Students’ entry profile to the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences at the Central University of Ecuador
Abstract
In this article, we study the students’ entry profile to the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences at the Central University of Ecuador, through the analysis of strategies, motives and learning approaches that model students’ behavior and influence their performance. The lack of interest and the documents published around the Agricultural Sciences give emphasis to experimental research, leaving educational research relegated, resulting in few studies on the subject at national and international level. It was applied, in a virtual and voluntary way, the Study Process Questionnaire - Revised R-SPQ-2F. The population was composed by 80 students of Agricultural Engineering, and 20 students of Ecological Tourism. The learning approaches were related to extra-curricular factors, such as the career, gender and the study level of their parents. The results show that the majority of students prefer a superficial approach, which is based on extrinsic motivation, and that bets on rote learning. No relevant relationship was found between the learning approach and extracurricular factors; however, students with parents with the highest educational level present the most superficial approach. The above points out that the objective of the students is to approve their studies, even though this imply obtaining the minimum qualifications. It is concluded that it is essential to know the profile of the students at entry, with the purpose of implementing methods and methodologies to achieve meaningful learning, and to prevent failure and student desertion.Downloads
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