Success rate at the UFR/SEG of the University of Cocody is around 30%.This rate compared to that of many other Asian, European and American universities(over 90%) is a real disaster. This study tried to identify the causes and ended with some useful policy recommendations
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Justifying the Topic Choice
1.1.1 Professional Reasons
1.1.2 Sociological Reasons
1.1.3 Psycho Pedagogic Reasons
1.2 Statement of the Research Problem
1.2.1 The research Context
1.2.2 View of some Success Rate figures at the UFR/SEG
1.2.3 Few International success Rates versus the Rates of the UFR/SEG
1.2.4 Some Important Questions
1.2.5 General Objectives
1.2.6 Specific Objectives
1.3 Research Hypotheses
1.3.1 General Hypotheses
1.3.2 Specific Hypotheses
1.4 Variables Description
1.4.1 Dependent Variables
1.4.2 Independent Variables
1.4.2.1 Individual Independent Variables
1.4.2.2 Social Class Variables
1.4.2.3 Parents Occupation Variables
1.4.2.4 Family Dwelling Place Variables
1.4.3 Structural Independent Variables
1.4.3.1 Teachers Related Variables
1.4.3.2 Students Related Variables
1.4.3.3 The UFR/SEG Related Variables
CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW IN EDUCATION AND SCHOOL FAILURE
2.1. Historical Context of School Failure in France
2. 1.1. From the Creation of the First School in the Ivory Coast and School Failure
2.1.2. What Do We Mean by School Failure?
2.1.3. School Failure and the Point of View of Sociology of Education
2.1.4. Externalist Theories
2.1.5. Cultural Deprivation
2.1.6. Methodological Individualism
2.1.7. Conflictualist Theories
2. 1.8. Lessons from the Two Theories
2.1.9 Bernard Charlot and the View of Anthropology
2.1.10The Ivorian Contribution to the Debate on school Failure
CHAPTER THREE: REASEARCH METHOD AND DATA COLLECTION
3.1 Research Context
3.1.1 Research Design
3.1.2 Data Collection Approach
3.1.3 Data Collection
3.2. The Questionnaire
3.3 Informed Consent, Sampling Frame and Confidentiality
3.3.1 Informed Consent
3.3.2 Confidentiality
3.3.3 Sampling Frame
3.3.4 Data Sorting
Step 1: coding
Step 2: data processing mask
Step 3: the keyboarding itself
Step 4: data checking
Step 5: data operating and result presentation
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSES
4.1 Data Analyses:
4.2. Socio demographic characteristics of respondents
4.2.1 Distribution by dwelling place
4.2.2 Distribution According to sex
4.2.3 Distribution According to age group
4.2.4 The purpose of distribution according to means of transport
4.2.5 Distribution according to departure from home and return time
4.2.6 Distribution according to the number of meals per day
4.2.7 Students’ behavior regarding their studies
4.2.8 Dwelling place and students’ ability to read their courses at home
4.2.9 Going back home time and the fact of reading their courses
4.2.10The means of transport used and the fact of reading their courses
4.2.11 Studying period
4.2.12 How do the UFR/SEG students learn their courses?
4.2.13 Average study time per day
4.2.14 Study period and assistance of another student
4.2.15. The fact of missing one or more courses for lack of money for transport
4.2.16. The fact of missing courses and dwelling place
4.2.17 Causes of students’ massive failure
4.2.18 Perception of the UFR/SEG students on the possible causes of failure
4.2.19 Students’ failure: the responsibility of the Ivorian society and students’ families
4.2.20 Students’ failure: teachers’ responsibilities
4.2.21 Belief in the use of magic to succeed
4.2.22 Students’ opinion on the proposal to correct the first exam session in class before the second exam session
4.2.23 Students’ opinion on the introduction of one or two tests before the exam
4.2.24 Students’ failure: responsibility of the University authorities
4.3. The UFR/SEG students’ training and job offers
4.3.1. Examination of job offers
4.3.2. Analyzing stripped job offers
4.3.2.1. The mode of recruitment
4.3.2.2 Job offers according to sex
4.3.2.3 The required degrees
4.3.2.4 Required experience in number of years
4.3.2.5 Requirements in good command of English and computer science
4.3.2.6 The most frequent Job Offers
4.3.3 Limitations
4.3.4 General presentation of the UFR/SEG
4.3.5 Different study stages
4.3.5.1 Undergraduates
4.3.5.2 Graduates
4.3.5.3 Post graduates
4.3.6 The place of the English language
4.3.7 Teaching Methods
4.3.8 Lectures
4.3.9 TDs
4.3.10 Assessment Methods
4.3.11 Place of assessments
CHAPTER FIVE: OUR FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION
5.1 Our findings
5.1.1 Findings on the UFR/SEG students’ failure to pass their exams
5.1.1.1Indepedent variables
5.1.1.2 Individual independent variables
5.1.1.3 Social Class, parent occupation and family dwelling place variables
5.1.1.3.1 Social class variables
5.1.1.3.2 Parents’ occupation variables
5.1.1.3.3 Family dwelling place variables
5.1.1.4 Conclusion
5.1.1.5 What are the causes of students’ failure related to society?
5.1.1.6 Conclusion
5.1.1.7More about Parents’ Occupation Variables
5.1.1.8 What are the causes of Students’ failure related to Students’ Families?
5.1.1.9 Conclusion
5.1.1.10 Structural Individual Variables
5.1.1.11 Teachers’ Related Variables
5.1.1.12 Students’ related variables
5.1.1.12.1 How are the causes of students’ failure related to students themselves?
5.1.1.12.2 Students’ Opinions on their courses
5.2 Students’ learning habits
5.3 Conclusion
5.4 The UFR/SEG related variables
5.4.1 What are the causes of students’ failure related to the UFR/SEG or the University of Cocody as an institution?
5.4.2 Conclusion
5.4.3 Students’ failure to find a good employment
5.4.4 Employers’ preferred offer mean
5.4.5 Job offers according to sex
5.4.6 Job offers according to degrees
5.4.7 Job offers according to years of experience
5.4.8 Job offers according to the good command of the English language
5.4.9 Job offers according to the mastery of computer science
5.4.10 The Conclusion on our findings
CHAPTER SIX: OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
6.1 Conclusion
6.1.1Findings on students’ incapacity to pass their exam
6.1.2 Findings on graduates’ inability to find a suitable job
6.2 Implications
6.3 Recommendations
6.3.1 Professionalization of the UFR/SEG teachers’ job
6.3.2 Change in training policy at the UFR/SEG
6.3.3 Dissolution of the CROU and its replacement by a private entity
6.3.4 Assess students at least twice before final exam
6.3.5 A forum per subject and per level after the results of the first exam session
6.3.6 Two language Laboratories for a better learning environment for the English Language
6.3.7 Increase the capacity of the computer science room
6.3.8 Help the government of Cote D’Ivoire fight the existing corruption
6.4 Summary
6.5 Further Research Questions
CHAPTER SEVEN: ANNEX AND BIBLIOGRAPHY
A. ANNEX
B. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Objectives and Research Themes
This thesis examines the systemic causes of academic failure among students at the UFR/SEG of the University of Cocody, focusing on both the inability of students to pass examinations and the difficulties graduates face in securing employment. The research aims to identify how sociological, pedagogical, and structural institutional factors contribute to these outcomes, ultimately proposing policy recommendations to improve the learning environment and employment prospects for graduates.
- Analysis of socioeconomic factors (family background, dwelling, and transport) affecting student performance.
- Evaluation of teaching methods, faculty training, and the efficacy of current curricula at the UFR/SEG.
- Investigation into the impact of corruption and institutional organization on student success.
- Comparative analysis of UFR/SEG graduates' qualifications versus current market demands in Ivory Coast.
- Development of pedagogical strategies based on Andragogy principles to enhance student motivation and outcomes.
Excerpt from the Book
Students’ Learning Habits
To a question aiming at identifying how often they do read their notes, the majority of our students responded that they reach home too late to study. The reason is valid when we know the traffic of big towns like Abidjan, but the fact is that if they do not read their notes frequently, there will be a risk of work accumulation for 84 per cent of our students who are unable to read their courses regularly.
Another serious fact that necessarily increases our students’ situation is that 58 per cent of them start studying only a few weeks before the exams. We got this figure by adding the 23 per cent of students who assert that they only start studying during the official revision period to those 35 per cent who study a few weeks before the exam. All this means that many students spend less than a month in the academic year to study!
Summary of Chapters
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION: This chapter contextualizes the research within the history of colonial education and identifies the specific problem of high failure rates and unemployment among UFR/SEG students.
CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW IN EDUCATION AND SCHOOL FAILURE: This chapter reviews historical and sociological theories regarding school failure, discussing externalist and conflictualist perspectives in a global and African context.
CHAPTER THREE: REASEARCH METHOD AND DATA COLLECTION: This chapter outlines the methodology used for the research, including survey design, sampling, and data analysis software tools.
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSES: This chapter presents the descriptive statistics derived from the student questionnaire and analyzes the correlation between various socio-demographic factors and academic performance.
CHAPTER FIVE: OUR FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION: This chapter synthesizes the research results, confirming the hypotheses regarding the impact of social factors, teaching quality, and institutional corruption on failure rates.
CHAPTER SIX: OUR RECOMMENDATIONS: This chapter provides actionable policy recommendations, including professional teacher training and the creation of specialized short-term vocational programs.
CHAPTER SEVEN: ANNEX AND BIBLIOGRAPHY: This final section includes the supporting data tables and the comprehensive list of academic sources cited in the study.
Keywords
Academic failure, University of Cocody, UFR/SEG, Andragogy, School dropouts, Teacher training, Sociological factors, Employment policy, Ivory Coast, Education system, Student assessment, Pedagogical methods, Curriculum design, Institutional corruption, Socioeconomic status.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The research primarily examines the high rate of academic failure and post-graduation unemployment among students at the UFR/SEG of the University of Cocody, seeking to identify the underlying institutional and social causes.
What are the central themes discussed in this thesis?
The core themes include the impact of the African socioeconomic context, the lack of professional teacher training, the role of institutional organization, and the misalignment between university training and job market requirements.
What is the main research objective?
The main objective is to identify why success rates at the UFR/SEG are significantly lower than international standards and to propose concrete educational reforms to reduce this failure rate.
Which scientific methodology does the author employ?
The author uses a quantitative survey methodology with a sample of 1,000 students and a qualitative analysis of labor market job offers from local media to examine the correlation between training and employability.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body covers a literature review on school failure, a detailed analysis of socio-demographic survey results, an examination of job market requirements, and a presentation of findings related to teaching methods and student learning habits.
What are the primary keywords characterizing the work?
The work is characterized by terms such as academic failure, Andragogy, institutional management, socio-demographic variables, and training-job inadequacy in the Ivorian context.
How does the author characterize the impact of teaching methods on failure?
The author argues that the lack of professional pedagogical and andragogical training for university teachers—who focus primarily on research—contributes significantly to the students' inability to grasp course material and succeed in their examinations.
How does the author view the influence of corruption on student outcomes?
The author highlights the influence of moral degradation and corruption at the university level, noting that students often perceive institutional unfairness, which in turn diminishes their motivation to study legitimately.
- Quote paper
- Assoa Ettien (Author), 2010, An Examination of Students Failure Problem at the UFR/SEG of the University of Cocody, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/166501
