Page 10 - Jurnal Kurikulum BPK 2020

Exploring Metacognition Regulation Among Biology Student At Labuan
Matriculation College

Mohamad Masrizan Bin Abdul Patah
Labuan Matriculation College
mohamadmasrizan@hotmail.com

Abstract

Metacognitive regulation skills in education promotes control in student’s thinking process thus
improves academic achievement. This skill include dimension such as planning, monitoring and
evaluating to ensure student will be able to make necessary changes to their learning practices.
This study involved PDT students in Matriculation Program to explore the extend of
metacognitive regulation used in studying Biology. Data collection process was done through
semi-structured interviews and then analyzed using general inductive approach. Finding
indicated that Biology course at matriculation promotes development of metacognitive
regulation skill by presenting students with unfamiliar challenges. Student uses intrinsic
indicator such as mastery and extrinsic indicator such as grade to evaluate the effectiveness of
their learning skills. In addition, metacognition regulation showed to have positive influence on
enhancement of soft skills. This study also had identified ‘being uncomfortable’ as the main
factor which prevented student from changing learning strategy. This is true despite knowing
the effectiveness of a learning strategy and yet chose not to implemented it. Thus, the current
study also recommends a few tools that could benefit educator in terms of enhancing student
metacognition regulation skills such as project-based assignment, diagnostic test and formative
self-assessment.

Key words: Metacognition, Biology course, Matriculation program

INTRODUCTION

The concept of metacognition is about “thinking about thinking” where individuals are
aware of their own cognitive process and also able to control it (Flavell, 1979). Flavell further
on emphasizing being metacognitive allows individuals to reflect on their previous experiences
whilst selecting strategies necessary to complete task at hand. Metacognition is based on the
social cognitive theory which states the importance of sets of reciprocal interaction between
individuals, their behaviour as well as environmental factors in shaping human functioning
(Glynn et al., 2011). The theory also suggested that in the context of student learning process,
effective education is when student incorporate the element of self-regulation. Glynn et al.
(2011) suggested self-regulated learning would mean that students are capable of
understanding, monitoring and controlling their behaviour and motivation for them to achieve
academic success.
Matriculation is a higher education provider design to prepare student for university
entry. Students of matriculation are expected to show advance science process skills as well as
science literacy. The current biology curriculum at matriculation presents student with lots of
non-math problems and very detailed information on biological processes. Student need to self-
regulate and self-reflect on a regular basis. Being able to memorize all the facts would not be
sufficient any longer (Zakaria, Yazid, & Ahmad, 2009). This is where metacognition will play
a key role to guide student in managing and monitoring their minds whilst completing the task
at hand efficiently.

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