Effects of Metacognition on Performance in Mathematics and Language- Multiple Mediation of Hope and General Self-Efficacy

Abstract

This study examined (a) students’ reported use of metacognitive knowledge (declarative, procedural, conditional) and metacognitive regulation (planning, monitoring, information management, evaluation) when they are doing school work or homework, and the effect of metacognition on school performance in language and mathematics and (b) the role of hope (agency thinking, pathway thinking) in general self-efficacy, in the impact of general self-efficacy on metacognition, and in the effect of metacognition on school performance. One hundred and sixty-five 5th and 6th grade students (83 boys, 82 girls), randomly selected from 10 state primary schools of various regions of Greece, participated in the study. Data gathered at the second school term of the total three terms. The results revealed that: (a) the reported frequency of use of metacognitive knowledge (mainly, conditional) and metacognitive regulation (mainly, monitoring) was at a moderate extent, (b) hope (predominately, pathway thinking) was a positive formulator of general self-efficacy and of its impact on metacognition, but the influential role of the two constructs differed between and within the components of metacognition, (c) the three sets of predictors had complementary and positive effects on school performance but their relative power in influencing it varied between mathematics and language and within each school subject, with agency thinking being the most powerful predictor and (d) general self-efficacy mediated the impact of metacognition on school performance, while hope had direct impact on school performance beyond that of metacognition and general self-efficacy. The findings are discussed for their practical applications in education and future research.

Adaptive Individual Differences in Math Courses

“…Findings remain mixed if the relationship between self-efficacy and math attainment is considered. In Europe, Klug et al [41], Roick and Ringeisen [42], as well as Stephanou and Tsoni [43] found self-efficacy to predict math performance. In the Middle East, Pilotti et al [10] found that the relationship between self-efficacy and math performance was sensitive to demographic variables, such as gender or major.…”

The Impact of Leader-Member Exchange on General Self-Efficacy: Evidence from China

“…Given the significant influence that individuals' psychological states had on GSE (Chen et al, 2019;Gourlay et al, 2022), which in turn influenced a variety of attitudes and behaviors (Li et al, 2022;Volz et al, 2018), it follows that a large number of researchers have focused heavily on GSE's mediating role in organizational behavior studies (Cheng et al, 2020;Long et al, 2021;Stephanou & Tsoni, 2019). For example, in a cross-sectional study, Cheng et al (2020) found that GSE mediated the relationship between the source of meaning in life and prosocial behaviors among 799 nursing students from three vocational colleges in China.…”

Orientation Toward Intrinsic Motivation Mediates the Relationship Between Metacognition and Creativity

“…The hypothesized direction of mediation (metacognition at Person level → intrinsic motivation at Person level → creative performance at Task × Person level) is based on previous studies in which motivation (self‐efficacy and intrinsic motivation at Person level) acted as a mediator of the relationships between metacognitive knowledge (Person level) and mathematics (Task × Person level), and metacognitive knowledge (Person level) and language performance (Task × Person level; see Özcan & Eren Gümüş, 2019; Stephanou & Tsoni, 2019; Tian et al., 2018). Interestingly, Schmidt and Ford (2006) found that on‐task metacognitive experiences (Task × Person level) mediated the relationship between goal orientation (Person level) and learning performance (Task × Person level).…”