EFFECTS OF METACOGNITION ON STUDENT’S ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND RETENTION LEVEL IN SCIENCE CURRICULUM CONTENT

Abstract

The study focused on enhancing academic achievement and retention level of science students through
metacognitive strategy in Delta Central Senatorial District, Nigeria, West Africa. The quasi-experimental
design was used, specifically the non-equivalent control group pre-test post-test design using intact classes.
The population of the study was 30,372 students in Delta Central Senatorial District. A sample size of 221
SSII science students was used. The instruments used for the study were the Science Achievement Test
(SAT) and Metacognitive Awareness Reading Strategy Inventory (MARSI), which were adequately
validated, with a reliability coefficient of 0.80 and 0.70 respectively. Data were collected by administering
the SAT as pre-test and post-test and MARSI to categorize students into high and low metacognitive level.
The data obtained were analysed with mean, standard deviation and t-test. A significant effect of
metacognition was observed on the academic achievements of science student; a significant difference in the
retention level of students exposed to metacognition and lecture teaching strategies; a significant difference
between students with high metacognitive awareness and those with low metacognitive awareness; a nonsignificant difference between male and female students exposed to metacognitive strategy. Based on the
results of the findings, it was concluded that metacognition is a better option in teaching and learning
science. The study recommended that teachers should adopt the use of metacognitive strategy in the teaching
and learning Science Curriculum Content in schools among others.