Student Progress in the Indonesia Open University

The high number of non-enrolment students have affected the retention rate in the Indonesia Open University. This study was aimed to explore the predictors of student progress in the Indonesia Open University and the extent to which the identified variables influence student progress in the Indonesia Open University. This study used a mixed methods approach by employing a sequential explanatory study. In the first phase, this study employed a web-based survey to collect data from 153 participants. In the second phase, the multiple case study was conducted to investigate in-depth about the extent to which the identified factors (individual, institutional, and external factors) contribute to student progress by conducting semi-structured interviews with 13 purposefully selected participants. In the quantitative phase, a logistic regression analysis generated 12 predictors that had important contributions to the predictive model of student progress: age, gender, prior education, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, selfefficacy,volitional strategies, student support services, learning services,interaction, family and friends, and work environment. Meanwhile, in the qualitative phase, five major themes emerged from the case study analysis: (1)self-motivation; (2) volitional strategies; 3) quality of institutional support; 4) interaction; and (5) supporting environment. The integration of quantitative and qualitative findings demonstrated that student progress in the Indonesia Open University is influenced by individual,institutional, and external factors. The findings also reported that intrinsic and extrinsic motivation co-existed together in contributing to student progress. Finally, implications of the study and recommendations for future studies were discussed in the study