The perspective of enrolled undergraduate students on the dropout in a Physics Teaching Degree

Abstract

We aim to understand what are, in the perspective of undergraduate students in Physics Teaching degree, the causes and possible solutions to combat the dropout rate of the course. For this, we were grounded on the theoretical model of Tinto and literatur considerations on the causes and the possible action strategies against dropout in Higher Education. Thirty-three students participated in the research by answering an open-answer questionnaire. The analyses, done through Content Analysis, indicated that most participants had already thought about dropping out, especially those who entered without or with reduced levels of commitment to the course. Learning difficulties and a greater sensitivity of the teachers and the institution towards them were pointed, respectively, as the main reason for dropping out and the best way to combat it.