Mapping evidence on persistence and retention strategies for non-traditional students in online higher education: A scoping review

Non-traditional learners, often balancing employment, caregiving, and academic responsibilities, now constitute a growing majority of students in higher education (National Center for Education Statistics, 2024). Although their persistence and retention are central to institutional effectiveness, the evidence base informing institutional responses remains fragmented and unevenly conceptualized. Guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) framework for scoping reviews, this study synthesized empirical and conceptual literature published between 2013 and 2025 to map how persistence and retention among non-traditional students are defined, examined, and measured in online higher education (Hadie, 2024). Findings indicate a strong reliance on age- and employment-based definitions of non-traditional status, frequent use of composite outcome measures centered on persistence and institutional retention, and limited differentiation between student-level continuation and institution-level metrics. Analysis identified five interrelated thematic domains spanning instructional, learner, and institutional levels, with an emergent emphasis on technology- and AI-mediated practices. By producing a comprehensive evidence map, this review clarifies dominant patterns, methodological tendencies, and persistent gaps in the literature, offering direction for future research and institutional practice aimed at advancing educational equity and student success in online higher education. Keywords: Non-traditional students; online higher education; persistence and retention; scoping review; conceptualization and measurement; institutional practices; adult learners