A Questionnaire Survey on Students' Metacognition in Observation / Experiment Activities

Abstract

The purposes of this study are to reveal the actual condition of students' metacognition in observation / experiment activities and to draw implications for the development of their metacognitive skills. With this aim, a questionnaire survey comprising fourteen items was conducted on 248 junior high school students (years 1-3). The results revealed three main points: (1) Students use metacognition in observation / experiment activities. (2) Prior to observation / experiment activities, metacognition brought about high levels of interaction with other students. During observation / experiment activities, metacognition skills were employed to a high degree by the students themselves. However, metacognition was not high in post-observation / experiment activities. (3) The commitment of teachers strongly influenced the metacognitive behavior of students. From this study, two conclusions concerning teaching methodology can be drawn. First, in the phase of verifying hypotheses, teachers should promote active group discussions. Second, in the same phase, teachers should utilize some techniques for metacognitive awareness, such as effective questioning and the use of flash cards.