Reflections on Absenteeism in University classrooms

Abstract

In this work, significant attendance is defined as the extent to which students perceive that the taken classes promote their personal and professional development and contribute to the acquisition of basic and specific skills defined in their university degree program. Based on this approach, the problem under study focuses on the teachers’ concern regarding the increase in university student absenteeism that is particularly observed in lectures. To answer this problem, the following objectives were proposed: a) to describe the behavior of attending large group classes in undergraduate degrees; b) to identify the factors associated with absenteeism behaviors in university students; and c) to understand which are the most valued aspects by students concerning significant attendance. The methodological design for collecting information adopted a mixed approach, combining qualitative and quantitative research techniques. The statistical universe of this study includes the four universities that make up the Campus Iberus. A focus group was established with university teachers and then a structured questionnaire was passed to their students, which belong to different courses and grades. Among the conclusions of this study, it should be noted that the problem of absenteeism is a complex phenomenon that must be analyzed from multifactorial approaches. In the new scenario of Higher Education, it should be kept in mind what is expected of physical presence in the university classroom so that the attendance is really significant.