Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Reflection: Reading and Writing Processes in The University Environment
Reflection: Reading and Writing Processes in The University Environment
31
Abstract
This article aims to understand the structure of the SABER PRO exam in the writing
and critical reading components from a psycholinguistic analysis. All this, in order to
recognize the importance of cognitive processes developed by Colombian students
which are presented in the test, whereby the 75% of them who have culminated their
formative process in higher education must take.
Key words: critical reading, writing, SABER PRO, psycholinguistics.
Citar este artículo como: Ángel Pérez, M. L. y González Flórez, E. (2017). Reflection: reading and writing
processes in the university environment. Revista Papeles, 9(17), 31-37.
Revista PAPELES • ISSN 0123-0670 • Vol. 9(17) • pp. 31-37 • Enero-junio de 2017
32 Reflection: reading and writing processes in the university environment
Resumen
El presente artículo tiene por objeto entender la estructura de la prueba SABER PRO
en los componentes escrito y crítico lector desde un análisis psicolingüístico. Lo ante-
rior, con el fin de reconocer la importancia de los procesos cognitivos que desarrollan
los estudiantes colombianos y que se evidencian en esta prueba; la cual es presentada
por todos aquellos que han culminado el 75% de su proceso formativo en la educación
superior.
Palabras clave: lectura crítica, escritura, SABER PRO, psicolingüística.
Developing the ability to adequately produce and writing contain social, psychological,
oral and written texts has been a constant linguistic and cultural elements, in which the
challenge, not only for trainee teachers and student is trained to confront a society that is
lecturers, but for all those who have begun educated towards competitiveness.
a higher education programme. This article
The SABER PRO exam, in order to analyse the
aims to understand the structure of the wri-
evaluation process of reading and writing in
ting and critical reading components of the
the university context, presents a set of generic
SABER PRO exam that are presented by uni-
competencies (see table 1), in which reading
versity students with the intention of fishing
and writing skills are assessed in two aspects:
their undergraduate studies. This analysis will
critical reading and written communication.
aim to provide reasons for the importance of
developing significant processes in the stren-
gthening of reading and writing skills in the Table 1. Structure of the SABER PRO exam
university context, supported by a psycholin- No. of items
guistic approach. Test
assessed
Higher education in Colombia is regulated Citizenship skills 30
by entities that promote equality in access to Written communication 1
quality education; among them it is found the English 35
National Ministry of Education (MEN), which Critical reading 30
prepares the SABER PRO exams, in reading Quantitative reasoning 30
and writing as two essential components that Source: taken from ICFES (2016d).
aim to create indices for the improvement of
Colombian education. Ramírez (2009) argues The following graph (see figure 1) shows that
for “la necesidad de articular el sistema de the generic competencies focused on writing
educación media y superior con una estrategia and critical reading are performed well in
global de competitividad para aumentar la degree programmes, such as Medicine and
productividad de Colombia ante el mundo” Humanities. On the other hand, Education,
[the need to articulate the secondary and with one of the lowest averages, has a lower
higher education system with a global strategy than the fixed average score in Critical Reading
of competitiveness in order to increase pro- and lower than that of Health Sciences. Howe-
ductivity in Colombia compared to the rest of ver, in writing, the score for Agro-Livestock
the world (own translation)] (p. 3)1. Reading Sciences and Health Sciences programmes is
right on the threshold of the fixed average. In
1
En adelante, todas las traducciones son nuestras. this regard, it can be seen that many university
1.235 2.399 1.904 26.398 134 1.592 5.789 3.669 10.421 11.839 738 13.401 2.93 6.557
12
11.5
11
10.5
Average
10
9.5
8.5
Architecture and urban studies
Agro-Liverstock sciences
Social Sciences
Law
Education
Humanities
Engineering
Medicine
Health Sciences
Writing English Critical reading Quantitative reasoning
programmes have great difficulties in achieving specific tasks. In other words, whoever
scores at or above the fixed average required is competent is so for a specific activity
by the exam to be considered as having passed (2002, p. 19)]
the minimum developed competencies.
Therefore, these competencies strengthen the
Torrado considers that the critical and purpo- reading and writing processes in the univer-
seful competencies: sity context as evidenced in the results of the
SABER PRO exam, given that these processes
además de ser un saber hacer, es un saber
haciendo, soportado en múltiples cono- of autonomy are developed from a critical
cimientos que vamos adquiriendo en el standpoint and new approaches are proposed
transcurso de la vida; es la utilización from different perspectives.
flexible e inteligente de los conocimientos
The critical component complicates the
que poseemos los que nos hace com-
development of the exam due to the need to
petentes frente a tareas específicas. En
generate answers in response to the reading,
otras palabras, quien es competente lo es
para una actividad determinada. [as well which in some way are subject to the abili-
as being know-how, it is knowing how, ties that the individual has been developing
supported by a wide range of knowledge throughout their professional education. In
bases that we acquire throughout the critical reading, the SABER PRO exam provi-
course of a lifetime; it is the flexible and des 30 multiple-choice questions with only one
intelligent use of the knowledge that correct answer, that are categorised according
we possess that makes us competent in to three competencies:
Revista PAPELES • ISSN 0123-0670 • Vol. 9(17) • pp. 31-37 • Enero-junio de 2017
34 Reflection: reading and writing processes in the university environment
(1) identificar y entender los contenidos loca- los planteamientos de manera efectiva y
les que conforman un texto; (2) comprender se establezca claramente a qué se hace
cómo se articulan las partes de un texto para referencia en la argumentación. Los
darle un sentido global; y (3) reflexionar a textos cuyo contenido no sea claro,
partir de un texto y evaluar su contenido” presenten ambigüedades, repeticiones
[(1) Identify and understand the local content innecesarias o redundancia en el plan-
that makes up a text; (2) understand how the teamiento de las ideas, recibirán una
different parts of a text are articulated in order calificación inferior. [those written texts
to give it global sense; and (3) reflect on a text that achieve the highest scores are those
and evaluate its content )] (ICFES, 2016c, p. 4). in which the given subject is analysed
from different innovative perspectives,
In this way, the reading is assessed using a complex concepts are dealt with effec-
comprehensive and reflective approach, which tively and it clearly establishes what is
allows the student to create cognitive processes being referred to in the argumentation.
focused on the processing of the information Texts whose content is not clear, which
from its interpretation, argumentation and present ambiguities, unnecessary repeti-
purposeful critique. tions or redundancy in the proposal of
ideas will receive a lower score (ICFES,
Managing the three levels of reading (literal,
2016b, p. 4)]
inferential and critical) is fundamental to
approach the exam with an aim to obtain a Secondly, in terms of organisation, that is
satisfactory result. However, many students related to the form and structure of the text:
present the exam with the first two levels of “cuando en la escritura (…) se note que el autor
reading well developed, as can be observed in pensó en cómo expresar sus ideas de manera
the figure 1, but the last reading level, which is efectiva y ordenada, siguió esquemas adecua-
focused on a purposeful competency that has dos al tipo de tarea propuesto y definió bien
a negative effect on the exam results. “La inter- los párrafos que componen el texto” [when
pretación de los textos, el punto de vista, (…) in the writing (...) it is noted that the author
el significado social de los géneros a los que thought about how to express their ideas in
pertenece cada texto, y ser consciente de cómo an effective and ordered manner, that they
estos contenidos ideológicos se relacionan con followed appropriate schemes for the type of
los propios” [The interpretation of the texts, task proposed and defined well the paragraphs
the point of view, (...) the social significance that make up the text] (ICFES, 2016b, p. 4).
of the genres to which each text belongs, and It will receive a high score; and thirdly, the
being aware of how this ideological content is expression of ideas, which makes reference to
related to them (López y Martín, n.d., p. 510) the vocabulary used, the argument and posi-
will allow the student to handle with ease the tion regarding the tops, in other words, “si el
elaboration of essays, scientific articles, their texto cumple su función comunicativa: hacer
bachelor’s thesis, among others. una solicitud, sustentar un planteamiento,
Similarly, the elements that have to be con- indicar cómo han de ejecutarse unas tareas,
sidered for the assessment of the written etcétera, o sea, si la redacción es socialmente
component of the SABER PRO exam, accord- efectiva” [if the text fulfils its communicative
ing to ICFES (2016c), are subject, firstly, to the function: making a request, expressing an
approach developed, which means: approach, indicating how these tasks should
be performed, et cetera, or rather, if the com-
obtendrán calificaciones altas los escritos
position is socially effective (own translation)]
en los que el tema dado se analice desde
(ICFES, 2016b, p. 4). Furthermore, the written
perspectivas innovadoras, se complejicen
Revista PAPELES • ISSN 0123-0670 • Vol. 9(17) • pp. 31-37 • Enero-junio de 2017
36 Reflection: reading and writing processes in the university environment
References
Camargo, Z., Uribe, G. & Zambrano, J. (2013). el aprendizaje de las tareas de lecto-escritura
Prácticas De Lectura Y Escritura En La Uni- requeridas a estudiantes universitarios. Revista
versidad Colombiana: el caso de la Universidad De Psicología De La Educación, 6, 111-120.
del Quindío. Sophia, 9, 102-114. Taken from:
Instituto Colombiano para la Evaluación de la
http://www.scielo.org.co/pdf/sph/n9/n9a08.
Educación (ICFES). (2016a). Información de la
pdf.
prueba SABER PRO. [Information regarding
Fernández-Lozano, M.P., González-Balleste- the SABER PRO exam]. Bogotá: Instituto
ros, M., De-Juanas, Á. & Martín del Pozo, R. Colombiano para la Evaluación de la Educación
(2011). Reflexión sobre la potencialidad para ICFES. Available from: http://www.icfes.gov.co/
Revista PAPELES • ISSN 0123-0670 • Vol. 9(17) • pp. 31-37 • Enero-junio de 2017