Web-based distance learning in a community college: The influence of task values on task choice, retention and commitment.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study demonstrates the relationship between student values and commitment in the environment of California community college web-based instruction. It provides evidence that student motivation can be ascertained in the first week of class and is a strong indicator of “at risk” status and later drop-out.
Motivational research has established that student performance is effected by a number of factors, including beliefs such as task values, task choice, and commitment. A number of recent models of Motivation and Goal directed behavior have suggested that task values have an influence on student choice behaviors (Eccles, 1983; Ford 1992; Clark, 1997; Greene, DeBacker, Ravidran & Krows, 1999). Therefore task values may be an important measure in predicting student retention or attrition.
The results of the study demonstrate that students who have high task choice values can be expected to persist in a class. This was shown in the strong relationship between these values and student behavior. Gender, ethnicity, subject, level of prior English classes, or ESL did not influence persistence in the class. It was found that students with low task values, low prior grades in English, and older students (over 28 years) may be more likely to drop out of a class that is completely web-based.