Impact of a Contextualized AI and Entrepreneurship-Based Training Program on Teacher Learning in the Ecuadorian Amazon

Luis Quishpe-Quishpe, Irene Acosta-Vargas, Lorena Rodríguez-Rojas, Jessica Medina-Arias, Daniel Antonio Coronel-Navarro, Roldán Torres-Gutiérrez and Patricia Acosta-Vargas ()
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Luis Quishpe-Quishpe: Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Vía Muyuna—Alto Tena Km 7, Tena 150150, Ecuador
Irene Acosta-Vargas: Facultad de Ciencias Socio Ambientales, Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Vía Muyuna—Alto Tena Km 7, Tena 150150, Ecuador
Lorena Rodríguez-Rojas: Facultad de Ciencias Socio Ambientales, Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Vía Muyuna—Alto Tena Km 7, Tena 150150, Ecuador
Jessica Medina-Arias: Facultad de Ciencias Socio Ambientales, Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Vía Muyuna—Alto Tena Km 7, Tena 150150, Ecuador
Daniel Antonio Coronel-Navarro: Grupo de Investigación de Población y Ambiente, Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Vía Muyuna—Alto Tena Km 7, Tena 150150, Ecuador
Roldán Torres-Gutiérrez: Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Vía Muyuna—Alto Tena Km 7, Tena 150150, Ecuador
Patricia Acosta-Vargas: Intelligent and Interactive Systems Laboratory, Universidad de Las Américas, Quito 170125, Ecuador

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 19, 1-15

Abstract: The integration of emerging technologies is reshaping the teaching skills required in the 21st century, yet little evidence exists on how contextualized training supports rural teachers in adopting active methodologies and critically incorporating AI into entrepreneurship education. This study evaluated the impact of a 40-h professional development program implemented in Educational District 15D01 in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Thirty-nine secondary school teachers participated (mean age = 43.1 years); 36% lacked prior entrepreneurship training, and 44% had not recently mentored student projects. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed. The quantitative phase employed a 22-item questionnaire that addressed four dimensions: entrepreneurial knowledge, competencies, methodological strategies, and AI integration. Significant pre–post improvements were found ( p < 0.001), with large effects for knowledge (d = 1.43), methodologies (d = 1.39), and AI integration (d = 1.30), and a moderate effect for competences (d = 0.66). The qualitative phase analyzed 312 open-ended responses, highlighting greater openness to innovation, enhanced teacher agency, and favorable perceptions of AI as a resource for ideation, prototyping, and evaluation. Overall, the findings suggest that situated, contextually aligned training can strengthen digital equity policies, foster pedagogical innovation, and empower educators in underserved rural communities, contributing to sustainable pathways for teacher professional development.

Keywords: teacher training; quasi-experimental design; artificial intelligence in education; educational entrepreneurship; rural secondary education; digital equity; Ecuadorian Amazon (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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