Andragogy of questioning in the university educational process

Abstract

The andragogy of questioning in the university educational process is a relevant topic for contemporary pedagogical reflection, as it seeks to strengthen critical thinking, intellectual autonomy, and the active participation of students. The problem that motivates this study lies in the fact that, in many university contexts, the questions formulated by teachers continue to focus mainly on the memorization of content, limiting the development of analytical and reflective skills necessary for professional training. In this sense, the objective of the article is to analyze the theoretical and pedagogical foundations of the andragogy of questioning in higher education, highlighting its importance as an educational strategy for promoting critical thinking, academic reflection, and the active participation of university students in the construction of knowledge. Methodologically, the research was developed using a mixed-method approach. First, a narrative bibliographic review was conducted using the Boolean method for the search and selection of scientific literature published between 2021 and 2026. Additionally, a survey was applied to students from the Early Childhood Education program, along with an exam containing different types of questions, in order to evaluate conceptual understanding and analytical capacity related to the pedagogical use of questioning. The results show that most students consider that the questions formulated by teachers promote critical thinking, academic dialogue, and autonomy in learning, highlighting the importance of incorporating questioning strategies into the university teaching process.