Metacognitive awareness, self-directedness in learning and performance of prospective intermediate-senior phase mathematics teachers

Abstract

There is a gap between the knowledge and skills taught at school and the knowledge and skills needed in the workplace and society. Metacognitive awareness and self-directedness in learning are concepts referred to in terms of the knowledge and skills needed for learning in the 21st century. The aim of this study was twofold: firstly, to investigate the levels of metacognitive awareness and self-directedness in the own mathematics learning of prospective intermediate and senior phase mathematics teachers (in their second or third year in a BEd programme) (N = 77); and secondly to explore the correlations between factors and subscales of metacognitive awareness, levels of self-directedness in their learning and a learning performance in a mathematics module. The data of the current study was collected by administering two questionnaires, namely the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI), developed by Schraw and Dennisson (1994) and the Self-rating Scale of Self-directed Learning (SRSSDL), developed by Williamson (2007). Both questionnaires were adapted for prospective teachers� learning in mathematics and were available in Afrikaans, as well as English. The questionnaires served as guidelines to investigate the concepts �metacognitive awareness� and �self-directedness in mathematics learning�. A third variable was a learning �performance in mathematics� (module mark achieved by respondents in the previous semester). For purposes of data analysis, respondents� scores, Cronbach ?-coefficients, and Pearson r-correlation coefficients were calculated. High Cronbach ?-coefficients were found. Results and the interpretation of statistical analyses confirmed the existence of correlations between subscales or dimensions of the two questionnaires.