The Influence of Individual Factors on Web-based Developmental Education Course Success in a Two-year Technical College

This study was designed to identify and examine certain individual factors that contribute to Louisiana Technical College (LTC) student success in Web-based developmental education (DE) courses among the academically underprepared students. The independent variables (IV) selected for this study included students\u27 prior academic preparation (PAP), comfort with technology (CWT), interaction with faculty (IWF), and motivation (MOT). The dependent variable (DV) was students’ course success measured by their mid-term scores (MTSCORE). Research methodologies included correlational statistics using multiple and logistic regression, and t-test for group comparisons. Data were gathered through an online survey using SurveyMonkey.com from the DE students at LTC that use PLATO Web Learning Network using a survey instrument (WBLSS) designed by the researcher for this study. The study found two predictor variables, IWF and PAP, to be statistically significant and two variables, MOT and CWT, statistically not significant. Based on the IVs\u27 combined identified relationship with the DV, the researcher designed a predictive model of LTC students\u27 course success in Web-based DE courses. The model employed in this study explained 17% of the variance in the MTSCORE. For many academically underprepared students at LTC, college and career success first depend on their success in the DE courses. Therefore, identifying individual characteristics related to course success is the key to building academic success models for underprepared students at two-year colleges like the LTC