Compromiso académico en universitarios del Programa de Acceso a la Educación Superior (PACE)

Abstract

The Superior Education Access Program (PACE: Programa de Acceso a la Educación Superior) in Chile is an initiative that aims to provide a better possibility for equity in the access to higher education for students from less wealthy backgrounds and to promote persistence in their studies. Economically disadvantaged students are at greater risk of dropping out. Therefore, the study of variables intervening in dropout is a major concern to the Program.The academic engagement construct offers predictive insights into academic achievement and student attrition. Evidence about the characteristics of student engagement in vulnerable populations is mixed, with some researchers claiming that such students show higher engagement when entering university while others disagree. This investigation aims to compare the academic engagement and disengagement between PACE students in their first year and their first-year peers at Universidad de Concepción in Chile.The study findings show a significantly higher emotional engagement in PACE students, suggesting a deeper affective attachment with their educational institution and a lower behavioral disengagement. That is, students are more respectful to the institutional norms.Â