Secondary Science Teachers’ Awareness, Perceptions and Professional Development of Metacognition in Dubai Private Schools

Abstract

This concurrent parallel mixed method research investigates one of the main gaps in literature which is the perceptions of secondary science teachers in Dubai Private schools towards the awareness and use of metacognition. Moreover, it explores the development of metacognition skills -planning, monitoring and evaluating- in teachers after professional development interventions. In the quantitative approach, the survey revealed statistically significant high metacognition levels across the knowledge domains and the skills domains with an identified weakness in the monitoring skills. In addition, some demographic factors such as Nationality and Degrees play a role in teachers’ perceptions to metacognition. In the qualitative approach, the PD sessions, lesson plans, lesson observations and semi-structured interviews revealed the importance of intervention to help teachers plan their lessons and choose their instructional strategies. However, while there is a general agreement on the importance of goal setting and the depth and flexibility of planning, monitoring strategies primarily rely on post-lesson reflections and students’ achievements. This suggests potential areas for real-time adaptation and responsiveness to student needs during instruction. Moreover, reflection on teaching strategies and outcomes, although recognized as valuable, is not consistently practiced due to time constraints. In conclusion, teachers lean more towards teaching “For” rather than “With” metacognition. This research came into two main recommendations: (1) a need for flexibility and adaptability in curricula to allow teachers respond and adapt their instruction within the context of the lesson environment; (2) plan research based professional development interventions that are personalized to the needs of teachers.