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Metacognitive Learning in the Middle School Biology Classroom: a tool for preparing problem solvers in a time of rapid ecological change?
Collaborators: Andrea Deutsch (North Pole Middle School), Dr. Christa Mulder and Dr. Laura Conner (UAF)
Funding: UAF Resilience and Adaptation Program (NSF IGERT), UAF Changing Alaska Science Education (NSF GK12)
As the world undergoes rapid social and ecological change, there is increasing motivation for society to enhance the resilience of social-ecological systems (Chapin et al. 2009). Building adaptive capacity, or the capacity of human actors to respond to or shape the consequences of change in a system, is often cited as a mechanism through which societies can enhance the resiliency of social-ecological systems (Adger et al. 2005). Adaptive capacity can increase as groups and individuals gain the skills necessary to navigate change, such as flexibility, innovative and critical thinking, and the ability to form collaborative social networks (Chapin et al. 2009). Therefore, learning processes will dictate the ability of humans to gain these skills. Many education scholars argue that an increased emphasis on metacognitive skills in science education, such as critical and reflexive thinking, may help to build adaptive capacity of individuals and societies (sensu Bransford et al. 2000, Fazey et al. 2007).
Research Objective: Assess if explicitly embedding metacognitive learning into 7th grade student biology curriculum improves critical and adaptive thinking ability in an ecological problem-solving context.
Key Question:
Do metacognitive learning interventions in the biology classroom affect student ability to perform "resilience thinking" tasks?
Method:
- Student resilience thinking skills were assessed using a written pre-test. This assessment used the earlier invasive plants module as a context to pose several science-based environmental problem solving questions. Student answers were evaluated on a list of thinking skills that adaptation and resilience theorists have suggested will help communities sustain in the face of climate change.
Key characteristics of resilient and adaptive thinkers prepared to address climate change issues in social-ecological systems:
- ability to interpret and apply new scientific information
- ability to think critically to solve complex problems (Chapin et al. 2010)
- ability to envision multiple scenarios and prioritize most probable outcomes (Kofinas 2010)
- Ability to view problems within a social-ecological system context (Chapin et al. 2010)
- ability to think about future events or future desired ecological states and anticipate the consequences of present actions (Ascher 2009, Tschakert et al 2010, Tidball and Krasny 2011)
- ability to make bold decisions in the face of uncertainty (MEA 2005, Fazey et al. 2007, Chapin et al. 2010)
- The Metacognitive Activities Inventory, a tested and validated metacognition evaluation tool, was used to gauge student thinking about their own thinking processes prior to the metacognitive learning intervention.
- A six week module on ecological/biological topics, with an invasive plants strand running through the lessons, was taught to all class periods. 2 class periods (approximately 25 students per class) were taught using standard guided inquiry instructional strategies, and 2 class periods were taught using guided inquiry with a 5-10 minute metacognitive intervention 3-5 times a week added to instruction.
- Class periods were selected based on average class standardized test scores and time of day the class period was held to balance the experimental design.
- The same assessment of resilience thinking skills in the pre-assessment was used as a post-test given after the 6 week module and metacognitive intervention was complete. The Metacognitive Activities Inventory was also repeated after the module was completed.
- Interviews of students in both treatment groups were conducted upon completion of the module.
Key Results:
- Over the long term, we found a modest increase in the metacognitive ability of students who received the daily metacognitive journaling exercise. Interview data suggest that the structured metacognitive practice did most to improve the resilience thinking level of students who had low resilience thinking ability prior to the intervention period. However, the interaction between pre-treatment ability level and the treatment group was not detected in the written assessment data. These data suggest that the metacognitive learning intervention we used can benefit metacognitive ability over the long term, but has limited transferability to resilience thinking skills for most students.
Publications:
- Spellman, K.V., A. Deutsch, C.P.H. Mulder, and L.D. Carsten-Conner. 2016. Metacognitive learning in the ecology classroom: a tool for preparing problem solvers in a time of rapid change? Ecosphere 7(8):e01411.10.1002/ecs2.1411.
- Poster for the North American Association of Environmental Educators, Oct. 2013, Baltimore, MD
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