Me, Myself, and I: The Impact of Metacognitive Strategies on Student Locus of Control and Critical Thinking Skills
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Campus where you would like to present
Ellensburg
Event Website
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source
Start Date
18-5-2020
Abstract
Just 60% of students graduate from 4-year colleges and universities in 6 years or less. Two skills possessed by university students who do graduate on time are high critical thinking skills and an internal locus of control. These two skills can be improved through metacognitive techniques. This study examines if increasing metacognitive practices in an undergraduate biology class will shift students’ academic locus of control and critical thinking skills within an academic quarter. This quasi-experimental study compared two groups of CWU Biology 101 lab students; one group received increased metacognitive questions in their lab handouts and the other group was taught with standard lab handouts. Participants in each group completed an Academic Locus of Control Scale and California Critical Thinking Skills Test at the beginning and end of the quarter to determine changes in those areas. Although statistically significant changes were not observed in either group overall, age and parents’ education level were found to be significant contributors to the critical thinking changes that did occur. Student work was also analyzed to determine performance on higher-order thinking skill questions in their labs. These results inform us about factors that contribute to academic achievement as well as the best methods to prepare students for their university experience.
Recommended Citation
Kuchler, Danielle, "Me, Myself, and I: The Impact of Metacognitive Strategies on Student Locus of Control and Critical Thinking Skills" (2020). Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 13.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2020/COTS/13
Department/Program
Biological Sciences
Additional Mentoring Department
https://cwu.studentopportunitycenter.com/2020/04/me-myself-and-i-the-impact-of-metacognitive-strategies-on-student-locus-of-control-and-critical-thinking-skills/
Me, Myself, and I: The Impact of Metacognitive Strategies on Student Locus of Control and Critical Thinking Skills
Ellensburg
Just 60% of students graduate from 4-year colleges and universities in 6 years or less. Two skills possessed by university students who do graduate on time are high critical thinking skills and an internal locus of control. These two skills can be improved through metacognitive techniques. This study examines if increasing metacognitive practices in an undergraduate biology class will shift students’ academic locus of control and critical thinking skills within an academic quarter. This quasi-experimental study compared two groups of CWU Biology 101 lab students; one group received increased metacognitive questions in their lab handouts and the other group was taught with standard lab handouts. Participants in each group completed an Academic Locus of Control Scale and California Critical Thinking Skills Test at the beginning and end of the quarter to determine changes in those areas. Although statistically significant changes were not observed in either group overall, age and parents’ education level were found to be significant contributors to the critical thinking changes that did occur. Student work was also analyzed to determine performance on higher-order thinking skill questions in their labs. These results inform us about factors that contribute to academic achievement as well as the best methods to prepare students for their university experience.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2020/COTS/13
Faculty Mentor(s)
Ian Quitadamo, Jennifer Dechaine, and Ralf Greenwald