Comparison of metacognitive orientation between Thai Urban and rural physics classrooms

Abstract

The concept of metacognition which refers to the knowledge of an individual's control and awareness of their learning processes can be used to build Thai students’ higher-thinking skills. This research aimed to describe the metacognitive orientation of the teaching and learning environment in Thai physics classrooms between urban and rural schools. It looks at situations that support the development of metacognition among the students in the classroom. The target group of the research is Grade 10 students in two urban and two rural schools in Khon Kaen Province. This research uses both quantitative and qualitative method. The MOLES-S instrument (Thomas, 2003) for evaluating students’ metacognition is used to show how the learning environment in the physics classroom is able to support students’ metacognition in the Thai context. This instrument is based on sociocultural view of learning which impact on the process of students’ thinking, for instance, the interaction of teachers, students, and the classroom environment have important impact on students’ thinking. The MOLES-S survey showed that the students in Thai Physics classrooms lack in metacognition. The implication of this is that students in both the urban and rural schools need to develop metacognition orientation in their physics classrooms to enhance their learning and achievement.