Paper Proposal 2
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Paper Proposal 2
Introduction
As much as online high schools provide services to students seeking convenience in education, these institutions also comprise business enterprises based on the need to gain profits provided from the services provided. Most students taking part in online education programs in the state of South Carolina are dropping out of these courses at a rapid rate. The high number of students dropping out of these programs presents a considerable side to the management of the organizations that provide such services. The low retention rate of students in online education programs amounts to considerable losses that affect the stakeholders of such programs. Even though research conducted enables one to understand the causes of low retention rates in online education programs, it does not provide solutions regarding the steps organizational leadership should use in order to increase the financial performance of online education organizations such as online high schools in South Carolina.
Proposed Problem
The problem imposing the research on management of online education involves the considerable effects that the low retention rate of students practicing online education imposes on the organization’s financial performance. This is a decisive factor to assess since the education sector within South Carolina provides students with a broad variety of alternatives when it comes to engaging in online education programs. Nonetheless, facilitating online education in the state is only beneficial if it produces economic surplus as well lessens the costs involved in providing face-to-face education. Another issue that affects the management of online education involves the preferences that students desire regarding online education programs in the state. For instance, Boschee, Whitehead & Glatthorn (2008) assert that most students drop out of online education courses due to absent communication with teachers.
Furthermore, a considerable number of students state that traditional classroom configurations assist students in communicating with each other freely. Additionally, such settings encourage students to complete their assignments punctually due to surveillance from instructors and figureheads. As such, these are some of the factors that affect the financial performance of online high schools in the state of South Carolina. Therefore, noting such factors raises the need to answer the research question involving this specific study that involves managing online high schools in a business sense. This question seeks to determine the strategies that the management will implement in order to ensure that online education institutions in South Carolina perform fairly in a financial sense. Thus, this composes the problem statement based on the assertion that online education management requires developing significant and efficient business strategies that the management will input in order to ensure reduction in costs through increased enrolment in online education programs.
Another research question arising out of the study involves the need to provide sophisticated online education support systems in order to increase the organizations’ financial performance (Rudestam & Schoenholtz-Read, 2010). This question stems from the preferences provided by the students dropping out from online education programs. As such, in order to ensure an increasing retention rate among students in online high schools and an increase in profits within this organization, organizational leadership will be crucial. This is because this form of leadership will seek to enable the management implement long-term plans that will focus on implementing sophisticated online education support systems. These online schemes will prove efficient in addressing the needs of the students as well as the performance needs of the organizations that provide online education in the state of South Carolina.
Purpose of the Study
One chief purpose of the empirical study regarding management of online education organizations is the development of business strategies that will concentrate on increasing the proceeds arising from the conduction of these programs in South Carolina. Indeed, this significant task necessitates the significance of organizational or management leadership in the financial performance of the online education providers. Even though strategic planning is one of the key factors involved in organizational leadership, it is also essential to consider other factors such as the corporate culture, the dynamics of the management group, and the manner in which the strengths and expertise of management is vital in organizational effectiveness (Schein, 2010). Therefore, the proposed study will cite organizational leadership as a vital factor in resolving the organizations’ dismal performance. For example, the management for online education organizations in South Carolina may consider conducting environmental scanning procedures such as SWOT Analysis in order to determine the opportunities available for maximizing the organizations’ effectiveness regarding the provision of online education.
The projected results of the study will concentrate on the provision of various strategic plans that the management of the organizations providing online education programs will implement in order to increase organizational performance. These strategies will focus mainly on mitigating the problems facing online education organizations, especially online high schools, such as the low retention rate of students taking part in online programs in the state. As such, these results will offer the management vital guidelines essential for the growth of productivity among the online facilities within the state. Furthermore, embracing group dynamics among the management of the organizations will provide an effective platform to harness expertise related specifically to online education management from different organizational leaders. This expertise will lead to the adoption of strategies aimed at assessing performance and increasing retention among such organizations.
Methodology
Case Study
Case study in qualitative research focuses on in-depth assessment of one or a small group of units within a particular study (Patton, 2002). As such, regarding this case, a case study will be beneficial since it will focus on determining why online education organizations face dismal performance in South Carolina, and how the prevailing issue will undergo resolution. As such, the case study will focus on this single case and implement various qualitative data collection methods such as in-depth interviews and observations. Furthermore, the case study will be evaluative since it will focus on assessing a subsequent collection of entities that may answer why organizations providing online education programs perform dismally. As such, the evaluation will comprise an assessment of behavior, procedures, systems, environmental milieu, knowledge and the structure of the society as well as the relationships within the society.
Even though one of the strengths of case study involves its ability to gain usage in qualitative and quantitative approaches especially in program evaluation, it is also evident that an analysis of why and how factors within case studies requires an inclusion of previous and subsequent case studies in order to associate with the present case study. In this case, it will be crucial for the research to include past case studies regarding online education management in the state of South Carolina. Furthermore, case studies utilize descriptive data especially in interpreting findings (Gillham, 2000; Dul & Hak, 2008). Descriptive data is paramount within a case study since it allows for the construction of a theory of which the hypothesis will originate. However, the use of descriptive data is problematic based on its prejudicial nature and as such, can affect the study from developing an efficient hypothesis.
Mixed Methods
Mixed methods approach comprises a methodology whereby the researcher gathers, assesses and combines both qualitative and qualitative data within one research study or in multiple studies within an inquiry (Bergman, 2008). In this case, the mixed methods approach will focus on combining qualitative data arising from the conduction of data collection methods such as focus groups, in-depth interviews or population observations as well as quantitative data arising from methods such as questionnaires, structured reviews and surveys (Patton, 2002). This is advantageous over case studies, especially in this case since it will be able to answer the ‘why’ and ‘how’ questions in a qualitative approach, and support the results through quantitative data. Such data will add precision to the data collected qualitatively. However, a mixed methods approach is complex, and it will require the researcher to invest substantially in time and financial resources.
Proposed Findings
The proposed findings of the research study will determine the plans that the management will adopt in enhancing the financial performance of online education organizations that comprise mainly of online high schools. Furthermore, the proposed findings will support the inclusion of organizational leadership in ensuring organizational effectiveness. This is mainly by adopting sophisticated systems that cater to the needs of the students taking part in online education programs.
Conclusion
The proposed study will be pivotal in assisting the management of online education organizations. This is because the management will receive information regarding the creation of strategies that will focus on increasing the financial performance of online education organizations, and the mitigation of the issues of low retention rates among students taking part in the online programs.
References
Bergman, M. M. (2008). Advances in mixed methods research: Theories and applications. Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications.
Boschee, F., Whitehead, B. M., & Glatthorn, A. A. (2008). Curriculum leadership: Strategies for development and implementation. New York, NY: Sage Publications.
Dul, J. & Hak, T. (2008). Case Study Methodology in Business Research. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Gillham, B. (2000). Case study research methods. London: Continuum.
Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Rudestam, K. E., & Schoenholtz-Read, J. (2010). Handbook of online learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Schein, E. H. (2010). Organizational culture and leadership. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.