Metacognitive Skills of Malaysian Students in Non-Routine Mathematical Problem Solving

Abdul Halim Abdullah,Sharifah Nurarfah S. Abd Rahman,Mohd Hilmi Hamzah

doi:10.1590/1980-4415v31n57a15

Abstract

Abstract Metacognitive skills play an important role in solving mathematical problems. However, there is a lack of empirical studies on the role of metacognitive skills in solving mathematical problems, particularly non-routine ones. Therefore, this study was undertaken to identify students' metacognitive skills and the impact of such skills on non-routine mathematical problem solving. By using a quantitative method, a total of 304 students in Johor Bahru district were involved in the study. A Self-Monitoring Questionnaire (SMQ) and a mathematical test were used in data collection. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, the Mann-Whitney U test, and the Kruskal-Wallis H test. Results showed that the level of the students' performance in solving non-routine mathematical problems was very low. There was also a significant difference in the metacognitive skills among students with different performance levels in solving non-routine mathematical problems, and we concluded that these metacognitive skills should be emphasised in this process.

Highlights

Problem solving in the context of education has received much attention these days
8.2% (25) and 19.1% (58) of respondents showed high and very high performance levels, respectively. This shows that the majority of the respondents in this study had a low performance level in solving non-routine mathematical problems
These findings echo those in Abdul Halim Abdullah et al (2014) in Malaysia, in which the teachers’ skill in solving non-routine mathematical problems was found to be weak despite having a good knowledge about non-routine problem solving

Summary

Introduction

Problem solving in the context of education has received much attention these days. Its importance is recognised at the national level (Ministry of Education or MOE, 2006), and at the international level (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics or NCTM, 2000). Problem solving is considered as the most important cognitive activity in daily life (Jonassen, 2000; Elia et al, 2009). The problem solving process has always been the fundamental and primary area in research since the early 1980’s (Bayat & Tarmizi, 2010). Problem solving is a cognitive process that requires a solution for a given problem (Yingxu & Chiew, 2010; Dusek & Ayhan 2014). Students need to equip themselves with appropriate skills in the problem solving process, in solving problems that require ‘Higher Order Thinking Skills’ (HOTS)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion