Relationship between Metacognition, Locus of Control, and Academic Achievement in Secondary School Chemistry Students in Anambra State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between metacognition, locus of control, and academic achievement in secondary school chemistry students in Anambra state, Nigeria. The sample consisted of 135 chemistry students in Awka Education Zone, Anambra state. Descriptive survey research design was adopted, and two instruments—Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) and Academic Locus of Control Scale—were used as instruments for data collection. Correlation and regression analyses were used to explore the intervention effects of metacognition between locus of control and academic achievements of chemistry students on the hypothesis that metacognition affects locus of control and academic achievement. The result revealed that metacognitive awareness overall, metacognitive knowledge (declarative, procedural, and conditional), and metacognitive regulation (planning, information management, monitoring, debugging, and evaluation) aspects showed a positive relationship with the students’ academic achievement and a negative relationship with locus of control. The study has implication for teachers and students since metacognition can be taught. The students should avail themselves the opportunity to acquire metacognitive skill and strategies, while teachers should themselves train students on the most effective metacognitive skills and strategies for effective increase on academic achievement and locus of control.

Students’ interactive engagement, academic achievement and self concept in chemistry: an evaluation of cooperative learning pedagogy

“…This might have contributed to the student's apparent preference for a conventional (lecture-based) approach over active-learning pedagogies such as cooperative learning. But the students' performance in science subjects has been generally poor and it has been attributed to the use of conventional methods of instruction among others (Khanyane et al, 2016;Zenda, 2017;Molla and Muche, 2018;Samuel and Okonkwo, 2021). However, Brownlee et al (2001) and Muis and Duffy (2013) demonstrated that students' epistemic and cultural beliefs can be changed through concerted efforts aimed at clearing up their misconceptions that might have been brought about by the cultural beliefs.…”

“…Research studies have shown that students' average academic performance in science subjects, especially chemistry, over the years has consistently been poor and unimpressive in both internal and external examinations in the world's developing countries, particularly in most African countries such as Nigeria (Nwagbo, 2006;Adegoke, 2012;Bamiro, 2015;Ajayi and Ogbeba, 2017;Samuel and Okonkwo, 2021), South Africa (Muwanga-Zake, 2000;Zenda, 2017), Ethiopia (Molla and Muche, 2018), and Lesotho (Khanyane et al, 2016).…”

“…A plethora of research has been conducted to identify the causes of the poor performance of students. Most of these research studies have attributed the poor performance to the methods adopted by the science teachers in lesson deliveries (Khanyane et al, 2016;Ajayi and Ogbeba, 2017;Zenda, 2017;Molla and Muche, 2018;Samuel and Okonkwo, 2021). It has been established that the instructional strategies adopted by a teacher can either enhance or hinder the academic performance of students in sciences (Schraw et al, 2005;Michael, 2006;Wilson and Varma-Nelson, 2016;Ajayi and Ogbeba, 2017;Zenda, 2017;Samuel and Okonkwo, 2021).…”

“…Most of these research studies have attributed the poor performance to the methods adopted by the science teachers in lesson deliveries (Khanyane et al, 2016;Ajayi and Ogbeba, 2017;Zenda, 2017;Molla and Muche, 2018;Samuel and Okonkwo, 2021). It has been established that the instructional strategies adopted by a teacher can either enhance or hinder the academic performance of students in sciences (Schraw et al, 2005;Michael, 2006;Wilson and Varma-Nelson, 2016;Ajayi and Ogbeba, 2017;Zenda, 2017;Samuel and Okonkwo, 2021). Similarly, Adegoke (2012) and Bamiro (2015) noted that a key determinant of student achievement is the quality of instructional strategies employed by the teachers in the teaching-learning processes.…”

Metacognitive Reading Strategy Awareness and Reading Performance of Vocational Lecturers

“…Common issues addressed in metacognitive research were the investigation of the relationship between metacognitive strategies and reading performance, and the identification of the most frequent reading strategy use. Much of the research concerned elementary, secondary, or undergraduate students for example (Leon & Tarrayo, 2014;Pinninti, 2016;Fauziah et al,2017;Samuel & Okonkwo, 2021;Chen & Chen, 2015;Mardianti & Wijayanti, 2020;Masoodi, 2019;Sasani et al, 2018;Annury et al, 2019;Okyar, 2021;Rabadi et al, 2020), yet only little was conducted with postgraduate students as the participants, such as the research by Seifoori (2015) and Azher et al (2015).…”