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Motivations Matter: Predicting Entrepreneurship Education MOOC Course Completion with a Decision Tree Approach

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Title: Motivations Matter: Predicting Entrepreneurship Education MOOC Course Completion with a Decision Tree Approach
Language: English
Authors: Chin Jia Wei, Abdullah Muhammad Farhan Shahmi, Wah Yue Qing, Nungsari Melati
Source: Online Learning. 2026 30(1):294-322.
Availability: Online Learning Consortium, Inc. P.O. Box 1238, Newburyport, MA 01950. Tel: 888-898-6209; Fax: 888-898-6209; e-mail: olj@onlinelearning-c.org; Web site: https://olj.onlinelearningconsortium.org/index.php/olj/index
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 29
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Predictor Variables, Entrepreneurship, Business Education, MOOCs, Academic Achievement, Decision Making, Distance Education, Intention, COVID-19, Pandemics, School Holding Power, Foreign Countries, Graduation Rate
Geographic Terms: Malaysia
ISSN: 2472-5749
2472-5730
Abstract: Online entrepreneurship education (EE) courses experienced a sharp 66% spike in demand around March 2020, attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent surge in digital entrepreneurship uptake. Completion rates serve as a key indicator of online MOOC efficacy, with students' psychological attributes and contextual factors often examined as explanatory variables in assessing online course completion. This mixed-methods study explores influential factors in student retention in an EE Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) by using survey responses from 222 Malaysian youths who voluntarily registered for an EE MOOC, which was active from February to October 2021. A Decision Tree approach was chosen to predict the course completion likelihood based on sociodemographic and psychological factors, while qualitative content analysis was conducted to explore participant course enrollment motivations from their textual responses. The results indicated that entrepreneurial intention (EI) does not necessarily translate into EE MOOC completion. Instead, internal locus of control and socioeconomic factors held more priority in predicting completion status. These results were reflected in the students' thematic narratives from their textual responses. Both completed (CP) and dropout participants (DP) expressed similar entrepreneurial interests and, indeed, in the transferability of entrepreneurial skills and knowledge beyond entrepreneurial settings. However, there was a distinction in clarity; most CPs had well-defined and detailed enrolment goals, whereas the narratives from DPs were mainly ambiguous. Overall, the study contributes to the methodological discussion of using decision tree modelling, expands the application of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) and informs practical implications in online EE context. [Note: The publication year (2025) shown on the PDF in the suggested citation is incorrect. The correct publication year is 2026.]
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1508143
Database: ERIC
FullText Links:
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chin+Jia+Wei%22">Chin Jia Wei</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Abdullah+Muhammad+Farhan+Shahmi%22">Abdullah Muhammad Farhan Shahmi</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wah+Yue+Qing%22">Wah Yue Qing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nungsari+Melati%22">Nungsari Melati</searchLink>
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  Data: Online Learning Consortium, Inc. P.O. Box 1238, Newburyport, MA 01950. Tel: 888-898-6209; Fax: 888-898-6209; e-mail: olj@onlinelearning-c.org; Web site: https://olj.onlinelearningconsortium.org/index.php/olj/index
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  Data: Online entrepreneurship education (EE) courses experienced a sharp 66% spike in demand around March 2020, attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent surge in digital entrepreneurship uptake. Completion rates serve as a key indicator of online MOOC efficacy, with students' psychological attributes and contextual factors often examined as explanatory variables in assessing online course completion. This mixed-methods study explores influential factors in student retention in an EE Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) by using survey responses from 222 Malaysian youths who voluntarily registered for an EE MOOC, which was active from February to October 2021. A Decision Tree approach was chosen to predict the course completion likelihood based on sociodemographic and psychological factors, while qualitative content analysis was conducted to explore participant course enrollment motivations from their textual responses. The results indicated that entrepreneurial intention (EI) does not necessarily translate into EE MOOC completion. Instead, internal locus of control and socioeconomic factors held more priority in predicting completion status. These results were reflected in the students' thematic narratives from their textual responses. Both completed (CP) and dropout participants (DP) expressed similar entrepreneurial interests and, indeed, in the transferability of entrepreneurial skills and knowledge beyond entrepreneurial settings. However, there was a distinction in clarity; most CPs had well-defined and detailed enrolment goals, whereas the narratives from DPs were mainly ambiguous. Overall, the study contributes to the methodological discussion of using decision tree modelling, expands the application of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) and informs practical implications in online EE context. [Note: The publication year (2025) shown on the PDF in the suggested citation is incorrect. The correct publication year is 2026.]
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    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 29
        StartPage: 294
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Predictor Variables
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Entrepreneurship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Business Education
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      – SubjectFull: MOOCs
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      – SubjectFull: Academic Achievement
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      – SubjectFull: Decision Making
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      – SubjectFull: Distance Education
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      – SubjectFull: Intention
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      – SubjectFull: Pandemics
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      – SubjectFull: School Holding Power
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
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      – SubjectFull: Graduation Rate
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      – SubjectFull: Malaysia
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      – TitleFull: Motivations Matter: Predicting Entrepreneurship Education MOOC Course Completion with a Decision Tree Approach
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