Why are College Students Dropping out in Online English Writing? —A case study of Pigai.org

Abstract

Online English writing has gained popularity in China’s college English education. With pigai.org as a leading online platform, online English writing is affecting English teaching and learning in positive ways in China. However, when we celebrate its contribution, a high attrition rate in online writing can’t be neglected. This paper first reviews literature to set theoretical frame for causes of high attrition rates in online classes and then surveys factors for Chinese college students online English writing low retention phenomenon, and finally it explores solutions to win back students to online writing. Keywords—English writing; online; attrition; motivation