Impact of metacognitive instruction on chemistry problem solving skills

CHED 215

Santiago Sandi-Urena, gsandiu@clemson.edu and Melanie M. Cooper, cmelani@clemson.edu. Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, 201 Hunter Laboratories, Clemson, SC 29634
Metacognition is believed to play an important role in successful problem solving. It is therefore hypothesized that conducting activities that promote its use would carry an improvement in problem solving skills. This work describes the effect of a metacognitive-promoting intervention on students' problem solving strategies. Pre and post metacognition use was assessed using a multi-method specifically designed for this purpose. This instrument combines a prospective self report (MCA-Inventory) with a concurrent online instrument (IMMEX). Preliminary findings from the administration of the MCA-Inventory suggest that the awareness of the importance of metacognition was significantly increased. Similarly, findings using IMMEX, indicate that students who received instruction on metacognitive activities performed better on ill-defined problems when compared to a control group; their strategies were more efficient and solve rate and ability increased. The experimental design, the characteristics of the intervention, and the significance of the evidence collected will be discussed in this paper.
 

Research in Chemical Education
8:30 AM-11:55 AM, Monday, March 26, 2007 McCormick Place North -- Room N227A, Level 2, Oral

Division of Chemical Education

The 233rd ACS National Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 25-29, 2007