Introduction: Research about student performance has traditionally considered academic procrastination as a behavior that has negative effects on academic achievement. Although there is much evidence for this in class-based environments, there is a lack of research on Computer Based Learning Environments (CBLEs). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate student behavior in a blended learning program and specifically procrastination behavior in relation to performance through Data Mining techniques. Method: A sample of 140 undergraduate students participated in a blended learning experience implemented in a Moodle Management System. Relevant interaction variables were selected for the study, taking into account student achievement and analyzing data by means of association rules, a mining technique. The association rules were arrived at and filtered through two selection criteria: 1, rules must have an accuracy over .8 and 2, they must be present in both sub-samples. Results: The findings of our study highlight the influence of time management in online learning environments, particularly on academic achievement, as there is an association between procrastination variables and student performance. Conclusions: Negative impact of procrastination in learning outcomes has been observed again but in virtual learning environments where practical implications, prevention of, and intervention in, are different from class-based learning. These aspects are discussed to help resolve student difficulties at various ages.

Dropping out of university has serious consequences not only for the student who drops out but also for the institution and society as a whole. Although this phenomenon has been widely studied, there is a need for broader knowledge of the context in which it occurs. Yet research on the subject often focuses on variables that, although they affect drop-out rates, lie beyond a university's control. This makes it hard to come up with effective preventive measures. That is why a northern Spanish university has undertaken a ex post facto holistic research study on 1,311 freshmen (2008/9, 2009/10 and 2010/11 cohorts). The study falls within the framework of the ALFA-GUIA European Project and focuses on those drop-out factors where there is scope for taking remedial measures. This research explored the possible relationship of degree dropout and different categories of variables: variables related to the educational stage prior to university entry (path to entry university and main reason for degree choice), variables related to integration and coexistence at university (social integration, academic integration, relationships with teachers/ peers and value of the living environment) financial status and performance during university studies (in terms ofcompliance with the program, time devoted to study, use of study techniques and class attendance). Descriptive, correlational and variance analyses were conducted to discover which of these variables really distinguish those students who drop out from their peers who complete their studies. Results highlight the influence of vocation as main reason for degree choice, path to university entry, financial independency, social and academic adaptation, time devoted to study, use of study techniques and program compliance in the studied phenomenon.

ResumenEl abandono de los estudios superiores es un fenómeno cuya magnitud se ha visto incrementada a la par que el número de estudiantes en la universidad. Supone un importante desaprovechamiento de recursos que trasciende a la persona y cobra especial relevancia en el actual contexto de crisis económica. Por su parte, la implantación del Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior demanda una mejora de resultados educativos que fomenta la implementación de medidas con dicho objetivo. Sin embargo, la escasez de investigaciones sobre abandono desarrolladas en este contexto supone una dificultad añadida, a cuya superación el presente trabajo pretende contribuir.Se ha desarrollado una investigación bajo un diseño ex post facto para el estudio de la primera cohorte de plena implantación del Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior, ascendiendo la muestra a 1.055 estudiantes.La información fue recogida mediante la extracción de datos sociodemográficos y de expediente académico de la aplicación de gestión académica de la Universidad de Oviedo, y complementada a través de la aplicación de un cuestionario diseñado ad hoc.Los resultados subrayan la importancia del rendimiento académico previo, junto con la dedicación del alumno y el tipo de relación establecida con el profesorado, en la decisión final del alumno respecto a su permanencia.AbstractHigher education drop-out is a phenomenon that has been increasing at the same time as the number of students increases in universities. This leads to a significant waste of resources that goes beyond the student and has special relevance in the context of the current economic crisis.Meanwhile, the implementation of the European Higher Education Area demands an improvement of educational outcomes, which encourages the implementation of measures with that aim. However, the little research had been carried out in this context is an added difficulty. The present work aims to contribute to overcoming this handicap.An ex post facto design was applied to 1,055 freshman students from the academic year 2010-2011. The information was collected by extracting socio-demographic information and academic records from the academic management software of the University of Oviedo, and supplemented by the application of a survey designed for this purpose.The results underline the importance of previous academic performance, student engagement, and type of relationship established with faculty staff, on the final decision of the student on whether to continue studies

University dropout is a growing problem with considerable academic, social and economic consequences. Conclusions and limitations of previous studies highlight the difficulty of analyzing the phenomenon from a broad perspective and with bigger data sets. This paper proposes a new, machine-learning based method, able to examine the problem using a holistic approach. Advantages of this method include the lack of strong distribution hypothesis, the capacity for handling bigger data sets and the interpretability of the results. Results are consistent with previous research, showing the influence of personal and contextual variables and the importance of academic performance in the first year, but other factors are also highlighted with this model, such as the importance of dedication (part or full time), and the vulnerability of the students with respect to their age. Additionally, a comprehensive graphic output is included to make it easier to interpret the discovered rules.

The implementation of the European higher education area (EHEA) is a true paradigm change in university education in which the student, with particular consideration given to autonomous work, takes the place of the teacher as the central element of the teaching-learning process. In this autonomous work, the strategies the students regularly use become particularly important, given the supposition that doing that work will lead to academic success. The objective of this study is to analyze the variables that influence students’ expectations of success, measured through their intention to persist on the course they are doing. A questionnaire designed ad hoc was given to a sample of 1037 university students. It included aspects related to reasons for choosing the course, institutional integration, use of self-regulation strategies, and intention to drop out. Data analysis allowed the identification of satisfaction with the course chosen and appropriate study skills acquired in secondary education as predictors of expectations of academic persistance, with some differences in terms of gender. Other strategies such as class attendance or going deeply into course content did not figure. These results are at odds with the principles underlying the EHEA and show that they have not yet been interiorized by the students, who continue to perceive their studies more traditionally.

Computer-Based Learning Environments (CBLEs) have emerged as an almost limitless source of education, challenging not only students but also education providers; teaching and learning in these virtual environments requires greater self-regulation of learning. More research is needed in order to assess how self-regulation of learning strategies can contribute to better performance. This study aims to report how an Intelligent Tutoring System can help students both with and without learning difficulties to self-regulate their learning processes. A total of 119 university students with and without learning difficulties took part in an educational experiment; they spent 90 min learning in a CBLE specifically designed to assess and promote self-regulated learning strategies. Results show that as a consequence of the training, the experimental group applied more self-regulation strategies than the control group, not only as a response to a system prompt but also self-initiated. In addition, there were some differences in improvement of learning processes in students with and without learning difficulties. Our results show that when students with learning difficulties have tools that facilitate applying self-regulated learning strategies, they do so even more than students without learning difficulties.