Management of a Self-instructional Course: A practice in distance university education for working adults

Beatriz Carrillo Carranza L.; Enith Abigail Muñoz Mestanza V. · Proceedings of the LACCEI international Multi-conference for Engineering, Education and Technology (2025) · DOI: 10.18687/laccei2025.1.1.1913

Resumen

Today, university education has expanded its horizons beyond what was imaginable three or four decades ago. The changing landscapes of digitalization, globalization, social, healthcare, and virtual environments have led to a new approach to education. Teaching and learning processes have incorporated modern methodologies, including resources, tools, channels, and platforms, supporting independent learning. In this regard, the main objective of this study is to analyze the management of a self-directed course for working adult students enrolled in distance learning programs. This study aims to determine which dimension is most relevant to their academic work and their self-learning. The quantitative approach frames the development of the research; it has a descriptive level with a non-experimental cross-sectional design. A stratified probability sample was used, comprising 155 students. A survey was administered with a reliability of α=0.85. The results reflect that 87% of students are at an advanced level for general course management, however only 34% of students are at the intermediate level corresponding to information management, understood as the understanding of the self-instructional course modality as well as training in the management of virtual platforms, therefore it is essential that the working adult student who has another way of adapting to virtuality, understand from the beginning how the mechanisms of the self-instructional course.

Instituciones: Universidad Privada del Norte