Strategies for the development of self-knowledge and motivation of higher education students

Abstract

Currently, although accessible, professional training in Chile is a complex process, given the existing collapse in the area of labor insertion. As a result of this situation, the objective of this study involves evaluating strategies targeting to the development of self-knowledge and motivation in first-year students of higher education based on the application of optimization activities through action-research methodology that allow improving their adaptation to the field of higher education, enhancing their academic performance. For this purpose, the M-A1 Questionnaire was created at a quantitative level to measure motivation and self-knowledge in a sample of 113 students in day and evening sessions. Likewise, at the qualitative level, a checklist was applied to verify the accomplishment with the intervention objectives, mainly in relation to the improvement of the levels of self-knowledge and motivation in the sample. The main results obtained indicate that the students have a high level of motivation and self-knowledge, in both day and evening sessions, implying that they value their current professional preparation, enhancing their personal skills and abilities. Likewise, through the intervention with action-research methodology, the persistence of this behavior was promoted, generating goals in the students that are more specific and achievable over time.