Representaciones sociales del maestro rural que construyen los maestros de tres escuelas rurales de la Provincia de Ubaté, Cundinamarca

Abstract

The study “Social Representations of Rural Teachers as Constructed by Teachers at Three Rural Schools in the Province of Ubaté, Cundinamarca” set out to uncover and analyze how rural teachers themselves view their own roles, based on their professional experience, their connection to the local area, and their relationship with the community. The research was conducted in three rural institutions in the Province of Ubaté, Cundinamarca, in contexts marked by distinct economic dynamics—such as livestock farming, agriculture, and mining—as well as conditions characteristic of rural areas, such as multigrade classrooms, geographic dispersion, and limited access. Methodologically, the thesis employs a qualitative and interpretive design, supported by various instruments: a sociodemographic survey, in-depth interviews, free association of words, and successive hierarchical tris. The analysis is organized around the three dimensions of social representation—information, field of representation, and attitude—which allows for an examination of both the knowledge and discourses regarding rural teachers and the images, emotions, and value orientations that structure this representation. Among its main findings, the dissertation concludes that the social representation of the rural teacher is shaped by the local context, rooted in connections to the countryside, nature, and local people and ways of life. The rural teacher is seen as someone who not only teaches academic content but also educates, guides, supports, manages, leads, and sustains school and community processes. In this way, the rural school emerges as a space that transcends the strictly academic to become a place of welcome, encounter, memory, and collective construction. Furthermore, the study shows that this representation is shaped by vocation, transcendence, ongoing reflection, and transformative agency. Emotions, empathy, affection, and bonds with students and families occupy a central place in the rural teacher’s identity and practice. Motivation is linked to the possibility of transforming lives, supporting life projects, and “leaving a mark,” while demotivation is associated with institutional isolation, a lack of support from some families, material precariousness, and contextual tensions. In summary, the research demonstrates that rural teachers construct a social representation characterized by a complex professional and social identity, marked by a commitment to the community and by a pedagogical practice that is also deeply human, ethical, and community-oriented.