Metacognition as a factor of empowerment and development of learning skills in students

Abstract

The objective of this research article was to analyze the essential characteristics of metacognition present in the teaching processes of an educational institution, used as a didactic strategy for the development of learning skills in students. It was a mixed study, with field design and descriptive level, developed in a Colombian institution of secondary level and labor technical education located in the Cúcuta municipality, North Santander Department, Colombia. We worked with a population of 161 high school students and 25 teachers. The collection techniques were the survey for students and the interview for teachers. Regarding the questionnaire for students, a validated instrument from [1] was used, and for the interview, a script was designed and validated by expert judgment, based on the dimensions of [2]. For the student questionnaire, a Cronbach's Alpha of 0.873 was calculated, very comparable with the validated original. The study was divided into two stages: the handling of the elements of metacognition in the learning processes by the students; and the incorporation of metacognition as a strategy for the development of competencies by teachers. In the results, it was found that, from the perspective of the students, a latent weakness in learning based on goals and objectives, personal learning planning, and repetition or change of strategy to improve learning. Teachers have a high determination of metacognitive processes, with the contribution of detecting weaknesses that can hinder student metacognition in their teaching processes, being challenges for the improvement of teaching and learning processes based on metacognition.