Abstract:

There has been extensive research completed as to the attributes, benefits, and outcomes of online courses. However, less research relates to the student choice to enroll in an online class when an in-person class is available. This research examines the motivation for students to choose between in-person and online enrolments when both are offered as options during the same term. In addition, we examine some of the general perceptions of online versus in-person courses by traditional on-campus students.

Introduction:
Online courses have been a popular choice for students and faculty for many years. In 2018, Weldy found that 76% preferred the traditional course format, 12% preferred the blended course format, and 12% preferred taking online courses. These students favored the traditional course format because they believed they learned and retained more, spent more time studying, and had higher grades [12].

Methodology:
Three in-depth interviews were conducted with students regarding potential motivations for taking online instead of available in-person courses. This resulted in developing a survey outlining potential motivations and general attitudes toward online courses.

The final survey consisted of four sections:
(1) potential motivations for taking online courses;
(2) general attitudes toward online courses taken;
(3) content of the last online course taken;
(4) the general characteristics of the students.

In addition, it was suggested that students be surveyed on online resources commonly used for both study help (and potentially for cheating).
The survey was sent to 408 upper-class students in the college of business, and 136 total responses were received (33% response rate.) Of these, 84% of students had taken online rather than in-person classes.

Results:
In general, two themes are apparent in the top motivations. First is the obvious: convenience. General convenience is by far the top-ranked reason. Related to convenience, in-person class sections conflicted with other class and work schedules (ranked in the top five). The second theme focuses on the general impression of the ease of online classes (taking online exams at home and ease of online classes also ranking in the top five). Near the midpoint of the scale, motivations of not seeing value added to taking in-person classes and lack of interest in the subject still received more agreements than the faculty teaching the classes should be comfortable with.

Conclusions:
This study examines why traditional undergraduate students would choose an online delivery of a course rather than the equivalent in-person course. The exploratory findings suggest that convenience is the primary reason for this choice.

Additional results will be presented at the conference.

Keywords:

Online Courses, Student Motivation, Enrolment Choice.