Strengthening financial competencies in rural students:
A pedagogical intervention with a participatory approach
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51896/rilco.v8i29.1162Keywords:
Financial education, financial inclusion, rural education, financial competencies, participatory action researchAbstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a pedagogical intervention based on financial education workshops on the development of basic financial competencies in students from rural areas of the southern State of Mexico. A study based on participatory action research was conducted. The sample included 130 students from three educational levels (50 secondary school, 30 high school, 50 undergraduate) from rural institutions. Validated instruments were applied to measure financial knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors before and after the intervention. The workshops were designed with a constructivist approach and active methodologies (gamification, popular education, situated learning). Significant differences were observed in all evaluated dimensions across different educational levels. The greatest differences were recorded between secondary and undergraduate students for understanding variables such as income and expense identification (79%-92% by level), budget preparation (63%-78%), and comprehension of savings and investment (60%-78%). Credit and compound interest concepts showed greater difficulty, especially at basic levels. Qualitative analysis revealed high student participation and transfer of learning to family contexts. It is concluded that financial education workshops with a participatory approach constitute an effective strategy for developing basic financial competencies in rural contexts. Cultural contextualization, active methodologies, and school-community linkage are key factors for the success of these interventions.
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