Going online? Does transferring to online university increase the likelihood of graduation among students from lower social background?

The increase in university participation has led to greater complexity in terms of students' trajectories, with the option of changing degree course or higher education institution or, more recently, the mode of study (face-to-face and online learning). These transitions can be strategic moves...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Sánchez Gelabert, Albert|||0000-0002-4135-6121, Elias, Marina
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2023
País:España
Institución:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Repositorio:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/439178
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2117/439178
https://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s41239-023-00407-4
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Online university
Social background
Graduation
Inequalities
Academic trajectories
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Ensenyament i aprenentatge::TIC's aplicades a l'educació
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Ensenyament i aprenentatge::Gestió i planificació educativa::Avaluació educativa (avaluació del procés)
Descripción
Sumario:The increase in university participation has led to greater complexity in terms of students' trajectories, with the option of changing degree course or higher education institution or, more recently, the mode of study (face-to-face and online learning). These transitions can be strategic moves that facilitate greater continuity in educational trajectories and increase equity within the education system. Online universities offer greater flexibility in terms of time and location, providing new opportunities for students with specific profiles to pursue higher education. This article aims to delve into the complex trajectories of change and to analyse whether there are differences in educational outcomes based on students' social backgrounds. Using registry data from the Catalan university system (n=42,370), we identify and characterise the trajectories of change and analyse the effect of the interaction between them and social origin on educational outcomes. The results indicate that students from lower social backgrounds and those who also work are most likely to transition to virtual education. However, social background continues to have an effect on the probability of graduating, dropping out or pursuing further studies.