Grit, retention and student success in a South African distance education institution: A postgraduate triad?

Abstract

Psychological grit has gained substantial interest among traditional higher education practitioners, with many seeking the link between grit, academic performance and retention. The literature pertaining to distance education cohorts is scant, however, especially within the South African context, which holds unique challenges for accessing and completing a tertiary qualification. This study made use of a non-experimental design and used Grit-S and demographic data combined with records of student performance and progression to ascertain grit’s role in determining retention and degree completion at a mega distance education institution in South Africa. The sample comprised 775 honours students who registered for their qualification for the first time in 2017. Results from the final structural model highlighted the significant influence of perseverance and first-to-second year retention on student success (operationalised at qualification completion). A subsequent binary logistic regression revealed odds ratios of 1.98 (CI: 1.45 – 2.69) and 12.15 (CI: 7.40 - 19.95), respectively. The final model explained 24% of the variance in qualification completion rates, with the biggest contributor being first-to-second year retention (β = .45; p < .01). These results and subsequent implications are discussed.