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RESEARCH PRODUCT

L'intégration sociale étudiante : relations et effets au sein des parcours de réussite en Licence

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Since 1970’s and 1980’s, educational research reveals the importance of interactional process in the explanation of student careers, especially with Tinto’s work (1975), by demonstrating the significant influence of social integration on student persistence in university. However, the effects on students’ academic success are rarely explored. Moreover, there is no consensus on the conceptualization of this explanatory factor since it shows different dimensions of social integration. From data collected from 1365 students enrolled in 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade of common “Licence”, this research proposes firstly to improve measurement of student social integration as a multidimensional concept. Then the sources and conditions of social integration are examined through the influence of contextual, institutional and individual factors. In this context, the transversal skills are considered as an illustration of student social abilities, among others. Statistical analyses show that students have different needs for social integration, depending on their age, gender and reasons for study. First, the academic context defines the opportunities offered to students for social integration. Moreover, it appears that some skills related to emotional management and collaboration turn into resources that promote social integration. Results lead to identify four different profiles of student social integration in “Licence” course. Lastly, questions arise about the role of social integration and transversal skills in student careers and factors of student achievement. Our results reveal that student social integration has a raw and positive effect on the probability of success and performances, through academic interactions and feeling of integrating. When the classical factors of student achievement are taking into account, the influence of social integration appears to be weak or lost. Only the feeling of integrating reduces the risk of student drop-outs. On the other hand, the transversal skills including the taste for work and the self-confidence prove to be powerful predictors of students' success and performances. While student social integration doesn’t seem to be a key factor with mediating effects on academic achievement, it appears to be another feature of student success profiles. Moreover, student social integration produces indirect effect on performances through academic commitment.