NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY AND DISTANCE - UNAD

SCHOOL SCIENCE EDUCATION

Course: RESEARCH PROJECT

Step 2 - CHAPTER 1 OF A RESEARCH PROJECT

DELIVERY OF THE ACTIVITY.

Author:
NESTOR ALMANZA

Group:
551028_9

Evaluator:
EDNER SUAREZ

Date:
March 12- 2019
 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 General background.

The Quality State Examinations of Higher Education, Saber Pro, are currently applied to
seniors in undergraduate programs, within the framework of the programs, aimed at improving
the quality and transparency in higher education, through coordination and supervision of
ICFES. In an initial screening of the bibliography, the text prepared by Universidad del Valle
(2004), whose purpose is to present an analysis on the training of teachers in the Spanish
language on which was taken as a conceptual reference for the preparation of the test of Higher
Education Quality (Saber Pro) for students who are eleven ready to graduate from the degrees
that take this emphasis. Also in this document will give you the specifications of the exam. As
well Internet searches were conducted, which yielded the following results in the first place, the
University of Medellin (2009) devotes its electronic portal, several connections to deal with the
Saber Pro theme, within of the contents clearly developed by said Institution are, the background
and the fundamentals of the Saber Pro tests, recommendations to present the exam, what does a
good Saber Pro imply? In other aspects. Second, the Pedagogical University Nacional (2007),
performs a complete analysis on what is the Saber Test Pro as a periodic evaluation of learning
outcomes and how way to verify if students reach proficiency standards required for national
education; In addition, it shows graphically and comparative way with national results, the
results of their students in 2007, arguing that all the programs evaluated in University exceed the
national average, which means that their evaluated students presented performances more
homogeneous than the other students of the country.

Third, other faculties such as Economics, Accounting and Business Administration of national
universities, have questioned about the relevance, usefulness and performance of their students in
the aforementioned Saber Pro tests, such is the case of the article presented by the Colombian
Association of Faculties, Programs and Departments of Economics (2008), which contains the
origin, legal and conceptual foundations of the Saber Pro tests, as well as their application in the
Faculties of Economics. It also includes a text mentioning the competences developed and to be
developed by the Universities in their students. In addition, an electronic portal was found by the
Faculty of Public Accounting of the University of Quindío (2004) which contains an article of a
reflective nature, entitled "The Solution to Higher Education Quality", which contains the
development and application of the tests Saber Pro in the Public Accounting program, doing a 12
examination of the types of results, their interpretation and analysis of possible conflicts.

In the same way, the Research and Socioeconomic Documentation Center of Colombia
(2004), CIDSE, carried out a work in which performs a multilevel analysis to analyze the quality
of higher education in Colombia measured through the Saber Pro de Economy in 2004.

Including significant differences between the average scores of the universities and those
obtained by the students, which are explained by their personal characteristics and by the
characteristics of the institution to the that belong. In the same way, the Faculty of Human
Sciences of the National University of Colombia (2002) prepared a report where it develops
topics such as the analysis of how the "quality" of the education offered in each area of education
is defined and specified; the study of both the empirical results of said Saber Pro, as well as their
meanings or interpretations; It is questioned and reflects on whether the measurement or
evaluation of the quality of higher education received, can be carried out with greater validity
during or at the end of the training process or, rather, in the work performance.
 1.2 Statement of problem.

Topic:

Academic factors associated with low performance in English in tests Saber Pro presented by the
students of the Faculty of Education in the2017 -University of Cartagena.

Problem formulation:

One of the weaknesses in university students is the use of English as a foreign language. This
fact is evidenced in the results obtained by the students of the previously named Faculty, where
more than 80% of the students obtained a low performance in the Saber Pro tests presented in
2017. Continuing with the follow-up process of these students, it was observed that by the year
2018 the performance in the Saber Pro tests went up; since they obtained very good scores in
these tests by some students in the bachelor with emphasis in English that were coming out.
However, the other faculties did not perform as well in the English component. Aware of this
situation, we consider that it is of great importance to reflect on the factors that are related to this
phenomenon so that, based on the results, the dean of the faculty can optimize the teaching-
learning processes and design strategies to improve the student performance in this evaluation
component. This type of investigative exercises is important because they generate useful
knowledge for the institution itself and for the cultural transformation of the organization.

For this reason, as a consequence of the problems presented at the University, there are support
rooms, which have been functioning up to now, but in an irregular manner due to the
inconveniences that have arisen regarding the lack of commitment and interest on the part of the
students; in addition, the teachers who are currently linked to the institution are not adequately
trained to handle these problems. Taking as a starting point the previously mentioned aspects and
after observing that in the majority of the students of the faculty of education, problems are
presented as for the low performance in the area of English, the lack of motivation of the subject,
the lack of knowledge of a second language - English and the hourly intensity among others; it is
then when the necessity arises to design a proposal that allows to strengthen the permanence and
the quality of the education of the students of the University of Cartagena, that at the same time
allows the educator to carry out activities according to the necessities of the students that are in
their classrooms.
From this and to start the project the following problem is formulated: What are the
causes that affect the performance in the Saber Pro tests of students who obtain low results.

1.3 Research objectives.

 General.
 To establish the academic factors associated to the low performance in English of the
students of the Faculty of Education who presented the Saber Pro tests in the year
2017.
 Specific.
 Identify the factors that affect the low results of the English component of the
Saber Pro tests.
 Classify the factors according to the aspects they have in common.
 Determine the weight of each of the factors in the low performance against
English, in the Saber Pro tests.

1.4 Scope Research.

The new policies of the State regarding the evaluation of competencies and performance of
undergraduate students at national level have provoked the emergence of questions about the
scope of real comprehension and pertinent apprehension of learning, specifically in the area of
English.

Taking as a reference the phenomenon of globalization, English is no longer seen only as a

constituent element of a curriculum, but has become an essential tool of global communication.
Colombia not being oblivious to this fact, on the part of the Ministry of National Education
proposes that the country should become a bilingual nation, adopting the Common European
Framework of Reference for Languages, in order to establish standards of competence in that
language, by therefore, the aforementioned competences begin to be evaluated through the
application of the Saber Pro tests; Thus, the University of Cartagena in the programs that have as
part of their curriculum the learning of English must be evaluated by means of said tests, tests
that have not yielded results within the levels that are expected according to the parameters
established by the aforementioned Common European Framework of Reference for Languages,
which for the Colombian context will require a user with a B2 level.

Taking into account the above, graduates or aspiring graduates coming from different
undergraduate programs must demonstrate the skills of the B2 user, and those who are training as
future English teachers must exhibit an even higher level, a capacity above what is described
above, that is, they must have a C1 level, which, according to this same framework, is quite high
considering the pedagogical, social and cultural factors of the Colombian context.

The general panorama, then, shows us the intentions of the government to make Colombia a
bilingual country, so that it becomes part of the extended entirety and can be on par with the
standards demanded by the great powers of the world.

1.5 Limitations of the research.

Therefore, as a consequence of the problems presented in the University, there are support
rooms, which have been functioning up to now, but in an irregular manner due to the
inconveniences that have arisen regarding the lack of commitment and interest on the part of the
students; in addition, the teachers who are currently linked to the institution are not adequately
trained to handle these problems. Taking as a starting point the previously mentioned aspects and
after observing that in the majority of the students of the faculty of education, problems are
presented as for the low performance in the area of English, the lack of motivation of the subject,
the lack of knowledge of a second language - English and the hourly intensity among others; it is
then when the necessity arises to design a proposal that allows to strengthen the permanence and
the quality of the education of the students of the University of Cartagena, that at the same time
allows the educator to carry out activities according to the necessities of the students that are in
their classrooms.
 1.6 Significance of the study.

From the previous questioning the concern is generated by inquiring about the possible causes
that are making it impossible to obtain satisfactory results in the students of the Bachelor of
Basic Education with Emphasis in English of the University of Cartagena, who have been
presenting a level below the expected in standardized tests, such as the Saber Pro, which is a
matter of concern since the University of Cartagena has as one of its fundamental objectives:
"Integrally train the university community for the exercise of intellectual, moral and social
autonomy." This to achieve the comprehensive training of qualified professionals in each of its
academic programs, so that future graduates have adequate preparation so that they can be
competent in the labor field and also be worthy representatives of the instruction that the
University promulgates; for this reason, it is intended to carry out a search for causes or flaws
that arise when performing these tests, aimed at determining what factors are affecting the
academic performance of students whose emphasis is made in English as a foreign language.
Therefore, it is vitally important that a review be made of the factors that are generating low
performance in the area, in order for the institution and its students to carry out joint work so that
they are analyzed, reevaluated and proposed. new strategies tending to a better academic
performance for the apprehension of a significant, integral and permanent learning, which will be
reflected in more optimal results, both in standardized tests, as well as in competitions such as
the teaching, all this with a view to hold positions in educational institutions of the public sector;
It is also pertinent to mention how it would affect the situation of future graduates, who in their
intention to go out to practice teaching, would be at a serious disadvantage compared to other
professionals in the field, if it is found that their training does not reach 10 levels. appropriate
requirements in aptitude tests for said area, which is of high demand and competitiveness in the
sector. Based on the above, it is observed that the University of Cartagena is going through a
process of accreditation and certification of high quality, it is necessary to make a thorough
analysis with reference to how the teaching-learning processes are carried out in each of the
areas , in our case in particular, that of basic education with emphasis on English, where low
performance indices have been presented that conflict with the standards that the institution
wishes to show in order not only to train qualified teachers in the teaching of English, but also to
position itself as one of the best options in this academic field. Finally, it is intended through the
identification of possible shortcomings that may be presented to the interior of the area in terms
of its processes, practices, activities, development of topics and courses offered for the teaching
of English as a second language, propose strategies for improvement that link both teachers and
students in the reflection and analysis of these processes, so that from the findings begin to
perform an effective practice that leads to the reach of the averages required in tests such as
Saber Pro.

1.7 Definition of terms

 Saber pro test: The Saber Pro test is a mandatory grade requirement and to present it
you must have passed at least 75% of the academic credits of your program.
 The Common European framework of reference for languages: learning, teaching
and assessment (CEFR) is a standard intended to serve as an international standard
for measuring the level of oral and written comprehension and expression in a
language.
 English level A1 Level A1 corresponds to basic users with the language, that is,
those capable of communicating in everyday situations with frequently used
expressions and elementary vocabulary.
 English level A2 Level A2 corresponds to basic users with the language, that is,
those capable of communicating in everyday situations with frequently used
expressions and elementary vocabulary.
 English level B1 Level B1 corresponds to independent users with the language, that
is, they have the necessary fluency to communicate effortlessly with native speakers.
 English level B2 Level B2 corresponds to independent users with the language, that
is, they have the necessary fluency to communicate effortlessly with native speakers.
 English level C1 Level C1 corresponds to competent users with the language, that is,
trained for complex tasks of work and study.
 English level C2 Level C2 corresponds to competent users with the language, that is,
trained for complex tasks of work and study.
 ICFES stands for the Colombian Institute for the Evaluation of Education before the

Colombian Institute for the Promotion of Higher Education.

 REFERENCES

 Habib, M., Maryam, H., & Pathik, B. B. (2014). Research Methodology --

Contemporary Practices: Guidelines for Academic Researchers. Newcastle upon Tyne:
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 https://www.icesi.edu.co/cienfi/images/stories/Nivel-biliguismo-egresados-programas-
universitarios-Software2014.pdf

 https://repository.unilibre.edu.co/bitstream/handle/10901/10345/DOCUMENTO%20F
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 https://bibliotecadigital.usb.edu.co/bitstream/10819/3154/1/Causas%20Asociadas%20
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