A Study of the Causes of Attrition Among Adult on a Fully Online Training Course

An online course was piloted in an Institute of Technology in Ireland for the purpose of providing training in best practice in presenting to people with dyslexia. The course was delivered fully online with no required attendances and with no interaction between participants. None of the participants in the pilot of the course completed the course. This study applies a model developed by Chyung to focus on the possible causes of the attrition and examine means by which attrition can be ameliorated. The findings show that the sense of isolation attached to learning alone is a very significant factor which often has a negative effect on the persistence of the learner to complete the course of study. Strategies to reduce this isolation are suggested