ORIGINAL ARTICLE Investigating the relationship between success factors and student participation in online and blended learning in adult education Yves Blieck 1,2 | Kurt Kauwenberghs 1 | Chang Zhu 1 | Katrien Struyven 1,3 | Bram Pynoo 1 | Koen DePryck 1 1 Department of Educational Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussel, Belgium 2 Department of Teacher Education, CVO de Oranjerie, Diest, Belgium 3 School for Educational Studies, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium Correspondence Yves Blieck, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Educational Sciences, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium. Email: yves.blieck@vub.be Funding information The Institute for Science and Technology, Grant/Award Number: Project Number: SBO 140029 Abstract Online and blended learning (OBL) is valued, but it also offers challenges. Literature indicates that OBL can enhance access to education and increase flexibility for stu- dents. However, the reported dropout rates indicate that student participation in OBL programmes is a concern. Scientifically valid knowledge about how factors that help students participate in OBL are related to student participation is necessary for quality improvement of OBL. This knowledge can help professionals determine what they need to improve in their institution and how to prioritize those improvements. In this study, we report on the validation of a quality instrument with indicators related to quality dimensions present in quality management frameworks and important suc- cess factors that aid student participation in OBL. These success factors are as fol- lows: credibility, transparency, flexibility, accessibility, interactivity, personalization, and productivity. The partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS‐SEM) method is suitable for validating complex models in studies where predictive accuracy is important. According to adult students, all success factors, except flexibility, are important for aiding OBL participation. Adult students perceive that the quality dimensions of learning activities and student support (related to interactivity) deserve priority in improving participation in OBL in adult education. KEYWORDS blended learning, e‐learning, online learning, quality, quality enhancement, success factors 1 | INTRODUCTION Online and blended learning (OBL) is valued for its potential to remove barriers for students to participate in traditional education. OBL can enhance accessibility and flexibility (Graham & Robison, 2007; Shea, 2007), transform traditional approaches to instruction and teaching (Graham & Robison, 2007), and reduce instruction costs (Shea, 2007). However, there remain issues with student participation in OBL and dropout rates that are an important concern (Fozdar, Kumar, & Kannan, 2006; Madhlangobe, Chikasha, Mafa, & Kurasha, 2014; Nistor & Neubauer, 2010). Numerous quality‐management frameworks for the continuous quality improvement (CQI) of OBL exist in higher education. Scholars have noted that these frameworks have similar “constituents,” referred to as quality dimensions from the providers' perspective (Frydenberg, 2002; Jung, 2011). The common dimensions are manage- ment, support for faculty, support for students, and delivery and design of the programme and course (Ossiannilsson & Landgren, Received: 11 October 2017 Revised: 24 January 2019 Accepted: 3 February 2019 DOI: 10.1111/jcal.12351 J Comput Assist Learn. 2019;1–15. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jcal 1