The second model focused on the dependent variable of self-reported
grade point average (GPA) of students. Of the questions asked in the
survey the second model showed eight variables that were statistically
significant predictors of student GPA, b = -.397, t(110.066) = -5.767, p < .001. These eight survey
questions explain a significant portion of the variance for students’
self-reported grade point averages, R2 = .359,F (1, 178) = 33.261 , p < .001. As shown in
table 4, some of the questions that were identified as self-predictors
of GPA scores were tied to prior learning experiences (e.g., questions
1, 2, & 8). Other questions were related to the students’ personal
circumstances such as family and time managements (e.g., questions 4, 5,
6, & 8).
Question three, which is about the need for face-to-face interaction
when new material is being taught appeared as a significant predictor of
both self-reported GPA and success in online courses. The presence of
question 3 as a self-reported predictor of success in online courses and
also as a predictor of GPA may indicate the importance of interactive
structures within the online learning management system. These findings
echo those of recent studies on predictors of student success in online
education and the how the absence of coaching and support lead to high
dropout rates (Allen & Seaman, 2013; Allen & Seaman, 2017; Hung et
al., 2010; Online Learning Consortium, 2018). One notable difference
between the two models is that in the first model, the 11 question
accounted for 68% of the predictability of self-reported success in
online courses. For the second the eight questions accounted for 59.9%
of the predictability of self-reported GPA scores.