Date of Award

Fall 11-29-2021

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in Secondary Education

Department

Education

Committee Chair

Dr. Mei Lin Chang

First Committee Member

Dr. Michelle Head

Second Committee Member

Dr. Rachel Gaines

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to examine the interplay between science modeling, a science practice, and direct instruction in metacognition. The quasi-experimental study was designed to investigate how students’ skill in science modeling was bolstered by the fortification of increased metacognitive skill and how science modeling and metacognitive guidance augmented the acquisition of chemistry content. Further, perceptions of metacognitive value and of metacognitive thinking processes were appraised in conjunction with the direct metacognitive cultivation treatment. Data was collected from 48 students in honors chemistry class at a large suburban high school in the Southeastern United States (control group, n=27; experimental group, n=22). Students in the experimental group were introduced to metacognition through direct instruction and taught modeling skills alongside metacognitive reflection; thus, direct cultivation of metacognition was contextualized in the development of modeling skill. Achievement data and survey on perceptions of the metacognitive thinking process were collected. The results showed no significant differences between control and experimental groups in the survey nor for learning gains from the overall achievement data. On the other hand, significant differences between groups were revealed for performance measures of rubric scores on models and summative scores on model construction. A positive relationship was revealed between value of metacognition and metacognitive thinking processes for the experimental group. The results of the research are significant for chemistry teachers in the skill development of modeling and potential in bolster metacognition.

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