Metacognitive Orientation of the Class and the Students\' Metacognitive Awareness and Academic Achievement

Metacognitive Orientation of the Class and the Students' Metacognitive Awareness and Academic Achievement R. Chaalmeh M. Foolaadchang, Ph.D. Given that the metacognitive orientation of a group of students depends on their metacognitive awareness, to assess the strength of this relation and its role in academic achievement, a cluster sample of 213 high school students with the average age of 16.88 years was given two measures on metacognitive orientation and awareness. Data analyses confirmed the existence of a significant and positive relationship between the three constructs. Furthermore, students' metacognitive awareness is a function of classroom interaction, group metacognitive demands, and teachers' support and encouragement; just as academic achievement is best predicted by the same factors. Although there was no gender difference in metacognitive constructs, a significant difference between male and female students in academic achievement was observed. Key words: classroom metacognitive orientation, metacognitive awareness, metacognitive regulation, academic achievement