Incidencia de competencias de lectura crítica y comunicación escrita en desempeño en pruebas saber pro de estudiantes del programa técnico profesional en servicio de policía de escuela nacional de carabineros

Abstract

Based on the results of the latest 2024 ICFES assessment, an analysis reveals that the Facatativá National Carabineros School (ESCAS) falls below the national average in the written communication and critical reading modules. This indicates that the school is not meeting the Ministry of National Education's expectations regarding the generic competency modules evaluated in the state exams. Higher education in Colombia currently faces the challenge of ensuring not only access but also the quality of educational processes, particularly concerning the development of generic competencies such as critical reading and written communication. In this context, the Saber Pro exams—designed by the Colombian Institute for the Evaluation of Education (ICFES)—serve as a key benchmark for measuring these competencies among students in technical, technological, and professional degree programs. However, results from these assessments have revealed persistent weaknesses in reading comprehension, especially among populations with technical and operational training, such as students in the Professional Technical Program in Police Service. General Objective: To evaluate the impact of reading comprehension deficiencies on the academic performance of National Carabineros School students regarding the Saber Pro exams, with the aim of designing a protocol to strengthen critical reading and written communication skills, tailored to the realities of police service. Specific Objectives: 1. To characterize the reading profile of first- and second-term ESCAS students by identifying their literal, inferential, and analytical reading levels using standardized diagnostic instruments. 2. Correlate the results of institutional Saber Pro mock exams with the teaching methodologies used in the "Police Law" and "Police Communication" courses. 3. Determine the extrinsic factors (schedules, fatigue, library access) and intrinsic factors (motivation, prior reading habits) that hinder the development of reading competence at the school. 4. Propose a "Critical Reading for Police Service" guide that utilizes real-life cases, court rulings, and operational reports as reading material for Saber Pro exam preparation. 5. Design a pedagogical strategy based on operational contexts that contributes to strengthening critical reading and written communication skills. 6. The research adopts a mixed-methods epistemological approach, integrating quantitative and qualitative elements to comprehensively understand the issue of reading comprehension among students in the Professional Technician in Police Service program. 7. The quantitative component aims to measure reading comprehension performance levels using results from diagnostic tests and Saber Pro-style mock exams, enabling the identification of relationships between variables and performance trends. Meanwhile, the qualitative approach allows for the interpretation of perceptions, experiences, and pedagogical practices associated with the reading process, delving deeper into the factors influencing the issue. 8. The research is descriptive-correlational in nature and includes a proposal-oriented component. It is descriptive because it characterizes the students' reading comprehension levels; correlational because it analyzes the relationship between this competence and performance on Saber Pro exams; and proposal-oriented because it seeks to design a pedagogical strategy to help improve the identified situation. The strategy is grounded in meaningful learning, a competency-based approach, and the use of real operational contexts, aiming to make reading relevant, applicable, and motivating for the students.