The effect of metacognitive activities on the success, attitude and metacognitive skills of 6 th graders (Kars/Kağızman Böcüklü Middle School example)

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of the Science lesson with metacognitive activities to the academic success, attitudes and metacognitive skills of the students. This study employs a Mixed Research Method, in which quantitative and qualitative research methods are used combined. The group of the study consists of 11 students of 6th grade in a middle school in Kağızman – Kars during 2018-2019 education year. Diaries, schematic editors and work sheets were used as the metacognitive activities. During the data collection, a success test for the unit "Bodily Systems", Science Lesson Attitude Test, Deed Learning Approach Scale, Surface Learning Approach Test, Metacognitive Scale were used as pre-tests and post-tests. The quantitative data of the study was analyzed via a statistical software (SPSS). At the analysis of the quantitative data Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test were employed. In the comparisons, the meaningfulness level was taken as 0.05. In gathering the quantitative data of the study, the written opinions of the students were taken with the "open-ended survey form" after the application finished in order to analyze the changes in the metacognitive processes. Content analysis was used for analyzing the quantitative data. According to the results of quantitative data in the research conducted with activities based on metacognition, students' score from VSBT increased significantly.It was observed that Science Lesson Attitude Test pre-test post-test scores were very close to each other, although the pre-test score average increased. The average in the Metacognitive Scale's sub-dimensions of metacognitive knowledge and metacognitive regulation was observed to decrease. While there wasn't any significant difference in Metacognitive Scale's dimension of metacognitive regulation in the post-test, the pre-test average in the sub-dimension of metacognitive knowledge was statistically significant. It was observed that the average of Deed Learning Approach Scale's post-test score increased. This difference was determined to be significant. However, the average of Surface Learning Approach Test's post-test score decreased. This difference was not determined to be significant. According to the results of the qualitative data; They found science and science lessons enjoyable and educational activities and activities and stated that this design developed 21st century skills such as for creative thinking and communication. Also, working as a group for events and learning some science concepts in the event were among the positive opinions about the events. According to the results obtained from the research, the researchers and educators were advised considering the metacognitive activities. Keywords: Metacognition, Science Teaching, Metacognitive Process, Metacognitive Activities