Analysis of predictive capabilities of metacognitive strategies in the expression of professional thinking of military personnel

Abstract

The article examines professional thinking in relation to the conditions of military activity. The goal is to identify a model of cadets’ metacognitive competence, contributing to the successful formation of professional thinking in the conditions of military activity. The construction of two regression models is carried out by means of multiple stepwise regression analysis with inclusion. In the first model, the variable response was the over-situational style of thinking of servicemen, determined by the questionnaire «Determination of the dominant level of problematicity in solving service-professional problem situations.» In the second model of the variable, the response was the type of professional thinking determined on the basis of the case method. Cadets’ metacognitive strategies were used as variable predictors. It was possible to establish that both regression models are statistically significant, the level of error probability is less than 0.01% and explain more than 40% of the variability of the variable responses. All metacognitive strategies (six variable predictors) in the first model have a statistically significant relationship with variable responses (p≤0.05). The predictive influence on the dominance of a certain type of professional thinking among cadets has the character of structural interaction. Metacognitive strategies such as information acquisition, concentration, time management and the level of reflection are facilitators for the formation of a supra-situational level of cadets’ professional thinking. Whereas metacognitive knowledge and metacognitive activity act as inhibitors.