The role of informal institutions in explaining student’s academic engagement

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to focus on the role of students’ cultural background in explaining their academic performance.Design/methodology/approachThe paper aims at achieving the research objective with the use of questionnaires and structural equation modelling (SEM).FindingsThis paper shows that students’ code of conduct, which is grounded in their cultural background, affects their level of engagement in learning process. The paper supports, on one hand, the idea of extensive use of formative assessment techniques as a way of improving students’ engagement; it argues, on the other hand, that their effectiveness could be limited because of the bad impact of the students’ norms.Originality/valueThe paper aims at achieving the objective of the research using an interdisciplinary approach borrowing from the field of economics while discussing a research gap that covers a region that require more attention in the field of education.