Search

The failure and dropout of university studies are issues that worry all nations due to the personal, social, and economic costs that this they entail. Because the dropout phenomenon is complex and involves numerous factors, to reverse it would involve a comprehensive approach through interventions aimed at the factors identified as key in the decision to drop out. Therefore, the main objective of this work is to determine the profile of students who enter the EPN (STEM higher-education institution) to analyze the characteristics that differentiate students who drop out early in their career and those who stay in school. A sample of 624 students who accessed the EPN leveling course (a compulsory course at the beginning of their studies) participated in the study. A total of 26.6% of the participants were women. A total of 50.7% of the participants passed the course. Data referring to social, economic, and academic variables were analyzed. Comparison techniques, as well as artificial neural networks, were used to compare characteristic profiles of students who passed the leveling course and those who dropped out. The results showed significant differences between the profiles of the students who passed and those who dropped out with regard to the variables related to previous academic performance and motivational and attributional aspects. The artificial neural networks corroborated the importance of these variables in predicting dropout. In this research, the key variables predicting whether a student continues or leaves higher education are revealed, allowing the identification of students at possible risk of dropping out and thus promoting initiatives to provide adequate academic support and improve student retention. This research was supported by National Secretariat of Higher Education, Science and Technology, (SENESCYT;PIC-18-INE-EPN-002).

Universities are committed to offering quality education, however, a high rate of academic failure is often observed in the first year of studies. Considering the impact that motivation and emotional aspects can have on students&rsquo, commitment to study and therefore on their academic performance, achievement, and well-being, this study aims to identify the factors associated with academic success or failure in 1071 students entering the National Polytechnic School (Quito, Ecuador). The data were compiled from the existing computer records of the university with the permission of the responsible administrative staff. A predictive model has been used and a binary logistic regression analysis was carried out through the step-forward regression procedure based on the Wald statistic to analyze the predictive capacity of the variables related to emotional intelligence, motivational and self- regulated socio-cognitive skills, goal orientation, and prior academic achievement (measured by university entrance marks and through a knowledge test carried out at the beginning of the university academic year). To determine the cut-off point for the best discriminatory power of each of the variables, a Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve analysis has been used. The results indicate that the variables that are significant in the prediction of academic success or failure are the two academic performance measures: the emotional attention variable, and the performance-approach goals and the motivational self-efficacy variable. Additionally, the highest predictive power is displayed by the prior academic performance measure obtained through the knowledge test conducted at the beginning of the university course.

This study was designed to examine academic self-concept as a potential mediator to better understand the relations between academic attitudes and academic achievement in early adolescence. A total of 1398 high school students from Alicante, Spain (47% female, M = 12.5 years), participated in the study. Multilevel mediation analyses with Monte Carlo confidence intervals were used to measure within-subject effects at the student level (L1) and between-subject effects at the class level (L2). Academic attitudes (attitudes towards teachers and attitudes towards school) and academic self-concept were measured with validated scales, whereas academic achievement was assessed using the end-of-term grades obtained by the students in nine subjects. The results show, first, significant effects of the academic attitude constructs on the mediational and dependent variables at both the within and between levels. Second, academic self-concept was an important mediator for all academic attitude constructs at both levels of analysis. These results highlight the importance of academic self-concept during early adolescence and suggest that academic attitudes are crucial for the future development of educational models. Con el fin de tener un mejor entendimiento de la relación existente entre las actitudes académicas y el rendimiento académico en la adolescencia inicial, se lleva a cabo el presente estudio teniendo en cuenta el autoconcepto académico como mediador relevante. Un total de 1398 estudiantes de la provincia de Alicante, España (47% mujeres, M = 12. 5 años), participan en el estudio. Se emplean análisis de mediación multinivel para medir los efectos intra-sujetos al nivel del estudiante (L1), e inter-sujetos al nivel de la clase (L2). Las actitudes académicas (actitudes hacia el profesorado y actitudes hacia la escuela) y el autoconcepto académico se miden mediante escalas validadas, mientras que el rendimiento académico se mide a partir de las calificaciones que obtienen los estudiantes en nueve asignaturas. Los resultados muestran, en primer lugar, efectos significativos de las actitudes académicas sobre la variable mediacional y la variable dependiente en los niveles intra e inter. Además, se aprecia un efecto indirecto significativo del autoconcepto como mediador de las actitudes académicas en ambos niveles de análisis. Estos resultados muestran la importancia del autoconcepto académico durante la adolescencia inicial, y señalan la necesidad de considerar las actitudes académicas como variables fundamentales en el desarrollo y puesta en práctica de modelos educativos.

This paper addresses the relationship between student evaluation of teaching (SET) and academic achievement in higher education. Meta-analytic studies on teaching effectiveness show a wide range of results, ranging from small to medium correlations between SET and student achievement, based on diverse methodological approaches, sample size studies, and contexts. This work aimed to relate SET, prior academic achievement, and academic achievement in a large sample of higher education students and teachers, using different methodological procedures, which consider as distinct units of analysis the group class and the individuals, the variability between students within classes, and the variability between group-class means, simultaneously. The data analysis included the calculation of group-class means and its relationship with the group-class mean academic achievement, through correlation and hierarchical regression techniques; additionally, a multilevel path analysis was applied to the relationship between prior academic achievement, SET, and their academic achievement, considering the variability among group classes. A multisection analysis was also carried out in those course disciplines in which there was more than one class group (section). The results of individual and group-class analysis revealed that SET was moderately low but related to academic achievement in a significant way once the effect of previous academic achievement was controlled. In addition, multilevel path analysis revealed the effect of SET on achievement, both within and between group-class levels. The results of the analysis carried out in the course disciplines with different sections, according to a multisection design, yielded similar results to the individual and aggregated data analyses. Taken together, the results revealed that SET was low related to academic achievement, once the effect of previous academic achievement was controlled. From these results, it follows that the use of SET as a measure of teachers’ effectiveness for making administrative decisions remains controversial. This research was supported by National Secretariat of Higher Education, Science and Technology, SENESCYT (PIC-18-INE-EPN-002).

Using various identification methods, differences between underachieving and non-underachieving gifted students in personal, familial, social, and school variables were analyzed in a sample of 164 gifted students with IQs of 120 or higher; the sample was drawn from a larger sample of 1,400 compulsory secondary education students. Three procedures for identifying underachieving students were used: the standardized difference method, the regression method, and the Rasch method. The different profiles of underachieving and non-underachieving students in the personal, familial, social, and school variables were compared using MANOVA and ANOVA tests. Results revealed that underachieving gifted students scored significantly lower in learning strategies, goal orientations, self-concept, attitudes toward teachers, and perceived parent involvement in school variables. These results have clear educational implications as a result of identifying differences in non-cognitive factors. This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (award number: EDU2012-32156).

This work aimed to test the invariance of a causal structural model of the determinants of academic achievement in underachieving and non-underachieving students. A theoretical model of the relationships between personal, social, and familial variables and academic performance was derived empirically using data from a large sample obtained in a previous study, prior to testing for invariance across the two student groups. Underachieving students were identified using the Rasch model procedure. The sample comprised 259 underachieving and 258 non-underachieving students. The latter were selected randomly from a large non-underachieving sample of Spanish secondary education students. For model comparisons between groups, multiple-group causal structural analyses were performed, following a sequence of nested models with increasing constraints. The results showed a good fit of the model in both groups, although about half of the parameters were not invariant across groups. Underachieving students were characterized by their lack of learning strategies, an academic self-concept that exerted less influence on achievement, and a positive effect of the parent-school relationship on academic performance/achievement. Non-underachieving students were characterized by their use of metacognitive strategies, which led to higher academic achievement, a greater effect of self-concept on their achievement, the perception of parental support leading to higher performance, and the positive effects of peer acceptance on academic achievement. This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness [Grant number: EDU2012-32156].

Background Different studies reveal an association between parent involvement, metacognition, and academic achievement; however, the majority analyse the developmental process of acquisition in experimental or quasi-experimental designs with students enrolled in child education. Adolescence is an important stage in personal and academic development. Given the complexity of learning, and according to the metacognitive and affective model of self-regulated learning (Efklides, 2011, Educational Psychologist, 46, 6), different types of metacognitive processes are relevant for the optimal development of individuals in academic contexts. At the same time, individuals need stimuli from the environment, based on observation of their own and other's behaviour, as well as through communication and interaction with others. Aim The present study examined the relations among parent involvement, metacognitive strategies, and academic achievement to investigate the mediational role of metacognition in the relation between parent involvement and academic achievement. Sample The participants were 1,398 high school students from Spain (47% female, M = 12. 5 years). Method Multiple multilevel mediation analyses with Monte Carlo confidence intervals were used for measuring within-subjects effects at the student level and between-subjects effects at the class level. Parent involvement (perception of support, organization, and interest in the educational process; expectations; school relationship; time of support with homework) and metacognition were measured by questionnaires, whereas academic achievement was assessed using the end-of-term grades obtained by students for nine subjects. Results First, there was a significant direct effect of most parent involvement constructs on the mediational and dependent variables at both the within and between levels. Expectations had the highest predictive power on academic achievement. On the other hand, metacognitive strategies were an important mediator for all parent involvement constructs at both levels of analysis. Conclusions These results highlight the importance of metacognition during early adolescence and suggest that parent involvement is crucial for the future development of educational models.

Introducción. La investigación tiene dos objetivos: caracterizar a los estudiantes universitarios que simultanean trabajo y estudios y el tipo de trabajo que desempeñan, por un lado, y analizar el efecto que tiene trabajar sobre distintas medidas de su rendimiento académico, por otro. Método. El análisis se desarrolla a partir de información individual procedente de una encuesta (N=464) combinada con registros universitarios. Se han estimado modelos en los que se consideran distintas medidas del desempeño académico y en los que se controla por un amplio conjunto de factores (incluyendo características socioeconómicas así como medidas de motivación y de esfuerzo académico), distinguiendo entre distintos niveles de intensidad de la actividad laboral. Las técnicas usadas han sido la regresión logística, mínimos cuadrados ordinarios y variables instrumentales. Resultados. Se confirma, en primer lugar, que una proporción significativa de los estudiantes universitarios españoles simultanea los estudios con un trabajo remunerado, siendo muy frecuente que trabajen de forma habitual durante periodos prolongados. Se observa, además, que es frecuente que quienes trabajan lo hagan motivados por necesidad y en tareas no relacionadas con el contenido de sus estudios, y que la propensión a trabajar es mayor entre los estudiantes de mayor edad, los extranjeros y los de mayor motivación. En segundo lugar, los resultados obtenidos sugieren que, en contraste con la propia percepción manifestada por los estudiantes, trabajar regularmente no tiene aparentemente un impacto significativo en sus resultados académicos. Conclusión. El estudio añade evidencia sobre un tema relevante pero muy escasamente analizado en el caso español, sobre el que ni la teoría ni los estudios empíricos previos sobre casos internacionales ofrecen resultados concluyentes. Los resultados son útiles para la consideración que el desempeño de una actividad laboral debe recibir en el diseño de los itinerarios seguidos por los estudiantes universitarios. Introduction. The research has two objectives: to characterise college students who combine work and studies, and their jobs, on one hand; and to analyse the effect of work on various measures of academic performance, on the other. Method. The study is developed using individual information derived from a survey (N=464) and from university records. We have estimated models that consider diverse measures of academic performance and control for a wide set of factors (including socio-economic characteristics and diverse measures of motivation and academic effort), distinguishing between different levels of intensity in the labour activity. The techniques used are logistic regression, ordinary least squares and instrumental variables. Results. The evidence obtained confirms, first, that a noticeable proportion of Spanish university students have a paid job, and often work regularly for extended periods. It also is common for those who work to do so motivated by necessity, and to perform tasks unrelated to the content of their studies. Moreover, the likelihood of working is higher among older students, foreigners and those who have higher levels of motivation. Secondly, the results suggest that, in contrast to the perceptions expressed by students, working regularly does not appear to have a significant impact on their academic performance. Conclusion. The article provides additional evidence on a very relevant issue that has however received very little attention in the Spanish case and for which neither theoretical studies nor previous empirical research have reached conclusive results. The article provides useful support for the consideration of employment-related issues in the designing of the itineraries followed by university students. El presente trabajo se enmarca en el seno del Programa de Redes de investigación en docencia universitaria del Vicerrectorado de Calidad e Innovación Educativa-Instituto de Ciencias de la Educación de la Universidad de Alicante (convocatoria 2015-16), ref.: 3478. Además, los autores desean hacer constar su agradecimiento a la financiación recibida del Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad en el marco del Plan Estatal de I+D+i, ref. CSO2014-55780-C3-2-P.

This study examined the factorial invariance and latent mean differences of scores on the Spanish version of the Achievement Goal Tendencies Questionnaire (AGTQ) across gender and age groups in 2022 Spanish students (51.1% boys) in grades 7 through 10. The equality of factor structures was compared using multi-group confirmatory factor analyses. Measurement invariance for the correlated three-factor model of the AGTQ was found across gender and age samples. Analyses of latent mean differences revealed that girls exhibited higher means than boys on the Learning Goals and Performance Goals scale scores, whereas boys showed a higher mean than girls on the Social Reinforcement Goals scale score. No differences in latent means were found between the age groups on any of the AGTQ scales. The findings are discussed in terms of the implications for use of the AGTQ with Spanish secondary education students.

This study examined the reliability and validity evidence drawn from the scores of the Spanish version of the Achievement Goal Tendencies Questionnaire (AGTQ) using a sample of 2,022 (51.1% boys) Spanish students from grades 7 to 10. Confirmatory factor analysis replicated the correlated three-factor structure of the AGTQ in this sample: Learning Goals (LG), Social Reinforcement Goals (SRG), and Performance Goals (PG). The AGTQ yields relatively reliable scores for Spanish students. Logistic regression analyses were used to provide additional validity evidence of AGTQ scores on academic success (general, Spanish, and mathematics). Results indicated that general academic success was 15% and 5% more likely every time that scores on LG and PG scales increased 1 point, respectively, although general academic success was 9% less likely every time that scores on SRG scale increased 1 point. These results were similar for Spanish and mathematics. However, the score on the LG scale did not forecast success in both subjects. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

We examined the psychometric properties of the School Attitude Assessment Survey–Revised in a Spanish population (n = 1,398). Confirmatory factor analysis procedures supported the instrument’s five-factor structure. The results of discriminant analysis demonstrated the predictive power of the School Attitude Assessment Survey–Revised scales as regards academic performance. Implications for education and assessment are discussed. The present work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Award number: EDU2012-32156) and the Vice Chancellor for Research of the University of Alicante (Award number: GRE11-15). The last co-author is funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Reference of the grant: BES-2013-064331).

The present study examined the predictive effects of intellectual ability, self-concept, goal orientations, learning strategies, popularity and parent involvement on academic achievement. Hierarchical regression analysis and path analysis were performed among a sample of 1398 high school students (mean age = 12.5; SD =.67) from eight education centers from the province of Alicante (Spain). Cognitive and non-cognitive variables were measured using validated questionnaires, whereas academic achievement was assessed using end-of-term grades obtained by students in nine subjects. The results revealed significant predictive effects of all of the variables. The model proposed had a satisfactory fit, and all of the hypothesized relationships were significant. These findings support the importance of including non-cognitive variables along with cognitive variables when predicting a model of academic achievement.

As a result of studies examining factors involved in the learning process, various structural models have been developed to explain the direct and indirect effects that occur between the variables in these models. The objective was to evaluate a structural model of cognitive and motivational variables predicting academic achievement, including general intelligence, academic self-concept, goal orientations, effort and learning strategies. The sample comprised of 341 Spanish students in the first year of compulsory secondary education. Different tests and questionnaires were used to evaluate each variable, and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was applied to contrast the relationships of the initial model. The model proposed had a satisfactory fit, and all the hypothesised relationships were significant. General intelligence was the variable most able to explain academic achievement. Also important was the direct influence of academic self-concept on achievement, goal orientations and effort, as well as the mediating ability of effort and learning strategies between academic goals and final achievement. En el estudio de los factores que intervienen en el proceso de aprendizaje, se han desarrollado distintos modelos estructurales con el fin de ofrecer una explicación de los efectos directos e indirectos que se producen entre el conjunto de variables contempladas en los mismos. El objetivo de este trabajo fue contrastar un modelo estructural de variables cognitivo-motivacionales, predictoras del rendimiento académico, entre las que se incluyeron la inteligencia general, el autoconcepto académico, las orientaciones de meta, el esfuerzo y las estrategias de aprendizaje. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 341 alumnos españoles de primer curso de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria. Se emplearon distintas pruebas y cuestionarios para la evaluación de cada una de las variables y se aplicó SEM para contrastar las relaciones del modelo inicial. El modelo propuesto obtuvo un ajuste satisfactorio, siendo significativas todas relaciones hipotetizadas. La inteligencia general fue la variable con mayor poder explicativo sobre el rendimiento académico. También destacó la influencia directa del autoconcepto académico sobre el rendimiento, las orientaciones de meta y el esfuerzo, así como la capacidad mediadora del esfuerzo y de las estrategias de aprendizaje entre las metas académicas y el rendimiento final.

En este estudio se somete a prueba un modelo estructural acerca de las variables cognitivo-motivacionales explicativas del rendimiento académico en Lengua Castellana y Matemáticas, en el que se incluyen como variables predictoras el rendimiento anterior, las aptitudes, el autoconcepto académico, las atribuciones causales, las orientaciones de meta y las estrategias de aprendizaje. En la investigación participaron 341 alumnos/as de primer curso de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria de diferentes centros de la provincia de Alicante (España). Los resultados del análisis de ecuaciones estructurales señalaron un mejor ajuste a los datos del modelo en Lengua, siendo significativas la práctica totalidad de las relaciones propuestas. Entre ellas destacó el poder determinante del rendimiento anterior con respecto al conjunto de variables motivacionales del modelo y al rendimiento académico final, así como el papel mediador de las variables motivacionales en el efecto de las aptitudes sobre dicho rendimiento. Finalmente, se discuten los resultados obtenidos y las distintas implicaciones educativas de los mismos. This paper tests a structural model in terms of the cognitive and motivational variables that explain academic achievement in the subjects of Spanish Language and Mathematics, and which includes previous achievement, aptitudes, academic self-concept, causal attributions, goal orientations and learning strategies as predictor variables. A total of 341 students from the first academic year of compulsory secondary education in various schools in the Spanish province of Alicante took part in the study. Analysis of the structural equation modelling indicates that Spanish Language model has a better fit to the data, with statistical significance in practically all of the relationships considered. These include the determining power of previous performance over the model’s motivational variables and final academic achievement, as well as the mediating role that motivational variables play in the effect that aptitudes have on final achievement. The results obtained and their implications for education are discussed.

CEPS Journal 1 (2011) 1, S. 191-212, The main aim of this paper is to analyse the role of intellectual, personal and emotional competencies as well as technical knowledge - academic achievement - in the employment of university graduates, with the purpose of incorporating these competencies into training programmes developed within the European Framework of Higher Education. This study is based on an initial sample of 118 university graduates in the field of education. We have gathered information about academic achievement and the intellectual, personal and emotional traits of this sample. From these data, and given the importance of non-intellectual aspects of intelligence associated with professional success, the specific contribution - incremental validity - of personal and emotional intelligence in explaining the employment - labour integration - of university graduates in the field of education is studied. From this point onwards, we attempt to identify the key socio-emotional competencies in the field of education in order to establish the implications of including this type of skills in university training programmes within the European Higher Education Area. (DIPF/Orig.)