TEACHING STRATEGIES AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENT AUTONOMY: AN ANALYSIS BASED ON VYGOTSKY’S CONTRIBUTIONS

Abstract

This article analyzes how pedagogical mediation strategies contribute to the development of autonomy among master’s students, based on an experience in the course “Theories of Learning” in the Graduate Program in Education at the Federal University of Tocantins. Grounded in Lev Vygotsky’s historical-cultural perspective and the contributions of Paulo Freire, Guy R. Lefrançois, and other authors, the study adopts a qualitative, descriptive-reflective approach, combining an account of the experience with a narrative review of the literature. The activities carried out in the course, such as guided readings, debates, problem-solving, group discussions, and a mock jury, facilitated pedagogical mediation processes capable of promoting interaction among students, the internalization of scientific concepts, and the development of critical thinking. The results show that student autonomy is not a pre-existing ability but a socially constructed process resulting from intentionally organized pedagogical practices. It is concluded that teacher mediation plays a central role in the development of intellectual autonomy by facilitating the transition from everyday concepts to scientific ones, thereby strengthening self-regulation, the shared production of knowledge, and the critical training of graduate researchers.