Relationship between student engagement and outcomes for online master of science in nursing students

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine associations between student engagement and student outcomes for online Master of Science in Nursing students using course analytics. Method: A retrospective, correlational design was used to analyze the relationship between the admission grade point average (GPA), course analytics measuring course access, minutes, interactions, and submissions, as well as the output of course grade. Additional associations with age, gender, major, and geography were tested. Results: Interactions and submissions had the highest impact on the course grade. Each additional increase in submissions resulted in an increase in course grade by 0.33% (p < .0001). Additionally, each 1-point increase in entry-level GPA was associated with an increase in course grade by 1.93% (p = .0289). Each 1-year increase in age demonstrated a course grade decrease of 0.17% (p < .0001). Conclusion: The two factors that most affected grade were interactions and submissions. Course grade was associated with entry-level GPA, age, access, and minutes.