School dropout and teacher education: Explanations of Secondary School teachers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to document and understand the thoughts and interpretations that different agents of secondary education (teachers, counselors, management, pupils and inspectors) have about school dropout and teacher training. Through an ethnographic methodology, it was used a phenomenological perspective for its development. 54 secondary schools were selected by purposive sampling. As research tools, we used semistructured interviews with 51 counselors, 95 teachers and 53 members of management as well as diverse discussion groups in which 260 students and 10 inspectors participated. We carried out a categorized analysis using Qualitative Data Analysis Program ATLAS.ti7 and Microsoft Excel. The results show that students and their families would be the factors that most influence at school dropout. Teacher training is not an important element, despite much research to argue otherwise, nor is considered key to enabling strategies when looking for school continuity. The results allow us to better understand how is the secondary school organized to the school dropout and therefore help us to establish effective guidelines for action to prevent it and increase school continuity.