Date
10-16-2025
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (EdD)
Chair
Matthew Ozolnieks
Keywords
first-generation student, phenomenological, capital theory, barriers to education
Disciplines
Education
Recommended Citation
Leal, Caleb D., "Barriers To Online Education: A Qualitative Study of First-Generation Online Community College Students and the Barriers They Face" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 7533.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7533
Abstract
The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the barriers that first-generation community college students face when enrolling in online courses. The theory guiding this study is Bourdieu’s capital theory, which details possible barriers students may face when enrolling in online courses. The barriers associated with Bourdieu’s capital theory include economic, cultural, social, and technical. The method employed in this research is a qualitative phenomenological approach, focusing on the lived experiences of first-generation community college students enrolled in online courses. Using a hermeneutical approach, the research was focused on the stories and lived experiences of each participant. The study took place at a local community college in central Pennsylvania, focusing on 10 participants who are first-generation students who are enrolled in online courses. The study used three forms of data collection, including a questionnaire, semi-structured individual interviews, and focus groups. Data was analyzed using the horizontal method. The findings of this study indicate that barriers still exist in online education, especially for first-generation community college students. These barriers could be categorized as economic, social, cultural, and technical barriers.
