What factors influence academic success and dropout rates in digital study formats at universities? What factors and effects at the subjective, curricular and institutional levels can be empirically measured and how do they interact in digital study formats? Can a factor analysis be used to compare digital and face-to-face study formats?
The LAMASS@DiLea project team now present the answers to these questions in the newly published project report “LAMASS-Studie: Studienerfolg und Studienabbruch in digitalen Studienformaten”. It is a comprehensive analysis of academic success and dropout rates in digital study formats. The results of the study are valuable for existing digital study formats and for degree programs that wish to boost their use of digital technology. The dataset has also been published and is available to download.
The joint project LAMASS@DiLea (Learning Analytics, Monitoring and Ambition for Study Success in Distance Learning) was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and ran from April 2021 till March 2024. The researchers conducted three sub-studies and compiled scientific findings on digital study formats, drawing comparisons with traditional face-to-face study formats. They record the analysis of student retention in relation to the distinctive aspects of digital learning formats and the implementation of innovative educational technologies in higher education.
The publication gives an overview and presents the objectives, subject matter, results and a summary of the respective recommendations for action for each sub-study.
Sub-Study 1 – Digital Study Format: Definition, Opportunities, Prospects and Attitudes
The first sub-study focuses on defining and analyzing digital study formats, which is an area that has received little systematic attention in higher education research. In the past, concepts like student success and dropout have been studied within the context of on-campus programs. Digital formats, like online and distance learning, have brought new dynamics and challenges to the educational field. The research maps digital bachelor’s programs offered by German universities, examines their structure and explores how success and dropout are understood in this context. The sub-study investigates the perspectives of university leadership and identifies key factors influencing student persistence. To better understand the unique needs of the diverse student population and inform strategies for improving retention, the sub-study analyzes dropout motives in digital programs.
Sub-Study 2 – Comparative Study to Differences Between Digital and Face-to-Face Formats
The second sub-study explores the differences between digital and traditional on-campus study formats, focusing on factors that lead to student dropout. Using a comparative model based on existing research and data from the FernUniversität in Hagen, unique characteristics of students in digital programs were identified. Unlike on-campus studies, where dropout is often linked to individual study processes, digital formats are more influenced by external factors such as work-life-study balance. The findings highlight how digital programs cater to diverse life situations and educational goals, offering flexibility but also presenting new challenges for retention strategies.
Sub-Study 3 – Student Persistence in Digital Study Formats – A Multifactorial Comprehensive Model
The factors driving students to continue their studies in digital programs are examined in the third sub-study. Based on a nationwide survey of active students in digital bachelor’s programs, the researchers developed a comprehensive model to analyze the persistence of students as a conscious decision to keep studying and aim for graduation. Moving beyond the simple success-or-dropout view, this approach considers persistence as a key condition for academic achievement. The sub-study identifies influential factors and explores how emerging technologies like Learning Analytics and Artificial Intelligence can support student engagement and success in digital learning environments.
Recommendations For Future Studies and Research Approaches
While the results of the LAMASS study have shown deep insights into the design of study programs and the support of students in a digitized educational landscape, future studies are still needed to develop better and more hands-on support for students. Combinations of Learning Analytics and AI with traditional survey methods can be useful in the future to further develop personalized and effective learning strategies that can address students’ needs and help improve their learning process.
For a more detailed look at the project results, feel free to read the whole report:
Wöhrle, J., Karolyi, H., Weidlich, J., Seidenberg, N., Blanc, B., Woick, A., Drachsler, H., Pinkwart, N., Markgraf, D., de Witt, C., 2025a. LAMASS-Studie: Studienerfolg und Studienabbruch in digitalen Studienformaten. https://doi.org/10.18445/20240717-191649-0
The LAMASS dataset is available here:
Wöhrle, J., Karolyi, H., Weidlich, J., Seidenberg, N., Blanc, B., Woick, A., Drachsler, H., Pinkwart, N., Markgraf, D., de Witt, C., 2025b. LAMASS dataset. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.17473632