This paper summarizes the results of a qualitative descriptive study, whose purpose was to promote knowledge building through the usage of the didactic strategy, the analytic circle, in a group of students in the Social Education course in 2010. This course is part of the Counseling Bachelor's and Licenciatura degree, which belongs to the School of Counseling and Special Education at the Universidad de Costa Rica. Each student was assigned a research topic and was asked to express their ideas about it as well as to ask purposeful questions, search for new information, and draw conclusions, in order to promote a knowledge building process. The final product, which was the application of a strategy, was positive and considered useful by the students; it enhanced intrinsic motivation towards a meaningful learning process, along with the attainment of most of the objectives each strategy.

analytic circle; progressive differentiation; integrative reconciliation; knowledge building; meaningful learning; higher education; Costa Rica