THE DETERMINANTS OF ADULT STUDENT PERSISTENCE IN ONLINE COURSES IN HIGHER EDUCATION: THE UTAUT PERSPECTIVE

This paper focuses on the technological determinants of adult student persistence in online courses in higher education. The model used to identify these determinants is the one [1] known as the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model, enriched with additional determinants from other models. Participants in this study were adult students enrolled in several online courses in a Master of education program at a faculty of education in Canada, offering courses in French and English. A total of 204 students responded to an online questionnaire on a voluntary basis. This questionnaire was comprised of 59 items and required 20 minutes to complete. It was put online during the final three weeks of the 2014 winter semester. The structural model was tested using Smart-PLS software. The structural model was also examined according to working status and degree of advancement in the program. The results indicated different patterns of relationships between groups and within the overall model in terms of strength and significance, suggesting that working hours and credits accumulated play a moderating role. The coefficient of determination R-2 ranged from 37% to 61%, which means that the enriched UTAUT model was able to explain up to 61% of the variability of persistence in online courses. The discussion addresses the most important factors to be considered by administrators and faculties in higher education when implementing online courses.