Course Reduction Can Reduce Failure Rates of Students: Lessons from The Study of an E-Learning University of Pakistan

Muhammad Rizwan Saleem Sandhu ,Nida Qamar , Shakira Nazir

Abstract

Low degree completion rate within the prescribed time due to exceedingly large failure rate of students has become a growing concern for Distance Learning Institutes. High failure rate in courses as much as 70% in freshman courses and 60% in advanced courses as the students proceed to final semesters—are costly to both; the institution and the students. Reducing syllabus in the at-stake courses can generate improved results in terms of students’ passing ratio. Following this hypothesis, current course-redesign intervention employed 30% reduction in the course content to evaluate its impact on students’ failure rate.