II. DE LA COMPLEJIDAD A LA COTIDIANIDAD: PERCEPCIÓN DE LA INVESTIGACIÓN EN EL ÁMBITO UNIVERSITARIO.

Abstract

ABSTRACT
The study focuses on analyzing students' perceptions of research at a public higher
education institution in southwestern Colombia, as well as the reasons why it is perceived
as a complex, unattractive, and even boring activity. During the methodological
development, a qualitative-descriptive approach was used, based on which data was
collected using techniques such as surveys, interviews, and textual analysis through
Voyant Tools. The results show that 72% of students consider research to be a difficult
area, while 68% perceive it as a theoretical and unattractive activity. Similarly, there is a
marked disconnect between theory and practice in research-based teaching, highlighting
the use of traditional methodologies, little connection to real-world problems, and the
absence of innovative teaching strategies. For their part, teachers report methodological
limitations related to pedagogical updating and an academic culture focused on scientific
research dynamics and, to a lesser extent, on training. This is reinforced by the recurrence
of terms associated with difficulty, demotivation, and theory. The study shows that
students' lack of interest in research does not stem from the subject itself, but rather from
the pedagogical and didactic practices that frame it. Therefore, it is necessary to
strengthen a pedagogy of research centered on curiosity and engagement with the
environment and everyday life.