Investigating Metacognitive Awareness and Self-Efficacy of High School Students through Prompted Reflections in Mathematics and Science

Abstract

Metacognition has been identified as a crucial component of effective learning of mathematics and science education. It entails students recognizing their learning processes, styles, preferences and self-efficacy. The present study aims to determine the effects of metacognitive prompted reflection for enhancing students’ metacognitive awareness and self efficacy in Physics and Mathematics classes. A quantitative research approach by employing a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design was adopted to fulfill the study purposes. The participants were 184 high school students in a K-12 private school in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. The experimental group participated in metacognitive treatment by responding to prompted reflection questions for six weeks. Data were collected using the Self-Efficacy and Metacognition Learning Inventory (SEMLI-Math & SEMLI-Physics) as a pretest and posttest, and subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics of both metacognitive awareness and selfefficacy. Data analysis revealed that prompted reflections have affected the students’ metacognitive awareness and self-efficacy positively. There was significant improvement in metacognitive awareness and self-efficacy of students in the experimental groups except the physics groups which showed little improvement in self-efficacy. These findings are important as they can guide educators in understanding different metacognitive factors and selecting strategies that improve students’ metacognitive awareness and self-efficacy within the realm of curriculum innovation and change.