The effect of metacognitive instruction: On learning of classification of living things , on development of metacognition strategies using and on winning of environmental sensitivity of the first grade of high school students

This research is an experimental study aiming at exaiming the effect of metacognitive strategie approach in the units of Classification Of Living Things, Consious İndividuals And Livable Environment in biology in the first grade of High school. The aim of the research is to determine whether there is a difference between metacognitive strategie approach and the traditional teaching method while teaching this unit.In this research `pre-test and post-test model with different control groups? was used. The study was carried out in the academic year of 2009-2010 in Pamukova High School in the County of Pamukova in Sakarya. This study was conducted in two different classes learning biology with the guidance of the same teacher. There were 30 students in the experimental group and 30 students in the control group. The experimental group was taught by worksheets and activities that were prepared in harmony with metacognitive strategie approach, while the lesson was conducted through the traditional method in the control group.As the data collection tool, a 30-question achievement test, which tested the unit metioned, was prepared by the researcher by utilizing various sources. In the other and environment attitude scale which was improved by ERTEN (2004) is used. İn addition to measuring the edaquacy of using metacognition strategies GÖSÖ (Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire) were used. This test was administered to the experimental and the control groups before the study and at the end of it. ANOVA and t- test was performed.The results indicated that students in the metacognitive treatment group (experimental group) significantly improved in both environment achievement and metacognitive skills, and this improvement was more than the control group?s either problem solving achievement or metacognitive skills. The students in the non-metacognitive group (control group) did not show any improvement significantly (p>0,05).