THE ABSTENTION FROM EXTRACURRICULAR SCHOOL ASSIGNMENTS IN LOWER SECONDARY EDUCATION

Abstract

This article is an excerpt from a master’s research study in Educational Sciences, developed at Universidad Columbia del Paraguay, Pedro Juan Caballero branch, and addresses the issue of students’ abstention from extracurricular school assignments The Abstention from Extracurricular School Assignments in Lower Secondary Educationin lower secondary education. The objective was to analyze the factors that interfere with the completion of homework, with emphasis on student motivation, pedagogical planning, and family support. The Abstention from Extracurricular School Assignments in Lower Secondary EducationThe relevance of the study lies in understanding a recurring problem in the contemporary educational context, in which many students show resistance or lack of interest in extracurricular school tasks. The methodology adopted is characterized as field research, with a qualitative approach and investigative nature, grounded in the socio-interactionist perspective, based on authors who discuss learning, motivation, and family participation in the educational process. The empirical field of the research included teachers, parents, and students from lower secondary education at Colégio Estadual Melquíades Victor de Oliveira, located in the municipality of Aragarças, during the period from August to December 2015. At the end of the study, a comparison was carried out between students who regularly engaged in extracurricular activities and those who did not, considering the results related to the completion of school assignments. The results showed that the lack of student engagement and the absence of motivation to learn are mainly associated with the lack of clarity and purpose in the assigned tasks, as well as insufficient family support—factors that hinder the development of study habits at home. It is therefore concluded that the study offers relevant contributions to the improvement of pedagogical practices, to strengthening the motivational aspect of school assignments, and to expanding the shared responsibility between school and family in the learning process.