Inside the learning mind: a study of metacognitive behaviors in a public high school
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48017/dj.v11i2.3663Keywords:
Metacognition, Metacognitive Awareness, Knowledge of Cognition, Regulation of CognitionAbstract
This study aimed to determine the level of metacognitive awareness among Junior High School (JHS) and Senior High School (SHS) learners in a public national high school, focusing on the two core domains: Knowledge of Cognition and Regulation of Cognition. A quantitative descriptive design was employed using the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory as the standardized instrument. Data were collected from JHS and SHS students and analyzed to determine their metacognitive strengths and weaknesses. Results showed that both groups demonstrated moderately high levels of Knowledge of Cognition. JHS learners scored higher in Declarative and Conditional Knowledge, suggesting a stronger foundational understanding and better decision-making regarding learning strategies. Procedural Knowledge was moderately developed across both groups. In the Regulation of Cognition, learners exhibited strengths in Planning and Comprehension Monitoring, while Evaluation and Debugging Strategies were less developed. JHS students also outperformed SHS learners in several subdomains, indicating a possible decline in metacognitive engagement in higher grade levels. The study concludes that while learners possess promising metacognitive awareness levels, gaps remain in Procedural Knowledge, Information Management, and Evaluation. These findings suggest the need for structured instructional practices explicitly teaching metacognitive strategies to support learners’ academic growth and independent learning. Embedding metacognitive training in classroom activities can help bridge the gap between current abilities and optimal development.
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