Teaching Agribusiness at the University of Costa Rica: Student Motivation and Perceptions during COVID-19

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly transformed the educational strategies employed in various university classes. Courses in Agribusiness have not been immune to these changes. The study aimed to explore Agronomy students' perceptions of how pedagogical adaptations required during the pandemic, including the transition between in-person and virtual modalities, had affected their motivation and ability to adapt to new technologies. A study was conducted with 84 undergraduate Agronomy students at the University of Costa Rica, Rodrigo Facio Campus, during June 2022. Participants completed a structured questionnaire covering 30 items, assessing aspects such as demographic profile, internet connectivity, availability of computer equipment, acceptance of virtual technologies, quality of the contents taught, and students’ personal motivation. Data collected were analyzed using structural equation modeling to examine causal relationships among the variables of interest. It was observed that personal motivation had a significant effect (β=0.23) on students' perceptions of Agribusiness education during the pandemic. This study underscores the importance that Agronomy students attribute to the quality of teaching by instructors and the implementation of practical activities as key drivers of their motivation in learning Agribusiness content.