Identifying Predictors of Academic Persistence in Distance Education
Distance education as an alternative to face-to-face instruction has witnessed steady growth since its beginning in the mid-1800’s. This growth is evidenced by the fact that in 2002 nearly 78 percent of all adult students had received education in some distance format. This influx of adults taking distance education courses has occurred in part because of the proliferating demands of our technological society and in part because of the complexity of modern life. While society calls for lifelong learning, employment and family responsibilities call for adults to seek forms of education other than traditional, face-to-face instruction. Distance education affords adults the required formal education while allowing for flexible scheduling.
