teen pregnancy,
homelessness and family concerns, were handled with dignity. During the data collection
process, the researcher worked to ensure all participants had a positive reaction to the
study’s purpose and felt empowered as a result of study participation. The researcher
reassured study participants that all data was private and confidential. Two rounds of
member checking, first with transcripts, and again with individual-textural descriptions,
ensured participants were in agreement and comfortable with the presentation and
publication of their information.
This chapter includes study implications aligned to the research questions.
Discussion includes logical conclusions and information on the potential impact of
limitations on the interpretation of results. The results are placed into context to describe
how they aligned to the study problem, fit with the study purpose, demonstrate
significance, and contribute to the existing literature. Recommendations for practical
applications of the study are presented, to include recommendations for future research,
followed by researcher conclusions.
Implications
This study provided a glimpse into the personal, lived experiences of former non-
graduate students, in an online high school environment. The resulting data aligned to
the study’s problem, a lack of information on student experiences of IBLSE and
persistence in online high schools, and the consequent inability of educational
stakeholders to leverage this data to inform programming decisions and reduce student
attrition. Study findings aligned to the study significance and have implications for
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invested stakeholders, self-efficacy and online education researchers, and online students
themselves. As the student dropout rate from online high school programs is high,
especially in non-graduate populations (Barbour & Reeves, 2009; Roblyer, 2006), and the
impact of high school dropout is significant (Amos, 2008; Chapman et al., 2010; Wilkins
2011), the study data provided valuable insight into understanding student motivation and
persistence within these programs. This understanding can lead to the development of
impactful strategies, practical applications, and future research.
The central, guiding research question in this study was: What are the student
experiences of IBLSE and persistence within online high schools? The second research
question: How can educational stakeholders leverage student experiences of IBLSE to
reduce student attrition and inform online high school reentry programming decisions?
is addressed and discussed within the Recommendations section that follows.
Bandura’s (1977a) self-efficacy theory served as the study’s framework and lens to
evaluate findings on student experiences of IBLSE and persistence in an online high
school. The researcher looked for data patterns that supported other theoretical
perspectives (e.g., Self-Regulated Learning, expectancy, adult learning), and that
offered additional insights into relationships between the non-graduate experience,
IBLSE and persistence in online high school environments. Participant data analyzed
through Moustakas’ (1994) modified van Kaam method resulted in the identification of
eleven major composite themes and seven minor composite themes that described the
shared essences of the phenomenon under review.
Six major composite themes were consistent across all participants: perseverance
and resilience, diploma required for future goals/understand the importance of education
191
on success, high level of IBLSE, self-regulated learner, sense of responsibility to others
and support. The remaining five major composite themes were unique, but significant
enough to warrant their own distinction: self-advocacy, belief in a higher power, and the
following self-efficacy sources: performance accomplishment, verbal persuasion and
vicarious experience. Minor composite themes noted as relevant to understanding this
phenomenon included: positive outlook, wanting to support other online high school
students and/or potential students, satisfaction with independent online learning, gratitude
for scholarship opportunities, pride in COHS accomplishments, renewed sense of hope
and increased self-confidence.
Individuals that leave high school are known to demonstrate resilience (Hynes,
2014). All study participants experienced overcoming major life challenges such as
natural disasters, homelessness, high family mobility, teen pregnancy, and single
parenthood. Reflection on challenges spurred student motivation to persist, and
resilience helped individuals overcome challenges within the online high school
environment. All participants were goal-oriented and recognized that a high school
diploma was required for education and career advancement and was critical to
improving family support. Participants expressed the desire to obtain their high school
diploma out of a sense of responsibility to others, either to improve their ability to
provide for family, not let someone down, or make someone proud. These findings have
implications as stakeholders can leverage student characteristics and goals to help
students persist.
A high level of IBLSE was a consistent theme across all participants. This data
has implications for stakeholders as high levels of student self-efficacy correlate with
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student persistence in learning environments (Artino & Stephens, 2009; Caprara et al.,
2008; Tsai et al., 2011). All participants understood how to use a variety of Self-
Regulated Learning (SRL) techniques to overcome challenges including visualization,
time management, and study techniques. They also demonstrated self-advocacy
behaviors.
The theme of support was consistent across all study participants. Students asked
for and received support from academic coaches, family, and friends. The theme, belief
in a higher power, may also be categorized as a form of support as individuals felt
supported and strengthened by their beliefs. There are implications for this data as
stakeholders can remind students of their academic accomplishments, promote the use of
SRL strategies and encourage students to seek out support.
When asked to identify which of the four self-efficacy sources had the strongest
impact on their belief in their ability to succeed in an online course or online learning
activity, participants identified performance accomplishment, verbal persuasion, and
vicarious experience. This information has implications for stakeholders, as each student
is unique and requires differentiated motivation and self-efficacy support. Minor study
theme data, (positive outlook, wanting to support other online high school students and/or
potential students, satisfaction with independent online learning, gratitude for scholarship
opportunities, pride in COHS accomplishments, renewed sense of hope and increased
self-confidence), also has implications for stakeholders as student attitude and
satisfaction with the online environment can impact student success.
Contribution to existing literature. The findings of this study contributed to
existing literature by addressing the need to understand student experiences of online
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high school environments (Barbour & Reeves, 2009; Hawkins et al., 2012; Molnar et al.,
2014; Tsai et al., 2011; Usher & Pajares, 2008). The problem of high school dropout has
significant repercussions for individuals, communities and the U.S. economy as
approximately 3.1 million students leave school each year (Balfanz et al., 2013; Chapman
et al., 2010). Although study findings are limited and not generalizable, data provided
insight into the experiences of high school non-graduates who returned to school online
and the utilization of this modality for high school reentry purposes. As such,
educational stakeholders may use data to mitigate the problem of high school dropout.
Despite stakeholder investment into online high schools and ever-increasing
student enrollment, there is little high-quality research on learning effectiveness in this
environment (Barbour & Reeves, 2009; Hawkins et al., 2012; Molnar et al., 2014; Queen
& Lewis, 2011). Researchers also do not fully understand how high school students
acquire the necessary skills, attitudes and habits to learn online (Barbour & Reeves, 2009;
Molnar et al., 2014). Research on the use of these programs by non-graduates is even
more limited as university-level students have typically been the subject of student
attrition from online education programs (Tsai et al., 2011). To address these gaps, study
data provided information on the overarching themes and characteristics of successful
former non-graduates within an online high school environment.
Student dropout from online high school programs is a known problem with
student dropout rates in excess of 60% (Barbour & Reeves, 2009; Roblyer, 2006). For
former non-graduates, the risk of dropping out is even greater, as students with previous
negative school experiences often struggle in online education programs and fear of
failure can cause students to leave school again (Cavanaugh et al., 2013; Collins &
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Halverson, 2010; Hammond et al., 2007). The study’s non-graduate perspective provided
information on typical challenges this population may expect to encounter, along with
information on how students remain motivated and navigate challenges. This data is
necessary for the development of instructional and motivational strategies to improve
student persistence and enhance student academic performance in online learning
environments (Hawkins et al., 2012; Molnar et al., 2014).
This study demonstrated support for Bandura’s (1977a) self-efficacy theory and
data aligned with the hypothesized four sources of self-efficacy. This study extended the
literature on student IBLSE in online high school environments. Study participants self-
identified different self-efficacy sources that had the strongest impact on their IBLSE.
This information demonstrated that non-graduate students have unique learning and
motivational needs and supported recommendations to provide students with
personalized support to foster a self-efficacy mindset (Cavanaugh et al., 2013; Wilkins,
2011).
In both traditional and online learning environments, student self-efficacy is
known to influence the choices students make, the amount of effort exhibited on tasks,
and the level of anxiety or comfort experienced when approaching tasks (Artino &
Stephens, 2009; Caprara et al., 2008; Kim & Frick, 2011; Oliver et al., 2009; Petty &
Loboda, 2011; Usher & Pajares, 2008). Students with self-professed high self-efficacy
levels may be at an advantage as overestimation can result in higher student motivation,
higher achievement levels and improved student self-confidence, in comparison to
students with a more realistic sense of their capabilities (Gonida & Leondari, 2011;
Schunk & Meece, 2006). Study data provided new information on student self-efficacy
195
in online high school environments. Educational stakeholders can use findings to
develop and improve student self-efficacy support and to mitigate the problem of student
attrition from these environments.
Findings demonstrated support for SRL theory as study participants used a variety
of SRL strategies to obtain academic skills and self-monitor learning effectiveness
(Schunk, 2008; Zimmerman, 1986). Findings aligned with expectancy theory as study
participants were motivated to behave in certain ways, based on perceived results of
behavior (Vroom, 1964). For example, participants put effort into coursework, as they
were motivated to earn a high school diploma and enroll in college. Findings also
supported adult learning theory principles, as participants were motivated to graduate
based on their real-world desire to improve their lives (Knowles et al., 2014). They
connected with the “why” of learning and clearly understood, “what’s in it for me.”
Study participants also completed online assignments in an autonomous and self-
directing fashion and used their prior schooling and life experiences to help them
overcome challenges.
Phenomenological research is an important methodology as it allows the voices of
marginalized groups, like high school non-graduates, to be heard (Hynes, 2014;
Moustakas, 1994). There is a need to incorporate student ideas into the development of
high school reentry strategies (Hynes, 2014). This phenomenological study provided a
venue for students to express themselves and to share their experiences of learning
online. Stakeholders can use this data to develop researched-based strategies and inform
programming decisions. As a result, more students can receive the support they need to
196
earn high school diplomas, improve earning power, and obtain an overall higher quality
of life.
Recommendations
According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau (2012), approximately 3.1 million
students drop out of school each year, reflecting a serious national concern (Amos, 2008;
Balfanz et al., 2013; Chapman et al., 2010; Wilkins, 2011). Online high schools provide
an alternative means to re-engage non-graduates, yet student dropout from these
programs is a known problem, with dropout rates in excess of 60% (Barbour & Reeves,
2009; Roblyer, 2006). The proposed benefit of this research on student experiences of
IBLSE and persistence within online high schools was to provide educational
stakeholders with data to reduce student attrition from online high schools and inform
programming decisions.
This study includes recommendations for those invested, or looking to invest, in
online high schools and in the use of these schools by non-graduates. Interested
stakeholders may include online high school superintendents and principals, K-12 and
adult educational stakeholders, online high school program managers and investors, and
online high school partners such as public libraries, career colleges, correctional centers,
corporations and workforce boards. These recommendations are also relevant for
mentors and volunteers who work directly with non-graduates and other stakeholders
invested in impacting the problem of high school dropout.
Scholars within the fields of education technology, online learning, adult
education, and self-efficacy in the online environment, may be interested in this research.
Potential and current students may also have a personal interest as application
197
recommendations can improve self-efficacy and foster program success. Private-pay
students have an additional financial interest as leaving school may cost them tuition.
Practical applications. Several practical applications are suggested for
improving student persistence in online high schools. In applying recommendations,
stakeholders are advised to use professional judgment as the targeted non-graduate
population is considered vulnerable and includes a disproportionate number of minorities
and the economically disadvantaged (Hynes, 2014). Practical application
recommendations include information on the following: development of student self-
efficacy assessment and support instruments, recommendations for academic coaches and
student support staff, and recommendations on program management, student
communications, online platform features and content development.
For non-graduates with busy lives, the thought of completing high school online
can feel like an unattainable goal. Independent coursework can seem overwhelming, the
journey to obtain a diploma can appear tedious and challenging, and non-graduates may
also be dealing with educational trauma. Individuals with family commitments, those
with English as a second language, or those who have been out of high school for a
significant length of time, may feel reluctant to return to school due to these added
challenges.
Helping potential students understand their personal self-efficacy drivers can
influence student beliefs on returning to school and can help students prepare to manage
course and school challenges. To achieve this goal, the development of a student self-
efficacy instrument, to include self-efficacy preferences, readiness factors, and
motivational drivers, is necessary. The development of a personal student self-efficacy
198
support plan, or graduation contract, is also necessary. This plan would guide students to
reflect on the complexities of going back to school online (e.g., independent and
challenging coursework, assignment pacing, time commitments, childcare concerns), and
help them proactively identify and document the people and support they will need to
stay on track. Ensuring students fully understand program expectations can ease the
transition into a formal, structured education program. The aforementioned instruments
would help lay the foundation for a student self-efficacy mindset and empower students
to use self-efficacy and self-motivation techniques when confronted with challenging
tasks or goals.
For programs that utilize a scholarship and/or partnership program process, the
student application is ideal for screening student candidates for program readiness and
academic self-efficacy. Study results showed that students who underwent an application
and/or pre-requisite process felt invested in their success as they devoted significant
personal time and energy to the application process. Once students are enrolled,
academic coaches, tutors, and mentors can support student self-efficacy through targeted
student conversations and communications. Self-efficacy assessment data and follow-up
conversations can help stakeholders understand student motivation to graduate. This
information can be used to provide students with individualized support, especially when
students are faced with personal or academic challenges. Stakeholders are encouraged to
use good judgment when seeking information on motivational drivers as students may not
want to share confidential information. Stakeholders are also advised to use good
judgment in using these drivers, as students should not be made to feel guilty if they are
struggling with coursework.
199
Even highly motivated students will need encouragement and support. During
study data collection, all participants emphasized the value of support in helping them to
be successful. Educational stakeholders should help students foster and nurture
relationships with adults that care about them and in whom they can trust (Cavanaugh et
al., 2013; Drysdale et al., 2014; Hynes, 2014). These individuals can be family members,
friends, program staff, tutors, mentors, clergy members, or other online high school
students. Within the COHS model, academic coaches provide a single point of contact
for students to receive one-on-one, personalized support. The continued use of academic
coaches or the development and adoption of an academic coach model is strongly
recommended.
Academic coaches play a critical role in establishing a trust-based relationship
with students, in tracking student progress, in communicating with students on a regular
basis and in maintaining student motivation. COHS academic coaches spend the
majority of their time engaged in student follow-up as their primary responsibility is
student motivation and ensuring students are on-pace to graduate within 18 months of
program commencement. When identifying academic coaching staff, program managers
can look to employ individuals with a passion for adult education and in assisting others
to graduate. Often these individuals will be mission-driven, with personal experience in
overcoming challenging circumstances and who can relate to the life experiences of
potential and current students. In these cases, the academic coach can influence students
through both vicarious experience (e.g., “I’ve accomplished this goal, you can do it too”)
and verbal persuasion (e.g., “You are almost there, you can do this”).
200
Individuals in an academic coach or student support role should receive proper
training in understanding the non-graduate perspective, in using active listening to help
students open up, in building trusting relationships and the effective use of empathy.
Training should include information on motivating students and overcoming barriers to
student motivation. These individuals should have experience and/or training in
counseling students who may have experienced educational trauma and working
knowledge on rebuilding student academic self-confidence and self-efficacy. Staff
members should be proficient in conveying enthusiasm and support in both verbal and
email communications.
As the online high school population may include students with learning
disabilities or with English as a Second Language (ESL), certified instructors should be
prepared to assist students with special needs. Academic coaches should have a working
knowledge of ESL best practices and information on common learning disabilities and
disorders such as dyslexia, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Relevant training should include understanding the
nature of disabilities and impacts on individual learning needs, as well as the use of
strategies to support student-learning processes (Cavanaugh et al., 2013). In the research
study, two out of five participants self-identified as having special needs, thus this type of
staff training may be necessary to personalize student support. Although not always
feasible, when possible online high schools should have mechanisms in place to connect
students to wrap-around support services, such as local social service agencies.
There is little data on the dropout rate from online high schools and there is no
established forum or requirement for providers to share data and best practices. For-
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profit online schools can be competitive, yet it is recommended that schools establish
transparency with dropout rates, share retention strategies and hold partners accountable
for retention. Especially in cases where public taxpayer money is funding scholarships,
for example in partnerships with libraries and correctional facilities, it is important to take
a critical look at the success rate of students and ensure for a return on investment.
Program managers may consider incentivizing academic coaches that have high
student retention and graduation rates. As part of effective program management,
retention should be a visible metric, with reduction as the target. Schools that can cite
low dropout rates and high graduation rates may be able to leverage this data as a selling
point for students and investors. It is recommended that stakeholders conduct exit
interviews with students that drop out of online high schools. This data could reveal gaps
in program management. Knowing the tremendous impact that not graduating has on
individuals and on our society as a whole, it is worth the added investment to be
proactive, to understand what the online student data is telling us, and to have meaningful
conversations with students to truly understand why they might be at-risk of dropping
out.
Program stakeholders can develop and leverage peer support networks to promote
student persistence. Programs with synchronous student-learning opportunities, such as
on-site computer labs and tutoring facilities, can pair students as learning partners.
Ideally, learning partners would be at similar locations in the high school program
curriculum, with in-person opportunities for partners to share program challenges and
provide each other with encouragement and support. Online high schools with cohort-
paced courses can provide opportunities for students to connect and receive peer support.
202
For one study participant, her best friend served as her learning partner and this vicarious
experience promoted her self-efficacy. Learning partnerships can be fostered online in a
formal fashion, where stakeholders can pair online students together, or students can be
encouraged to connect with peers in a more organic nature, such as through school
websites and student portals, or social media platforms such as Facebook.
Participants in this study were eager to share their stories of success and recent
graduates expressed wanting to help other students become enrolled and persist as they
personally experienced life-changing program impacts. Educational stakeholders should
consider harnessing this enthusiasm by creating student advocate groups to connect
advocates with individuals that are considering going back to school, that are new to
online learning, or that might be struggling. Ideally, advocates would share similar
demographics as the students they partner with, such as gender, age, geographic location
and parental status. Peer support groups can be developed around student demographics
and interests such as gender, parental status, stay-at-home parenting/homeschooling,
parents of children with special needs, or religious affiliations. Messaging around
membership in student support groups should be inclusive rather than exclusive.
Academic coaches and student support staff may consider a faith-based approach
to personalize student support if this is something the student initiates or requests and/or
if there is a willing academic coach. For example, a staff member may offer to pray with
a student or may send the student motivational scriptures or words of wisdom. In the
research study, three out of the five participants expressed that their belief in a higher
power and use of prayer strengthened their self-efficacy. Thus, this recommendation may
be deemed relevant.
203
Students should find the school technology platform, enrollment, and onboarding
processes to be intuitive and easy to follow. As these students have previously
experienced high school failure, they may be dealing with educational trauma and the
fewer barriers there are to enrollment, on-boarding and course completion, the better.
Three out of the five study participants interviewed experienced enrollment challenges
that could have negatively influenced their self-efficacy to succeed online. In one
instance, a student was not provided the opportunity to select a career certificate focus
(the partner program manager selected it) and the student was automatically registered for
courses she was not interested in. By the time the error was realized, it was too late to
change the career track. In two other cases, duplication of coursework due to student
transcripts issues resulted in student program frustrations.
The fact that these students persevered despite these challenges is a testimony to
their resilience. To this end, it is recommended that online high school providers ensure
that partner program managers clearly understand all aspects of the online program and
enrollment process. Partners should be required to participate in partner program training
and to demonstrate competence in program management in order to avoid errors that
could negatively impact student persistence and student self-esteem.
Online high school partner programs that require students to attend on-site
sessions should ensure the on-site location is welcoming and resourced with appropriate
technology, support staff, and tutors. One study participant had a negative experience
with the on-site requirement as she found little support from the on-site program manager
and she was not provided with on-site tutoring or peer mentoring opportunities. Partner
programs may want to rethink program policies that are detrimental to student
204
persistence, as motivated adult students can be trusted to complete independent
coursework online. Requiring significant time on-site can negate the benefits that a
student-paced online learning environment has to offer and this seems counterintuitive to
busy adult learners’ needs for program flexibility. Instead, stakeholders may consider
monitoring student progress and requiring only off-pace students to attend on-site. In this
example, attendance on-site would not be considered a punishment, but a safety net that
exemplifies a supportive program model.
It is recommended that partner programs assist students to obtain transcripts and
have these documents in hand before allowing students to formally enroll and begin
online classes. The time involved in obtaining transcripts can be significantly longer for
older students or those from foreign countries. Waiting for transcripts is preferable to
having students enroll and potentially complete unnecessary and duplicative coursework,
which can decrease student self-efficacy and generate student frustration and
dissatisfaction with the online program.
Corporate partners should be commended for their support in educating
employees through online high school opportunities. Forward-thinking companies
realize that an educated workforce is critical to their on-going success. Scholarship
matching programs, such as the Clinton Global Initiative, are also commended as
corporate partners can support education through philanthropic contributions.
Stakeholders should continually assess their learning environments to ensure for
effective and innovative learning experiences. New student onboarding should include a
tour of the online classroom and safe opportunities to practice with new software and
course tools. Stakeholders should ensure that students understand all of the learning
205
resources that are available for them including information on contacting their academic
coach, certified content-area teachers, or specialized tutors. Students should be able to
easily view and track curriculum progress as seeing courses completed can enhance an
individual’s sense of personal mastery. The aforementioned strategies can help increase
student self-efficacy to persist and succeed within an online learning environment.
Students should be provided with supplemental course resources that address all
learning styles, such as printable exam study guides, downloadable podcasts, and online
skill practice opportunities. Many of the participants in this study self-identified as visual
learners. Course developers can review course materials to ensure content is accessible
for learners with a visual preference and ensure for compliance with the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA). For example, if there are audio content components, there
should be an accompanying transcript and when possible, well-designed graphics should
illustrate important learning concepts.
During the study, participants shared examples of difficulties encountered during
end-of-course testing, as they were unable to go back into learning modules to refresh
their understanding of course concepts. While this form of testing may indicate that
students have internalized material, ideally all course tests should be developed with an
“open book” approach. Students should be expected to use all course resources, notes,
and materials to complete course exams. To this end, course exams should not be a
regurgitation of rote facts, but a synthesis of content, allowing students to draw upon
prior knowledge to create new understanding. It is recommended that course developers
use Bloom’s (1984) seminal work on educational objective taxonomy to generate a
higher level of student thinking which can improve retention of course information.
206
Higher-level student thinking goes beyond basic student knowledge and comprehension
and involves student application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation of learning content
(Bloom, 1984).
Students can be provided with tip sheets and supplemental learning opportunities
on topics that may improve student self-efficacy and foster self-regulated learning skills
such as motivation and time management techniques, study skills, stress and anxiety
reduction techniques, strategies for parenting while enrolled in school, dealing with
procrastination, reducing distractions and overcoming challenges.
School-wide student communications should be relevant, timely and inspiring.
The COHS model uses a student-alumni newsletter to share motivational messages from
the principal, inspirational student-graduate stories and photos, and educational tips on
topics such as staying motivated, setting goals and charting goal progress. A monthly
contest motivates students to stay on-pace to graduate. The aforementioned strategies
may positively impact a student’s self-efficacy by influencing his or her physiological
and emotional states.
Recommendations for future research. This qualitative phenomenological
study explored the lived experiences of five online high school students and included rich
data on student IBLSE and persistence within this environment. During the course of the
study, opportunities for future research were identified. The following information
includes research recommendations as they relate to study site and demographics, study
method and design, and the field of IBLSE research. These recommendations are
relevant for interested scholars, stakeholders, and practitioners.
207
The study’s limited demographic provided impetus for the first set of
recommendations. As the study only included one site and had a limited number of
participants, the recommendation is to expand the study to include additional online high
schools and to ensure for a diverse participant demographic. The study’s methodology
also was a limitation. Future quantitative research and other qualitative and quantitative
methodologies may reveal new information on student IBLSE and persistence within
online high schools. Study replication and refinement of the interview protocol may help
confirm and build upon study results. A random sampling approach would improve
study transferability and dependability.
This study included students that enrolled through corporate, library and career
college partnerships, as well as students that self-enrolled. Future research may opt to
focus on a single enrollment pathway or a specific, geographic location. The school site
studied has a strong focus on career education. Future research may hone in on this
aspect of the learning environment and study the impact of career-based learning on
student motivation, self-efficacy and persistence.
The COHS population is 71% female and four out of the five study participants
interviewed were stay-at-home moms. Additional research from a feminist perspective
may shed light on the lived experience on topics such as online learning and teen
pregnancy, parenting, single parenting, and managing school and family. Additional
research is also needed on the male perspective of the phenomenon under review.
Gender-focused research may reveal themes and data on promoting student enrollment
and persistence within these populations.
208
This study focused on students that had a successful online high school
experience and expressed a high self-efficacy. Data gathered from students who left the
online program and/or did not have a positive experience would provide a balanced
perspective. This type of research data could reveal gaps in program management and
provide additional information on the relationship between self-efficacy and student
persistence. Future research on the student experience of self-efficacy within a specific
course module (a more granular approach) is also recommended as the study was
expansive and included the student experience of the online program as a whole.
Research on the use of online high schools for non-graduates in correctional
facilities and as an alternative high school program for at-risk students is recommended.
Research that explores the experiences of adult learners with special needs may provide
insight on program modifications. Research that compares the online student experience
within the partnership model versus the self-enroll model may also yield relevant
findings. In particular, research on the role of financial investment as a student motivator
is of interest.
Research that focuses on the role of the academic coach and impacts on student
self-efficacy is also recommended. Academic coaches and support staff have firsthand
experience in helping students through challenging online and personal experiences and
their experiences may reveal student support best practices. Research exploring the
impact of social media on supporting student self-efficacy in online environments is also
warranted.
Research is recommended on student readiness factors to go back to school
online. This type of research can generate practical information to help potential students
209
self-assess self-efficacy, consider potential challenges and formulate support plans.
Research on student-use of self-efficacy strategies, fostering a self-efficacy mindset and
the resulting effects on student persistence, is of interest. Exploration of student self-
efficacy to graduate from an online high school program is warranted, along with
research exploring the relationship between IBLSE and success in online high school
environments. Further research on alignment to Bandura’s (1977a) hypothesized sources
of self-efficacy is warranted. Research that identifies the characteristics of successful
online high school students and identifies strategies to heal educational trauma, may also
prove beneficial.
Conclusions
This chapter contained a brief review of the research study problem, purpose,
method, limitations, and ethical dimensions. A discussion of study implications and
recommendations, aligned to the research questions, was also presented. Implications
included a discussion of study themes and potential impacts on educational stakeholders.
Results were placed into context to describe how they aligned to the study problem, fit
with the study purpose, demonstrated significance, and contributed to the existing
literature. Recommendations included practical applications and recommendations for
future research. The results of this study fulfilled the purpose of the research, which was
to examine the lived student experiences of IBLSE and persistence in an online high
school in order to provide stakeholders with data to reduce student attrition and inform
programming decisions. Study results contributed to understanding the factors that
promote student IBLSE and persistence in an online high school environment.
210
Although online high school programs provide viable alternatives for non-
graduate populations, student attrition from these programs remains a constant and
known problem (Barbour & Reeves, 2009; Roblyer, 2006). Without a high school
diploma, individuals are sorely limited in their ability to continue their education or find
employment that adequately provides for themselves and their family members (Balfanz
et al., 2013; Chapman et al., 2010; Hynes, 2014; Wilkins 2011). Knowing the tremendous
impact that not graduating has on individuals, and on society at large, it is worth
educational stakeholder investment to proactively address research suggestions and
engage in meaningful conversations with students to truly understand what motivates
them.
While other strategies may be effective, supporting student’s self-efficacy is a
known strategy to promote student persistence in online learning environments. Research
on self-efficacy is important as student self-beliefs can influence academic achievement,
student performance, goal attainment and academic persistence (Artino & Stephens,
2009; Caprara et al., 2008; Tsai et al., 2011; Usher & Pajares, 2008). Self-efficacy
influences the choices students make, the amount of effort exhibited on tasks, and the
level of anxiety or comfort experienced when approaching tasks (Artino & Stephens,
2009; Caprara et al., 2008; Kim & Frick, 2011; Oliver et al., 2009; Petty & Loboda,
2011; Usher & Pajares, 2008). Students with self-professed high self-efficacy levels may
be at an advantage as self-efficacy over-estimation can result in higher student
motivation, achievement and improved student self-confidence, in comparison to those
with a more realistic sense of their capabilities (Gonida & Leondari, 2011; Schunk &
Meece, 2006).
211
Study findings included eleven major composite themes, identified from interview
data, that described the shared essences of the phenomenon under review: perseverance
and resilience, diploma required for future goals/understand the importance of education
on success, high level of IBLSE, self-regulated learner, sense of responsibility to others,
support, self-advocacy, belief in a higher power, and the following participant-identified
self-efficacy sources: performance accomplishment, verbal persuasion and vicarious
experience. Several minor composite themes were noted as relevant to understanding
this phenomenon including: positive outlook, wanting to support other online high school
students and/or potential students, satisfaction with independent online learning, gratitude
for scholarship opportunities, pride in COHS accomplishments, renewed sense of hope
and increased self-confidence.
Findings demonstrated alignment with the hypothesized sources of self-efficacy
and to concepts of self-regulated learning, expectancy, and adult learning theories.
Findings also aligned with research on IBLSE and the achievement of student goals,
course performance, course satisfaction and persistence in the online learning
environment. Study findings aligned with research on online high school best practices,
as well as research on common student challenges in online learning environments. As
the study sample was not random and only involved students that attended online courses
at COHS, findings are not generalizable to other populations, programs or school
districts.
Despite experiencing significant life trauma and challenges, all study participants
were personally motivated to earn their high school diplomas. Study participants
expressed unique self-efficacy and motivational drivers and they utilized different
212
strategies to help them overcome obstacles in the online environment. Continued
educational stakeholder efforts towards assessing student readiness and personalizing
student motivation is recommended as a student’s personal beliefs, perceptions, and
commitment level can influence outcomes experienced (Lefcourt, 2014). Stakeholders
can help students “connect to the why” of learning and in turn inspire excitement and
hope for the future. Students should be empowered to understand their own self-efficacy
drivers and to adopt self-regulated learning behaviors to help them attain success.
Another significant study finding was the role of supportive, caring adults on
student self-efficacy. It is recommended that educational stakeholders continue to take a
compassionate approach to helping non-graduates heal educational trauma and to return
and remain in school. The online high school model is advantageous for non-graduates
as it provides a confidential learning environment where stigmas around grade level, age,
and academic ability are lessened (Balfanz et al., 2013). These schools also provide a
convenient way for students to re-engage in a supportive environment that meets busy
lifestyle needs (Cavanaugh et al., 2013; Collins & Halverson, 2009; Oliver et al., 2009).
It is important to see beyond high school dropout statistics and realize that the
data consists of unique individuals with hopes, dreams and stories that deserve to be
honored (Hynes, 2014). This phenomenological study provided a venue for students to
express themselves and share their experiences of learning online. This study allowed the
voices of students to be heard and to have their ideas incorporated into student support
strategies. Study findings allowed educational stakeholders to gain a deeper
understanding of student IBLSE and persistence in the online high school environment
and to obtain information on application recommendations.
213
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Appendixes
Appendix A: Permission to Conduct Study and Publish Program Names
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Appendix B: Participant Recruitment Email/Script
Dear (email),_______________, or Hello (telephone) _________________, (Current student) You have made great progress at Career Online High School (COHS). (Graduate) Congratulations on your recent graduation from COHS. COHS is participating in a research study, which is Suzanne Darrow-Magras’ dissertation for her Ph.D. studies at Northcentral University. Suzanne is interviewing students to find out what it’s like to be an online learner and how self-beliefs influence online success. Are you interested in being interviewed for this study? If so, please let me know! Your feedback is important and will help improve our program and help us support struggling COHS students. The study has no bearing on your course grades, course scheduling or relationships with academic coaches or staff at COHS. If you are interested, I will share your email address with Suzanne. She will contact you with more information and schedule a telephone interview. The interview is confidential and will take about an hour. Suzanne may need to schedule a second interview if she has more questions, but that interview would take less time. Please let me know! Thank you.
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Appendix C: Participant Introductory Email
Dear _______________, My name is Suzanne Darrow-Magras. I’m a graduate student at Northcentral University. Your COHS academic coach let me know I could interview you for a research study. Thank you for volunteering! I will be asking about your experiences as an online learner and about your beliefs in succeeding in an online course. Your feedback will help improve the COHS program and will be used to support struggling COHS students. I will need your signed permission in order to interview you. I’ve attached an Informed Consent Form. Can you please sign and return this form? This document includes study information, and confidentiality and anonymity procedures. Can you please suggest a date and time for our interview? Our interview will take about an hour. I’m available most days, as well as evenings and weekends. If you have questions, please contact me at 340-690-8741 or by email at [email protected] . I’m looking forward to speaking with you! Sincerely, Suzanne Darrow-Magras
Returning to High School Online; a Phenomenological Study Exploring the Student Experience of Internet-Based Learning Self-Efficacy and Persistence
What is the study about? You are invited to participate in a research study as part of a dissertation at Northcentral University in Prescott, Arizona. The study is interested in your experiences as a student at Career Online High School (COHS) and your belief in your ability to succeed in an online course. You were chosen because you are either a current COHS student and you have completed at least three classes, or you graduated from COHS within the past year. There is no deception in this study. This means that you will not be tricked or misled in this study. What will be asked of me? You will be asked to volunteer and participate in an interview with the researcher. You will be asked about what it’s like to learn online, your belief in your ability to achieve your online learning goals, the people that support your academic goals and overcoming online challenges. The interview will take place over the telephone and will be recorded. The first interview will take about one hour. A second interview may be needed if the researcher has more questions. The second interview will take no more than 30 minutes. You will decide on the date and time of the interviews. The interviews will be transcribed. You will have a chance to review all transcripts and make sure that they are a true account of what you said and that they are your point of view. You may ask the researcher to make any changes to your transcript, or to remove information that you feel could identify you. Who is involved? The following people are involved in this research project and can be contacted at any time: Suzanne Darrow-Magras, Researcher, 340-690-8741, [email protected]; Dr. Gregory Hickman, Dissertation Chair, 480-513-2917, [email protected] Are there any risks? There are no known risks in this study, but the interview questions are personal and ask about your educational successes and challenges. These topics may be sensitive for some people. You may choose not to answer any questions that you feel uncomfortable answering and you may stop the study at any time. What are some benefits? There are no direct benefits to you for participating in this research. No payments are offered. The results will have scientific interest for those wanting to improve support for students that have left traditional high school and have decided to go back to school online. Is the study anonymous and confidential? All study information is confidential. Your signed informed consent form will not be attached to your interview transcript. All names or personal information that could identify you will be removed. Only the researchers named in this study will see the source information. A pseudonym will be used to hide your identity in the written dissertation. All electronic research data will be
stored on a computer that is password and security protected. Electronic data will be backed up to an external storage drive each night. Hard copy files will be stored in a locked filing cabinet in a locked room. Data and research materials will only be accessible to the researcher and the dissertation chair. All research materials will be destroyed after five years. All hard copies will be shredded and all electronic files will be permanently deleted. Can I stop participating in the study? You have the right to stop participating in the study at any time. You can also skip any questions during the interview if you do not want to answer them. Please contact the Researcher to withdraw: Suzanne Darrow-Magras, 340-690-8741, [email protected] What if I have questions about my rights as a research participant or if I have complaints? If you have questions about your rights as a research participant, any complaints about your participation in the research study, or any problems that occurred in the study, please contact the researchers identified in this consent form. If you prefer to talk to someone outside the study team, you can contact Northcentral University’s Institutional Review Board at [email protected] or 1-888-327-2877 ex. 8014. We would be happy to answer any questions you have about the study. Please contact Suzanne Darrow-Magras, Researcher, 340-690-8741, [email protected]; Dr. Gregory Hickman, Dissertation Chair, 480-513-2917, [email protected] Signatures I have read the above description for the study: Returning to High School Online; a Phenomenological Study Exploring the Student Experience of Internet-Based Learning Self-Efficacy and Persistence. I understand what the study is about and what is being asked of me. My signature indicates that I agree to participate in the study. Participant's Name: ________________________________ Participant's Signature: _____________________________ Date: ___________________________________________ Researcher's Name: __Suzanne Darrow-Magras_________ Researcher's Signature: ____________________________ Date: __________________________________________
Appendix E: Interview Scheduling Email Self-efficacy content based on the handout: National Association of School Psychologists. November 2010. Self-Efficacy: Helping
children believe they can succeed. Communiqué Handout. Bethesda, MD. Retrieved from http://www.nasponline.org/publications/cq/pdf/V39N3_FT_Self-Efficacy.pdf
Dear ______________, Thank you for sending me your informed consent documentation. I’m looking forward to speaking with you on (date) . Before we talk, I wanted to give you more information about the study so that the interview questions make sense. As you know, the purpose of the study is to understand what it’s like to be an online learner and the role of self-beliefs in a student’s ability to succeed online. Have you ever heard someone say that if you set your mind on achieving a goal, then you are more likely to achieve it? This self-belief in the ability to achieve a goal is called self-efficacy. According to the research, your self-efficacy is influenced by several things:
1) Mastery experiences: This is when you have already experienced accomplishing a goal. “I’ve done it before, I can do it again.”
2) Observing others: Seeing someone else achieve a goal helps you believe that you can achieve it too. “If he or she can do it, I can do it too.”
3) Verbal persuasion by others: This is when others try to influence you by telling you that you have the skills and capabilities to achieve a goal. “You are good at solving problems. You will find a creative solution like you always do.”
4) Your mood: Your emotions and expectations help you feel like you can cope with challenges. “I feel really good about this test, I know I can pass this.”
I’m looking forward to speaking with you and learning more about your self-efficacy! Again, please let me know a good date and time for our interview. Kind regards, Suzanne Darrow-Magras
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Appendix F: Interview Guide
The following semi-structured Interview Guide is based upon the four sources of self-efficacy developed by Bandura (1977a): (a) performance accomplishment, which refers to an individual’s personal accomplishment of a task or goal; (b) vicarious experience, which refers to personal witness of task attainment by others; (c) verbal persuasion, which refers to attempts by others to influence an individual’s behavior through suggestion; and (d) physiological and emotional states, which refers to the physiological arousal an individual exhibits in consideration of a particular task or goal.
Within the guide, the applicable self-efficacy sources are next to the respective questions and serve as a guide for the researcher. Self-efficacy terminology is modified to improve participant understanding. Performance accomplishment has been replaced with ‘mastery experiences,’ vicarious experience has been replaced with ‘observing others’, verbal persuasion has been replaced with ‘verbal persuasion by others’ and physiological and emotional states has been replaced with ‘mood’ (National Association of School Psychologists, 2010). Additional follow-up questions may be utilized to solicit detailed responses, e.g., “Tell me more,” “What made you feel that way?” or, “What was that like for you?” Other follow-up questions may be worded more specifically, depending upon participant responses. Script: Before we begin today, I would like to review the purpose of the study and your rights as a participant. Once I have received your consent, I will turn on the digital recorder and we can get started. Is that all right with you? [Recap the Informed Consent Form, which includes the purpose of the study.] Do you consent to participate in the study and to have this interview audio recorded? [If yes, proceed with the interview. If no, thank the person for his or her time and end the conversation.] You don’t have to respond to a question if you don’t want to and you can choose to stop the interview at any time. Let’s get started. Interview questions Self-efficacy source 1) Tell me about yourself. N/A, Background information 2) How did you learn about Career Online High School (COHS)?
N/A, Background information
3) Tell me about your experiences learning online, what has that been like for you? How are you doing in the program, academically?
Performance accomplishment
Script: I sent you some information about self-efficacy in my email. [Recap the following points: self-efficacy is one’s belief in one’s ability to achieve a goal, self-efficacy is influenced by four sources: (a) mastery experiences, “I’ve done it before, I can do it again,”; (b) observing others, “If he or she can do it, I can do it too”; (c) verbal persuasion by others, “You are good at solving problems, you will find a creative solution like you always do”; and (d) your mood, “I feel great, I know I can do this!”] [Clarify understanding] Do you have any questions about self-efficacy or the self-efficacy sources? 4) Which of these four sources has the Performance accomplishment, vicarious
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strongest impact on your belief in your ability to succeed in an online course? Why do you feel this way?
experience, verbal persuasion, physiological and emotional states
5) Would you say that you have a high, medium, or low belief in your ability to succeed within an online course? Why do you feel this way?
Performance accomplishment, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion, physiological and emotional states
6) Tell me about the people in your life who support you and your academic goals. What do they do or say to support you? How does this make you feel?
Verbal persuasion, physiological and emotional states
7) Do you know anyone else that is going to high school online or taking online classes? What do they tell you about their experiences? How does that make you feel?
Vicarious experience, verbal persuasion, physiological and emotional states
8) Self-efficacy is one theory on how people’s beliefs help them to achieve their goals. Is there anything else that positively influences your belief in your ability to succeed online? What else makes you successful? (e.g., personality traits, outside circumstances, a higher power)?
Performance accomplishment, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion, physiological and emotional states
9) Tell me about a time you accomplished a goal in the online program. How did you feel about that experience?
Performance accomplishment, physiological and emotional states
10) Have you encountered any challenges in the online program? How did you handle those challenges? How did you feel about those challenging experiences?
Performance accomplishment, physiological and emotional states
11) Tell me about your past schooling experiences, what were you like as a learner?
Background information
12) Tell me about your future career, school, and life goals.
N/A, Aspirations
13) What advice do you have for students that might be struggling at COHS?
N/A, Advice for struggling students
14) What advice or suggestions would you give to others that want to enroll into COHS?
N/A, Advice for potential students
Script: Thank you for participating in the interview. I will let you know if I have any additional questions and if we need to schedule another interview. Is that ok with you? I am going to type up the transcript from our conversation and send it to you. You will be able to review the transcript and ask me to make any changes before I include it in the study. Do you have any questions for me? Thank you again!
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Appendix G: Follow-Up Interview Email and Guide
Email: Dear ___________, It was great speaking to you on (date). I really enjoyed hearing about your experiences and I’d like to learn more. Can you please let me know when you might have 30 minutes to talk and I will give you a call? Thank you! Suzanne Darrow-Magras Interview Guide: [Thank the participant for the follow-up interview. Recap informed consent documentation, study purpose and recording procedures, obtain verbal permission to record before proceeding.] Follow-up questions will be added here: Script: Thank you again for your time!
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Appendix H: Member Check Email, Transcript Dear ________________, I hope you are well. Thank you again for taking the time to speak with me about your experiences as an online student. Please find the transcript of the interview attached. Please read the transcript and let me know if you would like me to make any changes or edits, or if I should remove anything that you believe might identify you. If I don’t hear back from you by the end of the week, (by date), I will assume you are in agreement with the transcript content. Thank you again for sharing your experiences! Kind regards, Suzanne Darrow-Magras
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Appendix I: Member Check Email, Individual Textural Description Dear ________________, I hope you are well. I’ve attached a draft of your individual description based on our interview. Can you please read the document attached and let me know if this accurately reflects your experiences? I changed your name to ‘________’, for confidentiality reasons. Again, please let me know if there is anything that you would like for me to change, remove or add. If I don’t hear back from you by the end of the week (by date), then I will assume that you are in agreement with the description. I look forward to your feedback. Thank you again! Kind regards, Suzanne Darrow-Magras
Returning to High School Online: A Phenomenological Study Exploring the Student Experience of Internet-Based Learning Self-Efficacy and Persistence by Suzanne Darrow-Magras is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.