INFLUENCIA DE LAS DIFERENCIAS DE GÉNERO EN LA MOTIVACIÓN PARA LA FINALIZACIÓN DEL BACHILLERATO GENERAL EN ADULTOS DE LA JORNADA NOCTURNA DE LA UNIDAD EDUCATIVA RICARDO MUÑOZ CHÁVEZ, CUENCA, 2025.

Abstract

This study analyzed the influence of gender differences on the academic motivation of adult students attending the evening program at Unidad Educativa Ricardo Muñoz Chávez, in Cuenca. A non-experimental, descriptive, and cross-sectional design with a mixed-methods approach was applied, combining surveys administered to 92 students (42 men and 50 women) with semi-structured interviews of five teachers. Quantitative results showed that women achieved a higher average in intrinsic motivation (M = 4.51) compared to men (M = 4.22), while men reported slightly higher scores in extrinsic motivation (M = 2.83 versus M = 2.70). Qualitative findings confirmed that women demonstrate resilience and self-fulfillment, whereas men tend to focus on immediate labor-related benefits. It is concluded that gender is a key factor in school persistence and that differentiated strategies are necessary to reduce dropout rates and strengthen equity in adult education.