A structural model for the early detection of university dropout: Metacomprehension, ICT and motivation in the social work degree

Abstract

Introduction. The present study centred on the problem of university dropout. It focused on the first year of the Social Work degree with the aim of producing an explanatory model, which would enable interventions in dropout-prediction variables, thus ultimately helping to increase student graduation rates. A theoretical review was conducted and led to the following potential explanatory variables: Interest in the degree, cognitive self-regulation processes linked to learning and self-control. While metacognitive processes, such as planning, play a protective role, loss of control would be a risk factor and has been observed in relation to pathological internet use (PIU). Methodology. Based on a correlational study, in which 355 first-year Social Work students participated, we evaluated the extent to which cognitive self-regulation and self-control, measured in the context of ICT, influenced or determined interest in the degree and possible dropout. We did this by creating and testing a Structural Equations Model (SEM), in which Dropout was directly related to the Interest in the degree and indirectly related to the factors of Self-Regulation and Self-Control. Three instruments were used: The ESCOLA reading awareness scale, which is an instrument that assesses processes and metacognitive variables in reading tasks with three possible responses; the CUTIC questionnaire, designed to measure the utility of ICT connected to the Internet; and a questionnaire to evaluate the interest in the degree and possible dropout. Results. The SEM model was tested and showed an adequate goodness or adjustment using the estimation of robust weighted least squares (WLSMV): S-B ξ2 (723) = 1260, p<0.001, CFI = 0.97, TLI = 0.97, RMSEA = 0.049 (0.044; 0.053). The direct effect of Interest on Dropout and the indirect effect of self-regulation and self-control were thus verified. Discussion. Metacognition as an explanatory variable of academic performance was observed to have a relevant weight regarding the scientific interest in the studies and on not dropping out of the year. Reading metacomprehension in its planning process was shown to explain a substantial part of the variance of average academic performance, measured in this study through student grades obtained during the first term. Conclusions. To conclude, the following measures can play a key role: Promoting a reasonable and responsible use of ICT because of its major motivational value in education; using mobile phones as a resource in academic activities because, according to this study, they are not related to PIU and can be used for educational purposes in the classroom. In addition, educational programmes must be deployed in the classroom that would allow university students to implement both cognitive and meta-cognitive strategies, above all in the field of reading, in order to guarantee successful academic performance at university. In fact, increasing students' interest in the degree is key to reducing dropout rates, so it is essential to improve reading metacomprehension and to help students develop healthy habits when using ICT.