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Demographic Factors that Predict Open University Undergraduate Students' Well-Being
Abstract
Recent research studies on student well-being in higher education have emphasised the importance of various psychological factors, however, in online learning environments, demographic factors have been shown to have particularly strong relationships with well-being. This mixed-methods study explored the relationship between demographic variables and student well-being in open and distance learning (ODL) using the PERMA framework. The participants (age: mean = 38.2, SD = 6.5) were BEd students in primary education at an ODL institution in Botswana. Data from a survey (n = 215) and focus-group interviews (7 groups, n = 35) revealed that the only significant demographic predictor of undergraduate students’ perceived well-being was higher levels of education. Qualitative analyses indicate that higher qualifications were related to career advancement, self-actualisation, self-confidence, social status, multi-level learning, a sense of belonging and positive emotions. This study assists in gaining insight into which demographic variable/s enhance student well-being, that, in turn, may help in designing optimal ODL learning environments to support students effectively.
Country
Botswana
Region
Africa
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PDF
Adobe PDF, 578.71 KB
Date
2025-07-25
Author
ORCID
Corporate Author
Editor
Publisher
Commonwealth of Learning (COL)