The analysis of the problem solving processes of the prospective teachers of science and technology with high and low performance in solving physic problems from the aspect of metacognition

In this research, the effect of metacognition in showing high and low performance by prospective teachers of science and technology in solving physics problems has been analyzed. The research has been conducted on total 30 prospective teachers of science and technology out of which 15 teachers having high performance and the other 15 teachers having low performance in solving physics problems. The data of the study, which was a qualitative causal comparative research, were all collected through observing and interviewing. Within the scope of the research, descriptive models explaining the processes of solving physics problems by prospective teachers of science and technology with high and low performance were developed; the processes of solving physics? problems were analyzed in terms of metacognition; and metacognitive skill levels were compared.The descriptive models that were developed within the scope of the research have introduced that the problem solving processes of prospective teachers of science and technology with high performance have shown a cyclic decision-making period, although the problem solving processes of prospective teachers of science and technology with low performance have shown a linear character in decision-making period. Furthermore, the findings of this study have presented that the prospective teachers of science and technology with high performance in solving physics problems have used more meta-cognitive attitudes and have been better from the aspects of attention, manner and effort, which are included in metacognitive dimensions, when compared to the ones with low performance. When the meta-cognitive skill scores of those two groups of the prospective teachers of science and technology were compared, a meaningful difference has been found for the benefit of the group with high performance in solving physics problems.The findings of the study have introduced that the problem solving processes of the prospective teachers of Science and Technology with high and low performance have significantly differentiated from the aspect of meta-cognition. As a result, it has been figured out that metacognition may be effective in having high or low performance in solving physics problems by the prospective teachers of science and technology.