Supporting Learning Environment of Rural
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SUPPORTING LEARNING ENVIRONMENT OF RURAL STUDENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A CASE STUDY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBODIA AND ROYAL UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE LOCATED IN PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA CHHUN SEAKKEAV A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MASTER DEGREE OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION GRADUATE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION BURAPHA UNIVERSITY NOVEMBER 2015 COPYRIGHT OF BURAPHA UNIVERSITY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude and deepest appreciation to Her Royal Highness Princess Mahachakri Sirindhorn, who provided the scholarship for me to study at Burapha University. I would like to express my special gratitude and deep appreciation to my advisor, Dr. Tuomo Rautakivi, co-advisor, Dr. Ritthikorn Siriprasertchok, the dean of Graduate School of Public Administration, Associate Professor Dr. Patchanee Taraseina, and all faculty members for their guidance, and valuable advice through this study. Great appreciation is offered to all panels involved in validating the instruments, Dr. Thanawat Pimoljinda, Mr. Chum Chandarin, and Mr. Khleang Sovann. I would like to thank all faculty members, staffs, teachers, and especially the presidents of University of Cambodia and Royal University of Agriculture who granted me permission and assistance to conduct the study. Great thank to Mr. Chheang Sangvath, dean of undergraduate studies division of University of Cambodia, Miss. Prum Sophea, member of economic and rural development faculty of Royal University of Agriculture, friends and my senior students especially Mr. Dam Soksan, and Mr. Prak Lyna who helped and facilitated in the process of data collection, analysis, and verification. I am very grateful to all professors and members of Graduate School of Public Administration who help and support me while I am studying here. Finally, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my beloved father, Seak Ngov, mother, Seng Mouykea, uncle, aunt, and siblings who always gives me the warmest and greatest love and support. Unforgettable, I offer special thanks to all of my relatives and friends for their help, encouragement, and support. Chhun Seakkeav iv 57930001: MAJOR: PUBLIC AND PRIVATE MANAGEMENT; M.P.A (PUBLIC AND PRIVATE MANAGEMENT) KEYWORDS: LEARNING ENVIRONMENT/ RURAL STUDENTS/ HIGHER EDUCATION CHHUN SEAKKEAV: SUPPORTING LEARNING ENVIRONMENT OF RURAL STUDENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A CASE STUDY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBODIA AND ROYAL UNIVERSITY OF ARGRICULTURE LOCATED IN PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA. ADVISORY COMMITTEES: TUOMO RAUTAKIVI, Ph. D., RITTHIKORN SIRIPRASERTCHOK, Ph. D. 135 P. 2015. The purposes of this study were: 1) to investigate the most important factors supporting rural students‟ learning environment in private university in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 2) to investigate the most important factors supporting rural students‟ learning environment in public university in Phnom Penh, 3) to study the differences in factor supporting rural students‟ learning environment between a private and a public university in Phnom Penh. The sample of this study was 668 rural students learning in The University of Cambodia (300 students) and Royal University of Agriculture (368 students) in Phnom Penh. They were selected by using convenient sampling. The research instruments were questionnaires consisting of three parts. Part one was personal information, part two focused on factors supporting learning environment with 25 items, and part three is general comment and suggestion to enhance rural students‟ learning environment. The statistics which employed to analyze the data were mean, standard deviation, and independent T-test analysis. The research findings were as follows: 1. The level of family support and teacher support for rural students learning in private university (The University of Cambodia) in overall was at high level. The factors of peer support, school administration, and socio-economic status of study were rated at moderate level. 2. The level of family support, peer support, and school administration for rural students learning in public university (Royal University of Agriculture) in overall was at high level. The factors of peer support, and school administration support of study were rated at moderate level. 3. Family support is the highest factors supporting rural students‟ learning in both private and public university (The University of Cambodia and Royal University of Agriculture). In average, teacher support place in the second rank after family support while peer support, school administration, and socio-economic status present moderate significant factors on learning environment. Moreover, the result suggests that there is no significant difference found between the factor of family support, peer support, teacher support, and socio-economic status, however, there is a significant difference between school administration factor between rural students in public and private university. CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................... iv CONTENTS ................................................................................................................... vi LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................... x CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................... 1 Background of the study ............................................................................... 1 Statement of the problem.............................................................................. 5 Objectives of the study ................................................................................. 6 Research questions ........................................................................................ 6 Conceptual framework.................................................................................. 7 Contributions of study .................................................................................. 9 Scope and limitation of the study................................................................. 9 Operational definition of the terms .............................................................. 10 2 RELATED LITERATURE AND RESEARCH REVIEWS ............................ 13 Concepts and definitions of motivation ....................................................... 13 Variables in the study ................................................................................... 15 Major theories of learning motivation ......................................................... 27 Related studies .............................................................................................. 41 Overview of University of Cambodia and Royal University of Agriculture ................................................................................................ 44 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ....................................................................... 46 Research design ............................................................................................. 46 Population and sample .................................................................................. 47 Research instrument ...................................................................................... 48 Research measurement ................................................................................. 49 Data collection method ................................................................................. 50 Data analysis ................................................................................................. 52 vii CONTENTS (CONTINUED) CHAPTER Page Time frame .................................................................................................... 54 4 RESEARCH RESULTS ..................................................................................... 55 Respondant‟s information ............................................................................ 55 1. Analysis of private university (The University of Cambodia) ............... 58 2. Analysis of public university (Royal University of Agriculture) .......... 64 3. Analysis between private and public university ..................................... 71 5 SUMMARY, DISCUSSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ....................... 79 Summary of research findings ..................................................................... 79 Discussion...................................................................................................... 83 Recommendation .......................................................................................... 94 Limitations and suggestions for further studies .......................................... 95 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................... 97 APPENDICES ................................................................................................................114 Appendix A ..............................................................................................................115 Appendix B...............................................................................................................120 Appendix C...............................................................................................................130