Gender differences in absenteeism, engagement and academic performance in first-year blended learning teacher education: a learning analytics study

Authors

  • Fran J. García García Universidad de Valencia
  • Inmaculada López Francés Universidad de Valencia
  • Evelyn E. Moctezuma-Ramírez Confederación Española de Cooperativas de Trabajo Asociado
  • José Santiago Álvarez Muñoz Universidad de Murcia
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6018/reifop.685161
Keywords: Learning analytics, gender differences, student engagement, academic performance

Supporting Agencies

  • Conselleria de Educación Cultura Universidades y Empleo de la Generalitat Valenciana

Abstract

This study examines gender differences in absenteeism, academic performance and engagement of first-year teacher students, a group especially vulnerable to academic failure. Using learning analytics methods, including decision trees and robust statistical techniques, we analyzed multiple data sources from 327 students enrolled in a blended learning program at a Spanish university. Female students showed higher online engagement and attended classes more frequently than male students. In contrast, male students performed better when they autonomously accessed learning materials and quizzes, despite lower class attendance rates. The findings emphasize the need for gender-specific strategies to address disparities in engagement and performance. While female students benefited from structured feedback and regular class attendance, male students relied more on self-directed learning. These insights highlight the importance of tailored interventions in teacher education, offering valuable implications for designing inclusive, blended learning environments that support diverse student needs during the critical first year of higher education.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.
Metrics
Views/Downloads
  • Abstract
    0
  • pdf (Español (España))
    0
  • pdf EN (Español (España))
    0

References

Aguilar-Durán, L. A., & Arias-Odón, F. (2023). Influencia del Perfeccionismo Académico en el Aprendizaje Autorregulado de los Estudiantes Universitarios. Revista de Psicología y Educación - Journal of Psychology and Education, 18(2), 129. https://doi.org/10.23923/rpye2023.02.241

Ahmad, N., Ul-Saufie, A. Z., Mohamed, S. A., Ahmat, H., & Zahari, M. F. (2018). The impact of class absenteeism on student’s academic performance using regression models. AIP Conference Proceedings,1, 050012. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5041712

Al-Samarraie, H., Shamsuddin, A., & Alzahrani, A. I. (2020). A flipped classroom model in higher education: a review of the evidence across disciplines. Educational Technology Research and Development, 68(3), 1017–1051. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-019-09718-8

Allan, J. F., & McKenna, J. (2022). Trajectories of Resilience in University Inductees following Outdoor Adventure (OA) Residential Programmes. Psychiatry International, 3(1), 67–90. https://doi.org/10.3390/psychiatryint3010007

Amir Hamzah, N. S., Nik Farid, N. D., Yahya, A., Chin, C., Su, T. T., Rampal, S. R. L., & Dahlui, M. (2019). The Prevalence and Associated Factors of Depression, Anxiety and Stress of First Year Undergraduate Students in a Public Higher Learning Institution in Malaysia. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 28(12), 3545–3557. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-019-01537-y

Anderson, L. C., & Fernandez-Branson, C. (2024). Alignment of learning objectives, assessments, and active learning to promote critical thinking in a first-year medical physiology course: lessons learned. Advances in Physiology Education, 48(2), 385–394. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00096.2023

Apridayani, A., Han, W., & Waluyo, B. (2023). Understanding students’ self-regulated learning and anxiety in online English courses in higher education. Heliyon, 9(6), e17469. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17469

Credé, M., Roch, S. G., & Kieszczynka, U. M. (2010). Class Attendance in College. Review of Educational Research, 80(2), 272–295. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654310362998

Garcia-Garcia, F. J., López-Francés, I., Gargallo-López, B., & Pérez-Pérez, C. (2022). Content validation of the ‘learning to learn’ competence in undergraduate studies. Revista de Investigación Educativa, 40(2), 513–530. https://doi.org/10.6018/rie.466271

Garg, P. (2023). Exploring Factors Responsible for Absenteeism among Undergraduate Medical Students. Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences, 15(Suppl 1), S303–S305. https://doi.org/10.4103/jpbs.jpbs_406_22

Gil-Galván, R., Martín-Espinosa, I., & Gil-Galván, F. J. (2024). Estudio comparativo sobre el desarrollo de competencias técnicas en estudiantes de educación superior mediante el uso del contrato de aprendizaje. EDUCAR, 60(2), 467–483. https://doi.org/10.5565/rev/educar.1811

Ha, W., Ma, L., Cao, Y., Feng, Q., & Bu, S. (2024). The effects of class attendance on academic performance: Evidence from synchronous courses during Covid-19 at a Chinese research university. International Journal of Educational Development, 104, 102952. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2023.102952

Hassel, S., & Ridout, N. (2018). An Investigation of First-Year Students’ and Lecturers’ Expectations of University Education. Frontiers in Psychology, 8(JAN), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02218

Hew, K. F., & Cheung, W. S. (2008). Attracting student participation in asynchronous online discussions: A case study of peer facilitation. Computers and Education, 51(3), 1111–1124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2007.11.002

Ipsos. (2023). LGBT+ PRIDE 2023. A 30 Country Ipsos Global Advisor Survey. https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2023-05/Ipsos%20LGBT%2B%20Pride%202023%20Global%20Survey%20Report%20-%20rev.pdf

Johar, N. A., Kew, S. N., Tasir, Z., & Koh, E. (2023). Learning Analytics on Student Engagement to Enhance Students’ Learning Performance: A Systematic Review. Sustainability, 15(10), 7849. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15107849

Karaoglan Yilmaz, F. G., & Yilmaz, R. (2022). Learning Analytics Intervention Improves Students’ Engagement in Online Learning. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 27(2), 449–460. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-021-09547-w

Khafaga, A., & Maneh Al-Johani, H. (2024). The Impact of Virtual Learning on Students’ Engagement in the Saudi EFL Context: A Connectivism-Theoretic Perspective. World Journal of English Language, 14(3), 504. https://doi.org/10.5430/wjel.v14n3p504

Larruzea-Urkixo, N., Cardeñoso, M. O., & Idoiaga Mondragon, N. (2021). Interpretación cognitiva y emocional sobre el EEES del alumnado del Grado de Educación Primaria de la facultad de educación de la UPV/EHU. Profesorado, Revista de Currículum y Formación Del Profesorado, 25(2), 307–326. https://doi.org/10.30827/profesorado.v25i2.9119

López-Francés, I., Garcia-Garcia, F. J., Gargallo López, B., & Molla-Esparza, C. (2022). Implications of Message Length and Delay in Undergraduate Online Discussions. RIED. Revista Iberoamericana de Educación a Distancia, 25(2). https://doi.org/10.5944/RIED.25.2.32810

Makhambetova, A., Zhiyenbayeva, N., & Ergesheva, E. (2021). Personalized Learning Strategy as a Tool to Improve Academic Performance and Motivation of Students. International Journal of Web-Based Learning and Teaching Technologies, 16(6), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.4018/IJWLTT.286743

Marburger, D. R. (2001). Absenteeism and Undergraduate Exam Performance. The Journal of Economic Education, 32(2), 99–109. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220480109595176

Matcha, W., Uzir, N. A., Gasevic, D., & Pardo, A. (2020). A Systematic Review of Empirical Studies on Learning Analytics Dashboards: A Self-Regulated Learning Perspective. IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies, 13(2), 226–245. https://doi.org/10.1109/TLT.2019.2916802

Mitra, S., Sarkar, P., Bhattacharyya, S., & Basu, R. (2022). Absenteeism among undergraduate medical students and its impact on academic performance: A record-based study. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 11(1), 414. https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_638_21

Mo, Y., Habing, B., & Sedransk, N. (2022). Tree-Based Methods: A Tool for Modeling Nonlinear Complex Relationships and Generating New Insights from Data. Journal of Data Science, 359–379. https://doi.org/10.6339/22-JDS1056

Nizam Ismail, S., Hamid, S., Ahmad, M., Alaboudi, A., & Jhanjhi, N. (2021). Exploring Students Engagement Towards the Learning Management System (LMS) Using Learning Analytics. Computer Systems Science and Engineering, 37(1), 73–87. https://doi.org/10.32604/csse.2021.015261

Odongo, E., Byamugisha, J., Ajeani, J., & Mukisa, J. (2023). Prevalence and effects of menstrual disorders on quality of life of female undergraduate students in Makerere University College of health sciences, a cross sectional survey. BMC Women’s Health, 23(1), 152. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-023-02290-7

Palomares-Ruiz, A., Cebrián-Martínez, A., García-Toledano, E., & López-Parra, E. (2021). Digital gender gap in university education in Spain. Study of a case for paired samples. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 173, 121096. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2021.121096

Peña, P., Riley, J., & Davis, N. (2024). Increasing student engagement & contributions: introducing the semester-long participation competition. Marketing Education Review, 34(2), 99–106. https://doi.org/10.1080/10528008.2024.2337345

Perander, K., Londen, M., & Holm, G. (2021). Supporting students’ transition to higher education. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 13(2), 622–632. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-01-2020-0005

Ramírez Morera, M., & Díaz Jiménez, R. M. (2022). Éxito académico de personas con discapacidad en el contexto universitario. Un modelo analítico cualitativo. América Latina Hoy, 91, 25-49. https://doi.org/10.14201/alh.27280

Ribeiro, L., Rosário, P., Núñez, J. C., Gaeta, M., & Fuentes, S. (2019). First-Year Students Background and Academic Achievement: The Mediating Role of Student Engagement. Frontiers in Psychology, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02669

Sachdeva, C., & Gilbert, S. J. (2020). Excessive use of reminders: Metacognition and effort-minimisation in cognitive offloading. Consciousness and Cognition, 85, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2020.103024

Sanders, M. (2023). Feasibility of a Circadian Lighting Intervention to Promote Sleep in College Students. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, 67(1), 2228–2232. https://doi.org/10.1177/21695067231192196

Serrano, V. O., Postigo, R., & Janoc, R. (2024). Attendance and Academic Performance in University Studies in Tourism. The New Educational Review, 75(1), 36–50. https://doi.org/10.15804/tner.2024.75.1.03

Setapa, M., Mamat, M., Zin, S. M., Ramli, N. H., Siddiq, D. M., Khumayah, S., Nuryanti, M., & Hadiyati, S. N. (2023). Factors Affecting Academic Performance of Business Management Students in Malaysia and Indonesia during COVID-19. WSEAS TRANSACTIONS ON BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS, 20, 2326–2343. https://doi.org/10.37394/23207.2023.20.200

Simons, J. D., Grant, L., & Rodas, J. M. (2021). Transgender People of Color: Experiences and Coping During the School-Age Years. Journal of LGBTQ Issues in Counseling, 15(1), 16–37. https://doi.org/10.1080/15538605.2021.1868380

Sun, Z., Xie, K., & Anderman, L. H. (2018). The role of self-regulated learning in students’ success in flipped undergraduate math courses. The Internet and Higher Education, 36, 41–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2017.09.003

Wang, D., & Han, H. (2021). Applying learning analytics dashboards based on process‐oriented feedback to improve students’ learning effectiveness. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 37(2), 487-499. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12502

Wang, M.-T., & Peck, S. C. (2013). Adolescent educational success and mental health vary across school engagement profiles. Developmental Psychology, 49(7), 1266–1276. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0030028

Wilcox, R. R. (2013). Introduction to robust estimation and hypothesis testing. Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/C2010-0-67044-1

Zaldívar, M. A. B., Intriago, S. N. G., Gorozabel, B. P. L., Palacio, G. L. S., Pachay, P. V. L., Vélez, M. A. F., & Ruperti-Montesdeoca, J. P. (2024). Didactic strategy for the virtual experimental teaching of chemistry. AIP Conference Proceedings, 2995 (1), 040002. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0187702

Zhang, Z., Li, Z., Liu, H., Cao, T., & Liu, S. (2020). Data-driven Online Learning Engagement Detection via Facial Expression and Mouse Behavior Recognition Technology. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 58(1), 63–86. https://doi.org/10.1177/0735633119825575

Zheng, L., Long, M., Zhong, L., & Gyasi, J. F. (2022). The effectiveness of technology-facilitated personalized learning on learning achievements and learning perceptions: a meta-analysis. Education and Information Technologies, 27(8), 11807–11830. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11092-7

Published
21-06-2026
How to Cite
García García, F. J., López Francés, I., Moctezuma-Ramírez, E. E., & Álvarez Muñoz, J. S. (2026). Gender differences in absenteeism, engagement and academic performance in first-year blended learning teacher education: a learning analytics study. Interuniversity Electronic Journal of Teacher Formation, 29(2), 267–281. https://doi.org/10.6018/reifop.685161