Diversity and Distance Learning: An Exploratory Study of the Relationships between Online and Minority Enrollment at Private Nonprofit Christian Colleges
Despite changing demographics in the U.S., many private nonprofit Christian colleges have been unable to recruit and retain racially diverse students, and most are experiencing declining undergraduate enrollments. The strategic plan at these institutions undoubtedly contains two directives: to incre...
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis
2021
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| In: |
Christian higher education
Year: 2021, Volume: 20, Issue: 3, Pages: 160-183 |
| RelBib Classification: | CF Christianity and Science CH Christianity and Society FB Theological education KBQ North America ZB Sociology |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Despite changing demographics in the U.S., many private nonprofit Christian colleges have been unable to recruit and retain racially diverse students, and most are experiencing declining undergraduate enrollments. The strategic plan at these institutions undoubtedly contains two directives: to increase enrollment of racially diverse students and to attract new students through online and hybrid programs. Since 2008, almost all Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) member institutions have added distance learning options. Little research has been conducted to determine whether expanded access to education has influenced a change in enrollment of racially diverse students. The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) national database has tracked online enrollment for less than a decade and does not require institutions to report on the racial diversity of students enrolled online. This lack of data requires researchers to look for relationships between online options and overall institutional racial diversity. Using exploratory correlational analysis that controlled for state population racial diversity, this research revealed statistically significant, but weak relationships between the number of online-only and hybrid students enrolled at an institution and the percentage of minority students enrolled. Findings suggest increased enrollment in hybrid programs and online graduate programs at CCCU institutions are related to a higher percentage of racially diverse students, and Black or African American students, in particular. The addition of online courses and fully online programs may provide an opportunity for private nonprofit Christian colleges to close the educational attainment achievement gap between White and minority students, and in turn, participate in God’s redemptive work in the world. |
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| ISSN: | 1539-4107 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Christian higher education
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/15363759.2020.1756530 |