Reading and writing practices in colombian universities: universidad del quindío case study

Abstract

This article is based on research. Why reading and writing in Colombian Universities? A contribution to the consolidation of an academic culture in the country and specifically referred to Universidad del Quindío, even though it has to be clear that the purpose was to describe, analyze and interpret academic reading and writing practices in Colombian universities in general, aimed to carry out a descriptive and interpretive study structured through phases: O. Methodology validation through academic pairs judgment; I. Collection of documentary information and first analysis; II. Second characterization of the students based on the polls; III. Groups of discussion to deepen the collective analysis of the trends found. IV. Selection and systematization of the outstanding practices according to case studies. V. Search of institutional policies for reading and writing. Population consisted on pre graduate students from 17 public and private universities among them Universidad del Quindío. The hypothesis was that the ways how students read and write are given by the pedagogical conditions promoted by the university and the related type of demands. The results point out that students are not aware that reading and writing are social practices which demand accompaniment in the university. Therefore and in pro of processes qualification it is concluded that it´s indispensable to develop cognitive strategies allowing students to interact with different type of texts to build meanings departing previous knowledge and boost metacognitive strategies leading them to assume the control and regulation of their own reading and writing processes.