Resilience and motivation in higher education

Abstract

Distance learning courses provide flexible access to education. This flexibility often appeals to individuals that are unable to attend traditional institutions. Previous research suggests that the difficulties experienced by non traditional students may impact on academic achievement. Research exploring these factors, however, often fails to consider the importance of student motivation or resilience. The current article presents an exploratory case study detailing the manner in which motivation and resilience contributed to the academic achievement of one student experiencing a number of barriers to success.