Exploring Knowledge and Practices of Metacognition in Beginning
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University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Theses, Student Research, and Creative Activity: Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education Education Fall 10-10-2017 Bonding Ideas about Inquiry: Exploring Knowledge and Practices of Metacognition in Beginning Secondary Science Teachers Ana Margarita Rivero Arias University of Nebraska - Lincoln, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/teachlearnstudent Part of the Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Science and Mathematics Education Commons, and the Secondary Education Commons Rivero Arias, Ana Margarita, "Bonding Ideas about Inquiry: Exploring Knowledge and Practices of Metacognition in Beginning Secondary Science Teachers" (2017). Theses, Student Research, and Creative Activity: Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education. 82. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/teachlearnstudent/82 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses, Student Research, and Creative Activity: Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. BONDING IDEAS ABOUT INQUIRY: EXPLORING KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES OF METACOGNITION IN BEGINNING SECONDARY SCIENCE TEACHERS by Ana Margarita Rivero Arias A DISSERTATION Presented to the Faculty of The Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Major: Educational Studies (Teaching, Curriculum, and Learning) Under the Supervision of Professor Elizabeth Lewis Lincoln, Nebraska September, 2017 ii BONDING IDEAS ABOUT INQUIRY: EXPLORING KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES OF METACOGNITION IN BEGINNING SECONDARY SCIENCE TEACHERS Ana Margarita Rivero Arias, Ph.D. University of Nebraska, 2017 Advisor: Elizabeth Lewis Metacognition, identified generally as “thinking about thinking,” plays a fundamental role in science education. It enhances the understanding of science as a way to generate new knowledge using scientific concepts and practices. Moreover, metacognition supports the development of students’ life-long problem solving, collaboration, and critical thinking skills. When teachers use metacognition with intention, it can promote students’ agency and responsibility for their own learning. However, despite all of its benefits, metacognition is rarely seen in secondary science classrooms. Thus, it is important to understand what beginning teachers know and how they use metacognition during their first years in order to find ways to prepare and support them in incorporating metacognitive practices into their science teaching. The purpose of this multimethod study was to describe the metacognitive knowledge and experiences of beginning science teachers. For the quantitative research strand, I surveyed 36 secondary science teachers about their awareness of metacognition and used classroom observations coded from a larger research study to identify how often teachers were using metacognition to teach science. For the qualitative strand, I interviewed 15 participants about their knowledge and experiences of metacognition iii (including reflective practices) and spent two weeks observing two of the teachers who described exemplary metacognitive teaching practices. I found that participants had a solid awareness of metacognition, but considered the term complicated to enact, difficult for students, and less important to focus on during their first years of teaching than other elements such as content. Additionally, teaching experience seemed to have an effect on teachers’ knowledge and experiences of metacognition. However, participants who were using metacognitive practices had recognized their importance since the beginning of their teaching. Reflective practices can help improve teaching, but what seems more effective is for teachers to have an experience using metacognition embedded in science content. The results of this study include a description of metacognitive teaching practices that could be helpful for secondary science teachers. The study also provides recommendations for future research, especially for teacher education programs, to promote a better understanding of metacognition while preparing secondary science teachers. iv This dissertation is dedicated to: God, for giving me this opportunity and the strength to accomplish it. My parents, Eric and Mari Carmen Rivero, for their example, support, and love. My sisters, Araceli, Pamy, Maruch, and Mech, for always encouraging me. To all my family and friends, and especially those who I met in Lincoln during my graduate studies. I have you all in my heart. To those heroic science teachers who do their best every day in their classrooms to promote students’ scientific literacy. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To my advisor, Dr. Beth Lewis, for the opportunity to learn from her. For her knowledge, guidance, and example as a committed science education professional, researcher, and caring person. Thank you, Dr. Lewis! To my committee: to Dr. Ted Hamann, for all his knowledge and wisdom, but especially because he convinced me to start my Ph.D. program at UNL; to Dr. Stains, for all her feedback on my work and support in all our research projects; to Dr. Hostetler, for those interesting class discussions about Dewey and the scientific revolutions that ended in the present research study. To my professors, especially to Dr. Loukia Sarroub for helping me discover the perspective of an educational researcher. To the science teachers who generously agreed to participate in this research study, with my admiration, affection, and respect. To my research group, Aaron Musson, Jia Lu, Lyrica Lucas, and Amy Tankersley, for sharing this wonderful research adventure with me; and to all the people who contributed somehow to this project. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1: Introduction ……………………………………………………….. 1 Metacognition and Science Teaching and Learning ……………….. 1 The Role of Metacognition in Learning Science …………………... 4 Metacognition and the Gap Between Theory and Practice ………… 7 Purpose of the Study ……………………………………………….. 10 Chapter 2: Literature Review …………………………………………………. 14 Metacognition ………………………………………………………. 15 Definition of Metacognition ……………………………...…… 17 Model of Metacognition ………………...…………………….. 19 Metacognition and other Constructs …………………………... 24 Metacognition as a Skill ……………………………………….. 28 Metacognition and Epistemology of Science …………...………….. 30 Metacognition and Collaboration …………………...……………… 34 Metacognitive Teaching Practices ………………………………….. 37 Metacognition and Formative Assessment …………………………. 42 Metacognition and Reflective Practices …………………………….. 48 Reflection and Teaching ……………………………………… 49 Metacognition and Science Education Research …………………… 61 Conclusion ……………………………………………...…………... 66 Chapter 3: Study Methodology ……………………………………………….. 68 Theoretical Perspective ……………………………………………... 68 Research Paradigm ………………………………………………….. 72 vii Position of the Researcher…………………………………………… 73 Research Design …………………………………………………….. 74 Participants ………………………………………………………….. 76 Data Collection ……………………………………...……………… 78 Analytic Methods …………………………………………………… 87 Chapter 4: Results …………………………………………………………….. 97 Research Question #1: What is Beginning Secondary Science Teachers’ Understanding of Metacognition? ……………………….. 97 Research Question #2: What are the Common Instructional Practices of Metacognition (Metacognitive Teaching) Used by Beginning Science Teachers? ………………………..……………….………... 121 Research Question #3: What are Beginning Science Teachers’ Reflective Practices as Experiences of Metacognition? ……...…….. 182 Research Question #4: What Knowledge and Experience of Metacognition Affect Teachers’ Instructional Practices of Metacognition (or Metacognitive Teaching)? ………………...……. 229 Chapter 5: Discussion of Study Findings ……………………...……………... 255 Discussion …………………………………………………………... 255 Research Question #1: What is Beginning Secondary Science Teachers’ Understanding of Metacognition? ………………………. 255 Research Question #2: What are the Common Instructional Practices of Metacognition (Metacognitive Teaching) in Beginning Science Teachers? …….……………………………..…………….. 272 viii Research Question #3: What are Beginning Science Teachers’ Reflective Practices as Experiences of Metacognition? ……………. 278 Research Question #4: What Knowledge and Experiences of Metacognition Affect Teachers’ Instructional Practices of Metacognition (or Metacognitive Teaching)? ………………..……. 286 Conclusions ……………..………………………………………….. 292 Chapter 6: Conclusions and Implications of Study …………………..……….. 294 Implications and Relevance of Study ………………...…………….. 294 Limitations of the Study …………………………………………….. 296 Recommendations for Future Research …………………………….. 300 Recommendations for Teacher Education Programs ……………….. 301 Conclusions …………………………………………………………. 304 References …………………………………………………………………….. 307 Appendix A: NGSS Scientific and Engineering Practices ……………………. 325 Appendix B: Conceptual Differences Between Metacognition, Self- regulation, and Self-regulated Learning ………………………………………. 326 Appendix C: IRB Approval Letter ……………………………………………. 327 Appendix D: Consent Forms ………………………………………………….. 328 Appendix E: Participants’ Demographic Information in the Qualitative Strand of the Study ……………………….…………………………………………..