Guidance in Reading Strategies: A First Step Towards Autonomous Learning in a Semi-Distance Education Program

• Main Authors: Jahir Aguirre Morales, Bertha Ramos Holguín
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidad Nacional de Colombia 2009-04-01
• Series: Profile Issues in Teachers' Professional Development
• Subjects: Autonomous learning; distance education programs; reading strategies
• Online Access: https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/profile/article/view/10505

This article aims at sharing the results of a research project focused on guiding students in the use of different reading strategies: reading non- text information, skimming and scanning, using contextual reference, predicting, and using true/false cognates as a first step towards autonomous learning. The project was conducted at a Colombian university with two groups of business administration students who belonged to a semi-distance education program. Informal talks with students, questionnaires, interviews and a teacher’s diary were used to collect the information in this action research study. Findings revealed that by knowing several reading strategies the students could reflect upon their learning; meta-cognition processes were enhanced and confidence for students to work by themselves was built up.