Student Perceptions of Features that Contribute to Their Successes in Online Courses
Abstract: This survey research study conducted with undergraduate and graduate education students investigated students' perceptions of the features students believed were very important to their success in an online course. The respondents consisted of 154 education students enrolled in one or more online courses at a rural Minnesota university. Experienced online professors developed the survey using fourteen features identified from the research. Respondents used a Likert scale of 1 – 4 to rate these features. An open-ended question asked students to identify the feature that was most important to them and why. Respondents rated clear course construction with easy to find materials, clearly posted due dates, weekly announcements, and organized modules as the most important features of an effective online course. Professor characteristics of flexibility, positivity, and supportive responses, as well as quick and timely communication were the next identified important features.