Rural colombian college students’ motivations and perceptions of study abroad experiences in agricultural science and entrepreneurship

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spa:Esta disertación exploró los resultados del programa Nexo Rural en estudiantes rurales en el Departamento de Caldas en Colombia mediante la realización de cuatro estudios. Primero, un análisis de las motivaciones, barreras y oportunidades de los estudiantes rurales para participar en actividades de emprendimiento agrícola. En segundo lugar, exploramos las motivaciones de los estudiantes para participar en un estudio agrario en el extranjero. Tercero, exploramos las experiencias académicas y culturales de los estudiantes mientras participaban en un estudio agrícola en el extranjero. Finalmente, se realizó una evaluación de la experiencia de estudios agrícolas en el exterior. Los resultados de los cuatro estudios pueden informar las posibles relaciones entre la educación agrícola, el espíritu empresarial agrícola y los estudios en el extranjero. Los resultados mostraron que los estudiantes están motivados para participar en las actividades académicas. Además, los programas de estudios en el extranjero son un excelente motivador para que los jóvenes rurales continúen con su crecimiento académico. Finalmente, las políticas educativas deben ajustarse para que se configuren a las realidades de la juventud rural y que estos programas cumplan con las metas propuestas. Participaron de este estudio estudiantes rurales de programas de doble crédito que se encuentran en el ciclo de pregrado. El gobierno de Caldas y la universidad se han fijado como meta ampliar el acceso a programas rurales para el emprendimiento agropecuario. Por lo tanto, estudiar las motivaciones, barreras y oportunidades para el emprendimiento y las motivaciones y resultados en varios modelos potenciales para mejorar los beneficios de la educación y estimular el emprendimiento puede ayudar a informar y en la toma de decisiones de los responsables de la política educativa.

eng:This dissertation explored the outcomes of the Nexo Rural program on rural students in the Department of Caldas in Colombia by conducting four studies. First, an analysis of rural students' motivations, barriers, and opportunities to participate in agricultural entrepreneurship activities. Second, we explore student motivations for participating in an agrarian study-abroad. Third, we explored the students' academic and cultural experiences while participating in an agricultural study-abroad. Finally, an evaluation was conducted regarding the agricultural study-abroad experience. Results from all four studies can inform possible connections among agricultural education, agricultural entrepreneurship, and study-abroad. The results showed that students were motivated to participate in academic activities. In addition, study-abroad programs were an excellent motivator for rural youth to continue their academic growth. Finally, educational policies should be adjusted so that they are configured to the realities of rural youth and that these programs meet the proposed goals. Rural students from dual-credit programs who were in the undergraduate cycle participated in this study. The government of Caldas and the university have set themselves the goal of expanding access to rural programs for agricultural entrepreneurship. Therefore, studying the motivations, barriers, and opportunities for entrepreneurship and the motivations and outcomes on various potential models for improving the benefits of education and stimulating entrepreneurship can help inform the decision-making of educational policymakers.

LIST OF TABLES / LIST OF FIGURES / LIST OF APPENDICES / Resumen / Abstract / CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION / Rural education in Colombia / Being a rural youth in Caldas / The rural youth, education, and the agricultural sector / Education as a means of motivation and social mobility / The educational promise: Higher qualification, entrepreneurship, productive projects, and internationalization / References / CHAPTER 2: EXPLORING THE BARRIERS, OPPORTUNITIES, AND MOTIVATION FOR AGRICULTURAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP OF RURAL COLOMBIAN STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN DUAL- CREDIT PROGRAMS / Abstract / Introduction / Theoretical Framework / Purpose / Methods & Procedures / Instrumentation / Data Analysis / Results / Research Question 1: Characteristics of the students that participated in this study. / Research Question 2: Dual-credit student's motivations to develop rural entrepreneurship / Research Question 3: Barriers and opportunities that dual-credit students perceived as to develop rural entrepreneurship / Research Question 4: Which are the relationships among motivations, barriers, and opportunities perceived for the dual-credit students to develop rural entrepreneurship? / Conclusions / Implications / Recommendations for Future Research / References / CHAPTER 3: RURAL STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION TO PARTICIPATE IN AN INTERNATIONAL INTERNSHIP / Abstract / Introduction / Theoretical Framework / Purpose / Methods & Procedures / Instrumentation / Data Analysis / Results / Research Question 1: What were the characteristics of the students participating? / Research Question 2: What were the rural students' motivations for applying to an agricultural study abroad program? / Research Question 3: Did the students report higher motivations after participating in the Rural Nexo program? / Research Question 4: What were the students' expectations before and after participating in agricultural study abroad? / Triangulation / Conclusions / Implications / Recommendations / References / CHAPTER 4: STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC AND CULTURAL EXPERIENCES WHILE PARTICIPATING IN A STUDY ABROAD AT THE U.S. UNIVERSITY / Abstract / Introduction / Conceptual or Theoretical Framework / Purpose / Methods & Procedures / Instrumentation / Data Analysis / Results / Research Question 1: What were the most relevant disorienting academic dilemmas that rural students experienced during their study abroad? / Research Question 2: What were the most relevant disorienting cultural dilemmas that rural students experienced during their study abroad? / Research Question 3: What were the disorienting negative dilemmas that rural students experienced during their study abroad? / Conclusions / Implications / Recommendations for Future Research / References / CHAPTER 5: EVALUATING THE STUDY ABROAD EXPERIENCE OF COLOMBIAN RURAL STUDENTS / Abstract / Introduction / Conceptual Framework / Purpose / Methods & Procedures / Instrumentation / Data Analysis / Results / Research Question 1: What is the feedback from the participants regarding the Global Nexo Program? / Research Question 2: What is the program's positive and negative aspects? / Research Question 4: What are the student statuses before and after the study abroad? / Conclusions / Implications / Recommendations / References / CHAPTER 6: A SUMMARY OF IMPACTS OF THE AGRICULTURAL STUDY ABROAD EXPERIENCE TO THE COLOMBIAN RURAL STUDENTS - THE NEXO GLOBAL / RURAL EXPERIENCE / Introduction / Barriers, opportunities, and motivations for the agricultural entrepreneurship of Colombian rural students / Motivations to participate in an agricultural study abroad / Students’ academic and cultural experiences while participating in an Entrepreneurship Internship / Evaluation of the study abroad experience / Implications for the students / Implications for the universities / Implications for the government / Recommendations for future research

Doctorado

Doctor(a) en Ciencias Agrarias

Educacion rural