UNIVERSIDAD MAYOR DE SAN ANDRES

FACULTAD DE HUMANIDADES Y CIENCIAS DE LA EDUCACION

CARRERA DE LINGUISTICA E IDIOMAS

Names:
o Virginia
Marcela Tintaya Laime
o Colque Velasquez Naty Silvina
o Eliana Patón Gonzales
o Grover Lopez Machicado

SUBJECT: Workshop Research II

PROFFESSOR: Lic. David Aduviri

La Paz - Bolivia
July 2020
ABSTRACT

The objective of this research is to determine the reactions of Research Workshop II students from
Linguistic and Languages Department at UMSA when they fail a subject in which they put a lot of effort. The
type of research is qualitative. The research is carried out with 30 randomly selected students, from the third
year level, of both sexes, belonging to the Linguistics career and with an age range from 20 years old to more.
The instrument used was a 5-question questionnaire, prepared by the researcher, whose reliability is based on
the Likert scale. This is a psychometric scale that is commonly used in questionnaires and is the most widely
used scale in research surveys, mainly in the Social Sciences. According to the data that will be found, the
attitudes that the students have when they fail a certain subject will be disclosed and in this way they will make
known most of the factors of all the factors that influence student failure, so that the university must
implement improvements that reduce the risk that each factor represents and thus improve the academic
performance of students. One of the most important recommendations, which should apply to both faculty and
students, is training in meaningful learning strategies, metacognitive strategies, self-regulatory learning
strategies, comprehensive reading, and mature writing. Other equally important recommendations are: train
teaching staff in effective teaching strategies and implement formative assessment processes in the subjects.
 INDEX
CHAPTER I
Title
1.1.Introduction
1.2.Statement of the problem
1.3.Research questions
1.4.Justification
1.5.Objectives
1.5.1. General Objective
1.5.2. Specific Objectives
CHAPTER II
2.1. Research background
2.2. Theoretical framework
CHAPTER III
3.1. Type of study
3.2. Type of design (qualitative)
3.3. Instruments
3.4. Universe
3.5. Sample
3.6. Procedures
CHAPTER IV
4.1. Possible conclusions
4.2. Possible recommendations

References
Glossary
Annexes

Responsible: M. Sc. David Aduviri

 CHAPTER I

TITLE: The reactions of Research Workshop II students from Linguistic and

Languages degree at UMSA when they fail a subject in which they put a lot of effort.

1.1 INTRODUCTION
In the current educational system, in Bolivia, if at the conclusion of a certain grade a student
does not reach the learning objectives of the program; he is still in a position to start the next one with
possibilities of success, so he is not sent to repeat the same grade. It is hoped that he will be able to
achieve adequate learning to continue his studies without taking on account the positive and negative
consequences. In this same system, there is a perception that a teacher who does fail a student can be
considered negligent and lax. Furthermore, schools recognized as high quality achieve this prestige.
Thanks to the transformation and demand for education in a globalized world, as well as the
demand for better-trained personnel for production, grade repetition has been drastically reduced. In
Bolivia it requires an in-depth review of the dominant patterns in its higher education system as soon as
possible. Specifically, it needs to generate the conditions for the development of factors that facilitate
the construction of its own thinking and scientific visions from his historical experiences Quality and the
transmission of knowledge.

In universities, the transmission of knowledge is still the victim of uncritical and improvised
repetition that also disrupts all professional training. This pedagogical obstacle is not assumed as a
problem to be overcome from the university's institutional policies, but rather it is take as a pragmatic
letting go. Many teachers constantly express the same theoretical postulates and repeat the same content
as they did decades ago, when they were students themselves or if we take some examples from
professors at the UMSA (they work in differents institutions besides this place, other teachers practice
different offices to those that they teach, etc) the teaching profession and the vocation for teaching are
reduced to almost improvised hours, devoid of attributes and prisoners of other people's ideas that are
assumed as they come, and they leave as they arrived without having understood that knowledge is a
permanent construction, together with unrepentant criticism, fueled by much research, self-reflection,
fruitful errors and openness without fear towards the new and unknown.
 Besides this explanation we cannot forget about the students and their aspirations, because when
the students get in the university they have set out a goals to achieve (to have good scores, to learn
practical knowledge, to get graduated), all of these have a big influence in their academicals
development and the desire of reaching them is their principal motivation. But when they fail in a
subject they can experience different emotions that often could be a factor that influences them in a
significant way.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The Reactions of Research Workshop II students from Linguistic and Languages degree at UMSA when
they fail a subject in which they put a lot of effort.

1.3 RESEARCH QUESTION

What are the reactions of Research Workshop II students from Linguistic and Languages
degree at UMSA when they fail a subject in which they put a lot of effort?

1.4 JUSTIFICATION

Nowadays, the different university professor tends to be the supreme head of his chair,
exercising his authority with a certain excess to impart knowledge. These become a practice to
endorse the personal tastes and inclinations of the teacher during group discussions. Nobody stops to
analyze the opposite or weakness of the knowledge imparted and, if this possibility exists, the teacher
will not act as facilitator and mediator of the teaching-learning process. The main objective why this
research is done is to determine the main reactions of Research Workshop II students from Linguistics
department at UMSA when they fail a subject in which they put a lot of effort. The same way we will
identify if there are external reasons that are related with the student's environment (for example
Bolivian socio- economic and political situation, or health situation like Pandemic Coronavirus).

Professors of UMSA consider a certain failure rate as normal. A University where there are no
failures can cause surprise, misunderstanding, and outrage. Traditionally, high failure rates were
considered acceptable, especially in subjects in whom professors usually just make them fail.
Traditionally, students who did not reach acceptable levels of achievement had to repeat the subject,
hoping that the second time they did it, they would obtain better results.
 Simultaneously, students also reproduce intolerant attitudes and fall prey to improvisation, as
they lack comprehension reading skills, solid study habits, and also have no firm long-term interest
motivated by research development. Normally, students want to graduate immediately by meeting
some minimum requirements. Although they claim the need to learn effective professional skills, they
do not possess a sense of autonomy to cultivate their own thinking through a particular effort. In this
way, curricular renewal and university teaching based on the learning of lasting and quality skills are
very difficult.

The teaching-learning process by competences is the faculty to mobilize a set of cognitive

resources (knowledge, capacities and information), to face with relevance and effectiveness an
unpredictable series of situations. Competencies are not in themselves knowledge, skills, or attitudes,
although they mobilize, integrate, and orchestrate such resources. The exercise of competition goes
through complex mental operations, sustained by thought patterns, which allow one to more or less
consciously determine an action relatively adapted to a situation.

1.4 OBJECTIVES

1.4.1 .GENERAL OBJECTIVE

Realize the reactions of Research Workshop II students from Linguistic Department at UMSA
when they fail a subject in which they put a lot of effort.

1.4.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

 Locate External reason that are related with the student's environment (for example
Bolivian socio economic and political situation, or health situation like: “Pandemic
Coronavirus”)
 Discuss the teaching method that the professors use to maintain the students' interest.
 Examine if the study materials are accessible to the students.
 Recognize if the students have the necessary time to study the subject.
 Inquire the main reasons of failing a subject in which of Research Workshop II students
from Linguistic degree at UMSA put a lot of effort
 CHAPTER II

2.1 RESEARCH BACKGROUND.

By carrying out an exploration about the contributions of educational research to the field of university

students, specifically to the phenomenon when a student fails a subject, various studies have been

found that explain possible factors. These can be varied, complex and very different kind.

Talavera, Noreña, Plazola (2006) found that when a student fails a subject there are factors related to

the organization of time, the lack of habits and study techniques adequate by the student, as well as of

didactic strategies by teachers, which allow a better understanding of the thematic contents and to do

the teaching-learning process more efficient.

In a study conducted by Martinez (2004), it presents a way to systematize the multiple elements that

configure the vast field of the educational, consisting of the identification of possible failure factors that

range from factors of the social and family environment, to the factors of the students, through the

factors of the school (university) environment.

In another study carried out by Cu (2005), students indicate that a lack of vocational guidance at the

middle level above, as well as to a lack of promotion and dissemination, specifically the degree in which

they were enrolled are the factors of failure. The foregoing is because the educational program they

entered did not meet the expectations traced at the beginning.

On the other hand, Rodriguez Montero & Arias (2016) consider failure as insufficient quantitative

performance of the student’s potentialities to cover the minimum parameters established by an

educational institution and from an operational perspective; it is related to students who failed at least

one subject according to Torrez and collaborators.

These contributions and others previously developed are the basis for this new research work. General

form, in the studies of said authors can be deduced that the factors associated with university failure

can be classified into three large groups: Those related to the student , those related to the teacher

and those related to the institution.

2. 2THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
2.2.1 Academic failure.

Academic failure is one of the main school manifestations, usually associated with factors of personal,
economic, social, cultural, educational or institutional origin. In other words, Academic failure must be
analyzed in a diverse and varied context to identify its causes and effects.

A goal of universities is to train professionals who meet the needs of society. For this reason,
governments around the world invest significant amounts of money in the educational area. However,
the economic effort is very large, a considerable number of university students fail and / or abandon
their studies, causing losses for the country, according to UNESCO, losses due to failure and
abandonment in Latin America amounted to 415 million dollars.

Failure is a problem that affects students, families, institutions and even the country in different ways,
by causing losses of resources that could be avoided. Lately, there has been an increasing interest in
factors related to school success or failure, mainly in higher education students. In this case, according
to Torres et al., It can be understood as "the difficulty that some students manifest in acquiring
knowledge, skills and attitudes that are taught in school, which are reflected in low academic
performance, failure and dropout." In this sense, school failure consists of low academic performance,
understood as the fact that the student has not acquired the skills to solve problems related to the
study area. The literature indicates different aspects that can condition it: family, socioeconomic,
institutional, health and addictions, among others.

Rodríguez Montero & Arias consider failure as insufficient quantitative performance of the student's
potentialities to cover the minimum parameters established by an educational institution and from an
operational perspective; it is related to students who failed at least one subject according to Torres and
collaborators. (2016, p. 20)
 Failure cannot be understood as a direct cause-effect phenomenon, it is very complex, different
authors have tried to explain it in different ways: Reyes, interprets it based on factors conditioned by
the student (lack of study techniques or vocation to the career), or by the teacher (lack of adequate
pedagogical methodology or limitations to properly assess the student) (2018, p. 34). Espinoza
mentions five groups: social and family origin, psychological origin, economic origin, attributable to
school and physical performance (2004, p.56). For practical purposes, the causal classification
proposed by Schapira is more convenient, it states that the failure is usually the sum of factors;
individual and institutional. (2012, p. 94). The first have to do with the characteristics of the students
that affect their school performance; health status, IQ, adequate career selection, sex, socioeconomic
level, parents' degree of study, motivation, among others. The second ones refer to the curricular
structure, teaching staff and evaluation system, etc.

2.2.2. Two theories that could contribute to a better understanding of this phenomenon.

The first one that summarizes: motivation is intensified when individuals whose motivation for
achievement is strong fail; motivation is inhibited after the failure of poorly motivated people;
motivation decreases when highly motivated individuals achieve success; Motivation intensifies after
success in people whose motivation for achievement is small. The second causal attribution is based
on the Theory of achievement; it includes four causes of success or failure: capacity, effort, difficulty of
the task and luck. The students, in principle, perceive the achievement task (subject or program) and
assign causal attributions: degree of difficulty, previous knowledge, complexity of the task, having
certain teachers, group, schedule, etc. Based on these elements, the student generates different
possibilities of success or failure, acting according to the degree of motivation he may have.

In other words, the failure must be analyzed in a multivariate context to identify its causes and effects,
so it should not be attributed to aspects with a single cause in any way.

Based on the aforementioned, the objective of this work is to identify the factors that are associated
with and predict failing during the Linguistics degree in UMSA students of 2020 management.
 2.2.3. Possible causes that could cause the failure of a certain subject, which would lead to a
university dropout.

It does not matter the type of university or house of study. There are very common factors that
decrease student retention rates in higher education. They can be individual problems or a mixture of
factors. Some universities already have technological solutions that allow, among other things, to
detect which factors are specifically affecting failing in a given institution or campus. Most common
causes:

 Financial Problems.

It is the student's main distress signal and one of the main predictors of dropout. Financial problems
are usually due to the loss of employment of the person in charge of paying for the university (be it the
same student, a parent or a guardian), which can add a stress factor to what is already a serious
problem the lack of money.

For example, according to La Razón, many students in Bolivia tend to drop out due to monetary
problems, a bad relationship with the teacher or lack of motivation. (June 24, 2019. p. 20). Bolivia is
really very difficult to access higher education, many of the young university students stay all day on
university premises, many because they live very far away and cannot afford the tickets. Many of them
don't even eat lunch until they get home.

Writer and Editor Margerite McNeal describes how this problem has been increasingly complicated in
countries like the United States due to student debt. 40% of those who assume this burden are not
making their payments, which nourish a vicious cycle of debt that forces them to leave their studies.
(2017, p. 84) Quoted by the former North American secretary of education Arne Duncan, who points
out that, "the most expensive academic degree is the one that is not completed".

According to the Collegeview.com portal, some students “underestimate the costs of the university
and realize too late that they lack the funds to cover it. Others decide that it is more convenient to
earn money working full time than to continue looking for such an expensive academic degree. ”

 Poor school readiness

 Although universities are taking over deficiencies on the part of students when they come from
college, in areas such as language and mathematics, some students get to the point where they are
overworked, thus leaving their studies. A certain student often fails a subject for not acquiring prior
knowledge at the school stage. On the other hand, the requirement also depends on each UMSA
career.

It is not only the academic level of each career, but the psychological attitude. For example, Times
Higher Education shows that in Spain some of those who enter university from technical programs
“have trouble getting acquainted with the theoretical side of their career. Others are disoriented by
the change from a structured environment at school to a more autonomous university world. ”

 The career does not convince the student

On many occasions the students do not know what career they chose. They don't like his career and
continue just to continue. That way some are seen to put a lot of effort into a career they don't like.

When a student is in his final years of college in Bolivia, many institutions provide information on
which career each student should choose. But now this year 2020 it will be very difficult to access such
aid due to the complicated situation that we are going through due to the pandemic.

 Conflict between study, family and work.

Many students in Bolivia have to choose between working and studying, many of them are the ones
who support their family and at the same time want to improve themselves. This situation is what
affects them to fail subjects even if they give their best effort. Many students even have family work
and study. The dining room scholarship helps a part of these students. On the other hand the
implementation of children's circles where children can stay and access a free snack.

It happens in both undergraduate and graduate programs. According to a study by the Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation, in 2009, the main reason for student dropout was the conflict of interest
between school work, work and home.

“Many students who drop out of college have to work while they study. They often find it difficult to
support themselves, their families, and go to college at the same time. Many have children who
depend on them, and they enroll part-time. Many lack sufficient financial support from their parents
or scholarship programs. ”

 When subjects are consistently failed

It is not about failing one or two classes. Students may feel overwhelmed when they have to repeat
many introductory courses, and the failing bouquet is the norm rather than an isolated case. Along
with the tremendous cumulative workload, students are stressed, and motivation is reduced by many
additional factors:

o They feel that they “can't do it” with the work that is coming.
o They are terrified to think that they should repeat one more semester of studies.
o They regret that their peers advance ahead of them.
o They feel discouraged.
o They feel that although they like the race, discipline is not made for them.

 Lack of quality interaction with teachers and counselors

In Bolivian public universities it is a bit difficult to talk about a personalized education due to the
number of students per classroom. Then it would be said that it is not very personalized and at the
end of the day it cannot motivate the students.

Many education experts agree that the learning experience improves if teachers and faculties work in
a more personalized way with students. Sir Ken Robinson, a leading academic in education, is highly
critical of that lack of awareness. He notes that well-functioning schools "hire teachers who treat
students as individuals and who need to empower their students, they are not blind-arm props."

Likewise, Pedro A. Willging and Scott D. Johnson, from the Department of Human Resources Education
at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, studied dropout rates for distance education,
explaining that within the specific reasons for Attrition there were soaring levels of dissatisfaction, and
a feeling that there was "a depersonalized learning environment."

 Unmotivating environment
Some classes or subjects are not very motivating; they are like a typical master class. Classes are
always the same way throughout the semester. Many students even stop coming to the subject.
Being so boring, others sleep in class. Some summarize it simply: "I left because I was bored."
However, there is something more important behind that lack of student commitment.

Lin Y. Muilenburga and Zane L. Berge studied those barriers that students face in distance programs.
They point out to Distance Education magazine that there are internal and external motivational
barriers.

 Internally, they found a feeling of demotivation since their learning environment “did not
provide an innate motivation”.
 Externally, they concluded that the students felt that they lacked a sense of collaboration
between peers in an online format, with the absence of social signals and a high fear of
isolating themselves.

Therefore, these feelings are important to detect. A study from the GradNation.org portal showed the
main reasons for the students leaving the university. Many demonstrate a significant trend in the poor
classroom environment:

- "Nobody cared if I attended."

- There was a bad “student atmosphere”.
- There were "problems with the teacher and the school".
 Lack of student support
This topic transcends the pocket of any student, the capacity of any teacher and the level of difficulty
of any course. It involves the entire academic and management process of the higher education
institution. Students may be experiencing a mix of problems like the ones we explained above.
 CHAPTER III

3.1. Type of study

This research topic is immersed in the qualitative because, it seeks to understand the theory with
the practice by analyzing the results obtained with the survey filling, this instrument was created to
obtain some data from the students of the research workshop subject.

3.2. Type of design (qualitative)

The qualitative methodology refers in its broadest sense to research that produces descriptive data:
People's own words, spoken or written, and observable behavior.
In this case to measure using a scale the feeling and motivation from the students.
3.3. Instruments
Qualitative research by survey is a less structured research methodology used to obtain detailed
information about people's underlying reasoning and motivations. The final target is to understand
the topic, issue or problem from an individual perspective.
In this case of study it was used a Likert scale to obatin a most specific result.
3.4. Universe
The universe taking in account was the students from the linguistic and languages degree at
UMSA.

3.5. Sample
The sample used in this case of study was the students from Workshop Research II subject from
the first period of the academic year in current.

3.6. Procedures

In this investigation the survey filling was the instrumental used because of the actual situation
that we are living through, using this virtual tool was possible to obtain the expected results.
 CHAPTER IV

4.1 Possible conclusions

In conclusion its expected to find some relevant factors as principal influence for ths
students to fail the test. In this instance taking in account this factors it is possible to
get the conclusion of the research, making this possible by applying this survey to the
WORKSHOP RESEARCH students.

4.2. Possible recommendations

One of the possible recommendations that could be given in this qualitative research work
Wh is that the research is only carried out in the Faculty of Humanities of the UMSA, then it
can vary a lot if other faculties are taken into account. Even if it will take into account other
universities such as the university of the UPEA or such as the Catholic University.Even if the
research is allowed to reach and wide and take into account a greater number of students, it
could even vary in the same way. Then the recommendations would take into account a larger
population and perhaps take more into account the economic factor since it is what is most not
affected at this time by the situation we are going through worldwide. It would be the economic
factor and that would be the primary effect.
REFERENCES

 González Arreaga CR. Atribución causal de la reprobación. Educación y Ciencia. 1993;2(8):61-6.

 UNESCO. Informe sobre la Educación Superior en América Latina y el Caribe (2000-2005). La

metamorfosis de la Educación Superior. 2006. [citado 19 ago 2015]. Disponible
en: http://es.slideshare.net/claudiorama/unesco-iesalc-informe-sobre-la-educacin-superior-en-
amrica-laytina-y-el-caribe-2005-la-metamorfosis-de-la-educacin-superior

 OCDE. PANORAMA DE LA EDUCACIÓN 2014. México. [citado 20 ago 2015]. Disponible

en: http://www.oecd.org/edu/Mexico-EAG2014-Country-Note-spanish.pdf

 Martínez Maldonado ML, Vivaldo Lima J, Navarro Padilha MG, González de la Fuente MV,
Gerónimo Montes JA. Análisis Multirreferencial del fenómeno de la reprobación en estudiantes
universitarios. [citado 19 ago 2015]. Disponible
en: http://www.scielo.br/pdf/pee/v2n2/v2n2a10.pdf

 Torres Balcázar E, Osuna Lever C, Cida Vargas PC. Reprobación en las carreras del área de
Ciencias de la Salud de la Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, México. Educación y
Humanismo. 2011;13(21):34-50.

 Reyes Cruz, María del Rosario. (2002). La Reprobación en Lengua Inglesa, un primer
acercamiento. Anuario de la División de Estudios Internacionales y Humanidades.
Rodríguez Sotomayor, Juan Alberto. (1999). Investigaciones desconcentradas sobre índices y
causas de reprobación, bajo rendimiento y deserción. Recuperado de
http://www.galeon.com/escuela/INVESTIGACION.html#CONTEXTO.        

 
GLOSSARY

There are different meanings about the following words, but in this research work you must
understand them in the following way:

 REACTION: A response that reveals a person’s feelings or attitude.

 FAIL: When someone reproves a subject. Fail to get a passing grade.
 EFFORT: Earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something. Use of
physical or mental energy; hard work.
 KNOWLEDGE: The psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning.
 TEACHING PROCESS: The activities of educating that impart knowledge or skill.
 LEARNING PROCESS: The cognitive process of acquiring skill or knowledge.
 METHOD: A way of doing something, especially a systematic way; implies an orderly logical
arrangement (usually in steps)
 STUDY MATERIALS: It refers to the study material that the student uses for subject. For example
books, photocopies, CDs, PDFs, etc.
 EVIDENCE: Your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief.
 ACCURACY: The quality of being near to the true value.
 PURPOSE: An anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions.
 RELEVANT: Having a bearing on or connection with the subject at issue.
 INTERVIEW: The questioning of a person or conversation in which information is elicited.
 RESEARCH: Systematic investigation to establish facts.
 SIGNIFICANCE: The quality of being significant.
 IMPLICATION: something that is inferred, deduced or entailed or implied.
 ARGUMENT: A fact or assertion offered as evidence that something is true.
 ASSUME: Take to be the case or to be true; accepted without verification or proof.
 CONSEQUENCE: A phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon.
  CONSISTENCY: Logical coherence and accordance with the facts.

ANEXES

The reactions of the students when

they fail a subject in which they put a
lot of effort?
A survey prepares to workshop research II students from the current year.

1. What was your reaction when the very first time you failed in an assignment exam?
Choose your answer according to the picture to guide you.
 Marca solo un óvalo.

1 2 3 4 5

Very unsatisfied totally satisfied

2. Do you like the subject?

Marca solo un óvalo.

1 2 3 4 5

Very unsatisfied totally satisfied

3. Do you agree that political situation is a factor that influence failing a test?

Marca solo un óvalo.

1 2 3 4 5

4. Do you agree that the economical situation can be a factor that influence to fail a
test?

Marca solo un óvalo.

1 2 3 4 5

5. Do you agree that health situation can influence to fail a test?

Marca solo un óvalo.

 1 2 3 4 5

6. Do you agree with teachers method education ?

Marca solo un óvalo.

1 2 3 4 5
7. Do you trust in professional educators in UMSA?

Marca solo un óvalo.

1 2 3 4 5

8. Do you check what the teacher explain about the subject and understand it even
more by applying it in practice in real life?

Marca solo un óvalo.

1 2 3 4 5

9. Will the subject be usefull for you in a future assignment?

Marca solo un óvalo.

1 2 3 4 5

10. Do you enjoy to participate in class in order to learn better?

Marca solo un óvalo.

1 2 3 4 5
15/7/2020 The reactions of the students when they fail a subject in which they put a lot of effort

11. Do you review the subject to reinforce the content?

Marca solo un óvalo.

1 2 3 4 5

12. Do you feel prepared to confront the different stages of the degree with
the teacher's method?

Marca solo un óvalo.

1 2 3 4 5

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