The effects of extended monitoring training on performance and monitoring accuracy of pre-service teachers
Conference:
ECER 2003
Format:
Paper

Session Information

Session 6B, Network 10 papers

Papers

Time:
2003-09-19
09:00-10:30
Room:
Chair:
Marian Fitzmaurice

Contribution

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of extended monitoring training and feedback upon pre- service teachers' monitoring accuracy in an educational psychology class. Metacognition refers to any knowledge or cognitive activity that takes as its object, or regulates, any aspect of any cognitive enterprise (Flavell, 1979; Flavell, Miller, & Miller, 2002, p. 164). Monitoring is one dimension of metacognitive regulation and refers to one's awareness of comprehension during the reading process and task performance while performing the specific task. The ability to accurately monitor performance alerts students of their need to adjust to the learning environment, and make tactical decisions regarding their education (Everson & Tobias, 2001). Butler & Winne (1995) include accurate monitoring as an essential component to self-regulation. The extent to which environmental factors can influence one's ability to monitor more accurately is currently the focus attention in monitoring studies (Nietfeld & Schraw, 2002; Lin, & Zabrucky, 1998, 2002). Yet, little attention has been given to long-term interventions as most studies rely on the "one-shot" intervention approach. The subjects of our study included two sections of an educational psychology class. One class (N=45) received weekly monitoring training and feedback and the other class functioned as a control group (N=37). Pretests determined that both groups were equivalent in terms of their initial understanding and knowledge of educational psychology and monitoring accuracy. The class met once per week throughout the semester. At the end of each class for the training group students were given a review form that asked them 1) to rate their understanding of the day's content on a 100-point scale, 2) what concepts they found most difficult to understand, 3) specifically, what would they do to improve their understanding, and finally 4) three review questions of the day's material followed by a confidence judgment for each (100-point scale). The review questions were answered and discussed before class ended. The students then kept a copy of the review for a portfolio to be handed in at the end of class. The control group class simply ended each week without any such review. The dependent measures for the study included performance scores and monitoring accuracy scores for three quizzes and a final exam. Performance was measured using the number of test items answered correctly on each of the four tests. Monitoring accuracy was measured with an index described by Keren (1991) and Yates (1990). The accuracy score (calibration) consisted of the absolute value of the difference between the confidence judgment and performance for each test item, summed over all items on a test and divided by the total number of items. In addition to the weekly feedback the training group were also presented with their overall accuracy scores and bias scores (the extent to which they were over or under confident) after the tests were handed back. Results (using independent t-tests) showed that there were no differences between the two classes after the initial quiz on performance or monitoring accuracy. However, on each of the next two quizzes and final exam the training class both performed significantly better and monitored significantly more accurately. This finding leads to important classroom implications for pre-service teacher training because it shows the importance of extended, distributed training and feedback on monitoring ability. The evidence further suggests the need to incorporate explicit activities in the classroom designed to improve metacognitive skills in order to increase the chance of developing reflective practitioners. *Note: Findings from two more classes (one training, one control) will be analyzed and reported during the presentation.

Author Information

State University of West Georgia
North Carolina State University

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