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This study aims to investigate the reasons for learners to drop-out of Open Education System of Anadolu University, Turkey, between 2012-2015. This study uses an exploratory sequential mixed method. The general structure is divided into two phases. In the first phase, the data is collected by semi-structured face-to-face interviews. The results of those interviews are used to design the second phase of the study. According to knowledge gained from the interviews, the reasons of students to drop-out of the Open Education System is organized into categories such as personal, system-related, and environmental. The second phase of the study consists of collecting data via a questionnaire that is created by the knowledge gained in the first phase of the study and from the similar studies in literature. 14,972 learners who had dropped out from the Open Education System, Anadolu University answered the online questionnaire. Some of the results for learners to drop-out might be: unsatisfactory results in exams, lack of knowledge about the open education system, time management issues, unsuitability of the registered program, interference of daily life routines on studies, and some personal problems. Determining the reasons of drop-out of the system and act making the necessary arrangements and updates, may be useful for having a more quality learning experience. Thus, the rates of open and distance learners to drop-out of the system might be reduced.

Many companies prefer to use third party logistics firms to deliver their goods and as such planning the return of the vehicles to the depot is not required. This is called open vehicle routing problem (OVRP). In literature, the OVRP is handled with minimum distance as objective function like vehicle routing problem. But in the real world, the objective function achieves minimum many costs like standard routing cost, stopping by cost and the deviation cost. The standard routes are previously defined under free market conditions by third party logistic firms. The deviation from the standard route is required to arrive cities which are not on the standard route. The stop by cost occurs on the delivery points. In this paper mentioned three costs are considered in the objective function while many papers consider only distance related costs in the literature. This paper proposes a new mathematical model for the OVRP. In the constraints, the last points of the routes are researched in detail. The standard route costs are determined by considering the last point of the route. Because of the NP-hard structure of the OVRP, the proposed mathematical model is solved with a hybrid metaheuristic called Civilized Genetic Algorithm (CGA). CGA is developed by hybridizing a modified genetic algorithm and a local search algorithm. The application of this study is implemented for the delivery routing of a combi boiler producer in Turkey. The third party logistic firms may use this proposed model and the solution approach for the real life applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the reasons for learners to drop-out of Open Education System of Anadolu University, Turkey, between 2012-2015. This study uses an exploratory sequential mixed method. The general structure is divided into two phases. In the first phase, the data is collected by semi-structured face-to-face interviews. The results of those interviews are used to design the second phase of the study. According to knowledge gained from the interviews, the reasons of students to drop-out of the Open Education System is organized into categories such as personal, systemrelated, and environmental. The second phase of the study consists of collecting data via a questionnaire that is created by the knowledge gained in the first phase of the study and from the similar studies in literature. 14,972 learners who had dropped out from the Open Education System, Anadolu University answered the online questionnaire. Some of the results for learners to drop-out might be: unsatisfactory results in exams, lack of knowledge about the open education system, time management issues, unsuitability of the registered program, interference of daily life routines on studies, and some personal problems. Determining the reasons of drop-out of the system and act making the necessary arrangements and updates, may be useful for having a more quality learning experience. Thus, the rates of open and distance learners to drop-out of the system might be reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]