Reflection and narrative writing as formative mediation in the self-perception of research competencies in higher education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20346930Keywords:
self‑perception of research competencies, higher education, research training, formative mediation, reflection and narrative writingAbstract
Introduction: research training in higher education requires pedagogical mediations that enable students to understand the purpose of the investigative process rather than merely executing methodological procedures. Objective: to analyze the formative contribution of reflection and narrative writing to the self‑perception of research competencies among higher education students. Method: a qualitative study with complementary descriptive quantitative support was conducted in the course Métodos y Técnicas de Investigación II at the Universidad Pedagógica de El Salvador during term I‑2025. Psychology students organized into thirteen teams participated; each team produced group reflective narratives about their research experience. In addition, participants completed an instrument individually at the beginning and at the end of the formative process; results were aggregated by team for descriptive purposes. Results: narrative‑thematic analysis identified three formative processes: from task to meaning, from instrument to connection, and from fear to agency. Complementary descriptive comparison between the initial and final instruments showed favorable changes in the self‑perception of research competencies. Conclusion: this pedagogical mediation is pertinent for strengthening how students recognize their research competencies, particularly by fostering a more integrated understanding of the method and a more active stance toward research.
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