Date of Award
Spring 5-7-2019
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in First Year Studies
Department
First-Year and Transition Studies
Committee Chair
Deborah Smith, PhD
Additional Committee Member
Carolee Larsen, PhD
Additional Committee Member
Darolyn Flaggs, PhD
Abstract
Students who are making the transition from high school to college do so with many hopes, fears, and expectations. Some of these students come to college with an unrealistic idea of what will work for them academically and what they will actually need to do to success (Upcraft, Gardner, Barefoot, & Associates, 2005). When thinking about how to help students to succeed academically metacognition receives attention as a way to assist students in their learning. Metacognition means the action of thinking about thinking and covers several learning skills that are related to thinking and learning (Sengul & Katranci, 2012). Metacognition and metacognitive learning have helped students become aware of their own learning strengths and weaknesses (Chick, 2018). The purpose of this study was to research the effects of students’ use of metacognitive learning strategies, specifically examining academic success and student confidence in their learning abilities. Students completed a Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) at the beginning and end of the research to assess their learning abilities and strategies. These students were supplied with the learning strategies of: (a) concept mapping, (b) directed paraphrasing, (c) Know-Wonder-Learn (K-W-L), (d) one sentence summary, and (e) a sheet discussing metacognitive exam preparation skills to use in their selected course or courses. The research analysis involved information received during student interviews and student journaling. Overall it was discovered that when students were provided with metacognitive learning strategies, actively and correctly used them, they did see academic improvement.
Keywords: Metacognition, first-year students, college, learning strategies