Influence Of Sociodemographic Variables On The Development Of Academic Performance

Abstract

Through the present longitudinal study, we intend to analyze the inluence of sociodemographic variables on the development of academic performance during the completion of degree studies. In the research, 264 students (58.2% men, 41.8% women) enrolled in the Physiotherapy Degree of the University of Vigo (Spain) in the academic years from 2010/2011 to 2014/2015 have voluntarily participated. Academic performance has been calculated through the average mark and the performance, attempt and success rates. Although the fact that there is more than 50% of the sample with rates values of 100, this does not allow its inferential analysis to be possible, reason why they are discarded. The following sociodemographic variables have been contemplated: Gender, Age, Residence during the year, Students’ combination of studies and work and Students’ other obligations in addition to the study. The results only indicate the positive influence of combining studies and work on the average mark. Thus, working during the degree is indicative for a greater increase in the average mark compared to those who do not work. Although, in the passage from 1st to 2nd year, those who do not work register a more marked increase of the average mark, and in 3rd year those that work, increase it much more than the previous ones, responsible effect of said results.

Keywords: Academic performancehigher educationsociodemographic variablesuniversity students

Introduction

Given the period of educational change in Spanish Higher Education, in form of adaptation to the new EHEA system, which is promoting an important movement of pedagogical renewal by launching new methodologies, it is of interest to investigate the academic performance (AP) of students in the new context of EHEA, due to the fact fully assumed by university officials and society in general, that academic performance is an essential and fundamental factor for the assessment of educational quality in higher education (Tomás-Miquel, Expósito-Langa, & Sempere-Castelló, 2014). Academic performance is a complex concept and, therefore, it is not consensual. In general, personal, social and institutional determinants of performance are recognized (Martínez et al., 2010).

Problem Statement

Academic performance is defined as the average mark or qualification obtained during the university term (Tejedor, 1998). It is expressed in a quantitative and a qualitative qualification, a mark that, if consistent and valid, will reflect a certain learning and achievement of pre-established objectives (Pita and Corengia, 2005) that depend not only on intellectual aptitudes, but on a series of interrelated factors, both internal and external to the student.

Research Questions

Does academic performance get modified according to the sociodemographic characteristics of the sample?

Sociodemographic variables such as working or having other social obligations, does not correspond with obtaining a lower academic performance, but as they argue, there are more students who recognize that working and studying at the same time positively affects their performance. In addition, the fact of having more free time does not necessarily correspond with longer time devoted to study, since students prefer to do other activities in their free time such as going for a walk (which was the preferred one), watching television, doing exercise or maybe reading something that was not a study book (Armenta, Pacheco, & Pineda, 2008).

On the other hand, students who must support their families financially and who must pay for their studies have a lower academic performance; especially because the time dedicated to work or to their obligations significantly reduces their time dedicated to study (Brito-Jiménez and Palacio-Sañudo, 2016).

Purpose of the Study

For academic performance studies to be useful, it is important to identify the factors that intervene in the performance associated with the success or failure of the students; that is, the levels of influence between the variables to be considered to determine causal factors and mediations that determine the relationships between the different categories of personal, social and institutional variables. These variables, in addition to offering information of a structural and objective nature, take into account the student's perception of factors associated with academic performance and its possible impact on academic results (Garbanzo, 2007).

It is intended to know if the academic performance develops according to the sociodemographic characteristics of the students

Multiple investigations relate sociodemographic variables with academic performance through cross-sectional researches. However, through the present longitudinal research, it is intended to have a more exhaustive knowledge about the evolution of academic performance, taking into account the sociodemographic characteristics of the students.

Research Methods

Findings

Combining studies and work conditions academic performance

It is the factor of combining studies with work on average marks of academic performance of women, in the change occurred from 2^nd to 3^rd year (p <.05 and with moderate effect size). Our data (Figure 1 ) allow us to admit that while in 2^nd year the average marks are similar, being higher the ones of those that do not combine work and studies (7.65 vs 7.36), the increase in 3^rd year in both is different, being much higher in the cases of those who do combine work with studies to the point that now their average grade is noticeably higher (8.60 vs 8.15).

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Conclusion

References

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