Examination of Dropout Causes in Open and Distance Learning

There is a growing interest in open and distance learning with the advances in information and communication technologies and demand for lifelong learning. In open and distance learning, the learner is thought to be responsible for his or her own learning life. Throughout their learning life, individuals have to drop out their education or leave their education due to different reasons. For determining the reasons about dropping out education will provide important information for the solution of these problems. There isn’t any comprehensive study about dropping out education in the open and distance education system in Turkey. In this study, the literature about dropping out education were examined and the reasons for dropping out were tried to be determined according to these researches. The reasons for dropping out in the literature were discussed within the developed theories on this subject and the factors causing drop out in open and distance learning were examined. It is very important to identify the reasons for dropping out the education and to develop solutions. The aim of this study is to provide a theoretical background to the studies to be done about dropping out in open and distance learning. In addition, suggestions have been made to solve the reasons about dropping out education are given in the literature.