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Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties
Published on: September 27, 2020
Relating Cognitive-Activating Instruction and Metacognitive Self-Regulation to Mathematics Performance and
1Department of Psychology, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, 176 71 Athens, Greece.
Behavioral Sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 26, 2026
Summary
Cognitively activating math instruction boosts metacognitive self-regulation and math self-efficacy in adolescents. This occurs directly and indirectly through improved math performance, aligning with mastery experiences.
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- Cognitive Science
- Mathematics Education
Background:
- Cognitively activating mathematics instruction, particularly mathematical argumentation, is explored for its impact on student self-perceptions.
- Metacognitive self-regulation is a key mediator in the relationship between instruction and self-efficacy.
- Adolescent self-efficacy in mathematics is crucial for academic success and future engagement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the mediating role of metacognitive self-regulation in linking cognitively activating mathematics instruction to mathematics self-efficacy.
- To investigate the direct and indirect effects of mathematical argumentation on mathematics self-efficacy and performance.
- To test a sequential mediation model using data from the PISA 2022 dataset.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 6403 adolescents (49.76% females) from Greece's PISA 2022 dataset.
- Employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze latent variables representing cognitive activation, metacognitive self-regulation, and self-efficacy.
- Tested a sequential mediation model to understand the pathways between instruction, regulation, and self-efficacy.
Main Results:
- Cognitive activation was positively associated with metacognitive self-regulation.
- Metacognitive self-regulation was positively associated with mathematics self-efficacy.
- Cognitively activating instruction directly influenced mathematics self-efficacy and indirectly through mathematics performance, supporting the mastery experiences account.
Conclusions:
- Engaging students in cognitively activating mathematics activities enhances metacognitive self-regulation skills.
- These activities are linked to higher mathematics self-efficacy, partly mediated by mathematics performance.
- Findings support the mastery-experiences account, highlighting the importance of challenging instruction for building student confidence.
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