Efekti heurističko-metodičkih strategija u podsticanju metakognitivnih sposobnosti učenika

Abstract

Substantial issues, problems and challenges of class teaching methodology are oriented to psychological-didactical paradigm, situated within participatory epistemological discourse of teaching and learning. The aim of the paper was to examine possibilities and effects of heuristic-teaching methodology strategies in encouragement of metacognitive abilities of learners. Value of heuristic approach reflects in participation of learners in research activities, encouraging skills of self-regulated learning. Furthermore, participation in research activities empowers one’s views on the world, nature and society as phenomena which can be constructed, deconstructed and interiorized in experiential way. Having analyzed theoretical assumptions and results of empirical research conducted by the leading theoreticians of teaching, we assumed that it is possible to encourage metacognitive strategies of learning through heuristic teaching methodology instructions, conceived in three phases – before learning, during learning and after the process of learning is finished, assuming planning, establishing links between prior knowledge, elaboration, critical observation and discussion, as well as evaluation of work. There was also an assumption that more developed metacognitive abilities would through positive transfer have influence on better educational achievements of pupils. For this purpose an empirical research was carried out in a form of pedagogical experiment, involving fourth grade primary school pupils in an experimental and a control group. Data analysis showed statistically significantly better results of the experimental group on the tests assessing metacognitive abilities, including questions categorized as meta-statements, arranged according to three phases of self-regulated learning. Pupils included in the experimental group also achieved statistically significantly better results on the tests assessing academic achievements in the field of basic science. According to researched correlations between the number of meta-statements and results of knowledge tests it was found that the correlations were high and significant, implying that a higher number of meta-statements assumed higher mark on the knowledge test. The explorative research shed light only on a part of a problem issued related to heuristics and meta-cognition. Nevertheless, we would emphasize the hope that the modest contribution of the paper would be of use to teaching methodologists, helping them to enrich their work of teaching strategies and thus achieve higher quality level in their class work with pupils.