Thesis (Ed.D.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of metacognitive strategy reading instruction on sixth grade students' content reading comprehension. Forty-one students in two sixth grade social studies classes participated in the study. Twenty students in the treatment social studies class were taught the purpose and value, as well as the techniques of self-monitoring of the summarizing strategy to help them recall and organize key information from their social studies textbook. Twenty-one students in the control group were taught summarizing as a cognitive reading strategy without the metacognitive components of value, purpose, and selfmonitoring. The two social studies classes had no significant differences on pre-test measures of formal and informal reading comprehension. After a 1 0-week study period, the posttest results of the two groups were compared to determine the effects of the strategy instruction on the students' content reading comprehension. Significant differences were found on the posttest scores of metacognitive strategy knowledge and informal reading comprehension measures between the treatment and the control group that could be attributed to the metacognitive strategy instruction. Metacognitive strategy instruction was the most effective in increasing the reading comprehension of high-ability treatment students, although it also increased the content comprehension of the low and average ability readers. These findings suggest that metacognitive strategy instruction including the value, purpose, and self-monitoring of the summarizing strategy is more effective in increasing reading comprehension than the summarizing strategy alone. Students in the treatment group were observed beginning to use the summarizing strategy independently in their social studies class. Thirteen students in each class were interviewed about their use of reading strategies, their strengths and weaknesses as readers, and their opinion and approaches to the social studies textbook. These same students were observed reading the social studies textbook using a think-aloud procedure and in their social studies class, to better determine if there were any differences between strategies mentioned and those used in the process of reading. Students in both the control and treatment groups mentioned the use of more pre-reading strategies than they actually used while reading. These students used more during and after reading strategies while reading in their social studies class. / 2031-01-01

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This study focused on exploring various dimensions of metacognitive knowledge developed by advanced readers in academic contexts, and explaining their behaviors of using strategies and their languages from metacognitive perspectives. The findings of this study were further discussed with respect to good readers’ characteristics of utilizing their knowledge, strategy and language resources metacognitively in their reading comprehension process. The types of metacognitive knowledge and the ways this knowledge is involved in the reading comprehension process do not seem to vary much according to the languages (L1 or L2) of given tasks. No matter in what languages they were asked to read academic texts, the participants were influenced by their goal and interest, as these played a critical role in guiding the reading comprehension process. While reading academic texts, both languages of these advanced readers actively interacted. First, the readers used their two linguistic resources in processing information of the text. The readers processed information by means of simplifying or elaborating information using their two languages. Secondly, they used their two languages interactively during the entire reading process, from planning, monitoring, and evaluating, to writing a summary. With the findings of this study, theoretical, methodological, and educational implications are made respectively. Finally, several contextual limitations of this study are acknowledged, requiring cautions in interpreting the findings of this study, and calling for future studies. / text

Properly tuned metacognitive knowledge is important for setting up realistic learning goals. One of the more robust findings in metacognitive science, the delayed JOL effect, pertains to the fact that delaying judgments of learning (JOL) leads to more accurate monitoring of one’s learning. Thirty students were tested on their knowledge of metacognitive strategies. They were asked to study paired associates, make JOLs, and were later tested with a cued recall test, as well asked about the efficacy of strategies for making JOLs. There was a significant positive effect in monitoring accuracy, from delaying JOLs, yet the participants showed poor explicit knowledge of it, and neither did their choice of strategy improve with task experience. The results demonstrate the important role of correct assessment during ongoing learning, and that even experienced learners, such as, university undergraduates are seemingly unaware of which strategies lead to optimal monitoring.

Listening comprehension plays a vital role in Chinese students’ acquisitionof English; however, the current situation of students’ listening comprehension learning is notsatisfactory. As one category of learning strategies, metacognitive strategies are essential forsuccessful learning. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate the students’ frequency ofmetacognitive strategy use, and the relationship between their use of metacognitive strategiesand their performance in a listening comprehension test from the TEM-4 test. 100sophomores of English major were chosen to participate in the test and then divided into threelevels based on their scores. Afterwards, 10 students from each level were randomly selected,which means there was a total of 30 students and they were asked to participate in thequestionnaire. Through the data collected from the listening comprehension test and thequestionnaire, the investigation finds that on the whole, the 30 students use metacognitivestrategies in the medium level. By comparison, the students in the three groups utilizemetacognitive strategies in different levels. Moreover, there is a positive relationship between30 students’ frequency of metacognitive strategy use and their performance in the listeningcomprehension test. However, there are 4 students whose frequency of metacognitive strategyuse and scores in the listening comprehension test show a negative relationship. Thus, aninterview was conducted among them to find the reasons. These include that they havedifferent difficulties in using metacognitive strategies or dealing with the listeningcomprehension tasks, and then some suggestions are put forward to help teachers improvetheir teaching quality, and students enhance their listening comprehension abilities.

This study was designed to investigate practical and effective methods of increasing reading compliance, reading comprehension, and metacognitive reading strategies in the college classroom. Participants were recruited from Delta State University, a small university located in Cleveland, MS. There were 148 students who completed the study. 50% of these participants were Caucasian and 42% were African American. The average age of the participant was 20.0 years of age. Students were primarily freshman and sophomore undergraduate students taking a Psychology course. The following instruments were used during the course of this study: The Nelson Denny Reading Test, The College Textbook Questionnaire, The Survey of Reading Compliance (pretest and posttest), two teacher-made comprehension tests, and the Metacognitive Reading Strategies Questionnaire (pretest and posttest). The independent variables in this study were the threat of the Monte Carlo quiz and the availability of the Reader’s Guide. Dependent variables included the scores from the Survey of Reading Compliance (pretest and posttest), scores from the comprehension (pretest and posttest), and scores from the Metacognitive Reading Strategies (pretest and posttest). Results from this study suggested that the majority of college undergraduates reported reading their course textbook 2 hours or less per week. According to the results from the Nelson Denny Reading Test, undergraduates scored relatively high on comprehension. However, performance on the teacher-made comprehension tests based on textbook material was very low. The Metacognitive Reading Strategies Questionnaire suggested that undergraduates are utilizing some basic metacognitive reading strategies, but do not use more sophisticated strategies. The threat of the Monte Carlo quiz had no statistically significant effect on reading compliance, comprehension, or metacognitive reading strategies. The Reader’s Guide did not have a statistically significant effect on reading compliance or comprehension. However, students exposed to the Reader’s Guide experienced a statistically significant increase in the use of metacognitive strategies.

Explicit metacognitive instruction is hypothesised to have positive consequences for the cognitive processing skills of learners, resulting in improved academic performance. Such instruction is likely to be beneficial across the curriculum, but particularly for reading, as low literacy levels are reported in South Africa. A paradigm shift in instruction appears necessary to enhance the current literacy levels in South African schools. This study examined the impact of a Cognitive Enrichment Advantage (CEA), metacognitive intervention on reading comprehension in 83 Grade six learners in two mainstream government schools in Gauteng. Its theoretical and conceptual basis was informed by Vygotsky’s theory of the Zone of Proximal Development and Feuerstein’s theory of Structural Cognitive Modifiability. The study utilised a pre-and post-test, mixed methods, quasi-experimental and cross-lagged research design. The metacognitive intervention was presented to two groups within the experimental school, each with 28 learners, who received the intervention over two phases in the school year (Group one in Term 1 and Group 2 in Term 2). The control school received only regular classroom teaching and served as a comparison against which the experimental school could be measured. Standardised quantitative data was collected from the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS) and the Joint Education Trust (JET) reading comprehension test. Qualitative data was collected from semi-structured interviews, sentence completion tasks, focus groups and feedback from the teacher and parents, pre- and post-intervention. The results indicated that the learners in the experimental school did not show any statistically significant differences in their reading comprehension or CAS scores following the intervention, when compared to the control school. However, the qualitative data revealed increased awareness of the effects of the metacognitive instruction on reading in particular and on learning in general. The intervention also provided opportunities for the learners to reflect on their thinking processes through group discussions, as well as individual tasks. Transfer of skills taught in the intervention could not be confirmed, as post-test results may reflect application when assessed immediately following the intervention, but may not necessarily indicate precise or sustained transfer. Nevertheless, increased learner, parent and teacher metacognitive awareness was evident in the qualitative responses following the intervention and this provides an indication for how educational pedagogy in South Africa could be adjusted. Metacognitive instruction promotes reflection, evaluation and monitoring of thinking and learning processes which may not be observed on the quantitative measures over the duration of this study, but may need a longer period to become consolidated and transfer to other areas. This study contributed to the knowledge base regarding cognitive education, by demonstrating the qualitative value of explicit metacognitive instruction in reading comprehension.

This PhD investigated the efficacy of individual therapies for depression and went on to test metacognitive therapy (MCT) for major depressive disorder (MDD) in individual therapy and in transdiagnostic groups consisting of a range of disordersStudy 1 included a systematic review of meta-analyses comparing the effects of individual therapy for MDD across studies. The findings show small to moderate effect sizes between g=0.25 to d= 0.69 and recovery rates 34% to 47.9% for ITT analyses. However, studies are biased and lack objective definitions of recovery, remission and clinically meaningful change which makes comparisons across studies challenging. Study 2 aimed to test MCT in a single case study with four depressed Danes in an outpatient setting. Three out of four patients reached recovery levels (BDI-II smaller or equal to 8) in only five to eleven sessions and all four patients were recovered at 6-months follow-up. Study 3 involved a large randomised clinical trial (n= 153) in which the effect of MCT was compared to cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for MDD. Patients were allocated to up to 24 sessions of treatment and were assessed at pre, post and 6 months follow-up on primary and secondary measures. The mean number of sessions were significantly lower for MCT (5.5; SD = 2.4 versus 6.7; SD = 4.7) and MCT showed a higher completion rate (73.6% versus 65.4%). Both treatments were associated with significant improvements in depression measured with the HDRS and BDI-II. MCT was superior in its effects on the BDI-II and on secondary measures, showing a clear advantage of MCT. . Large ES were detected in both MCT and CBT. Using Jacobson and Truax (1991) criteria revealed that 76% reached recovery levels at post-treatment in MCT whereas 54% reached recovery in CBT. These findings were maintained for both conditions at 6-months follow-up. Study 4 evaluated the effect of MCT in a 6-week treatment protocol for mixed groups of diagnosis in an open trial (n= 131). Significant improvements were observed in outcomes and 85% of patients were reliably improved at post-treatment as measured on the HADS. These findings were maintained at follow- up and the treatment appeared effective in both anxious and depressed cases. In conclusion existing treatments for depression are effective but there is much room for increasing efficacy. MCT appeared more effective than a current treatment of choice; CBT in depression. MCT was also associated with significant improvement in anxiety and depression in patients in a transdiagnostic group setting. The results support the future study and implementation of MCT as an effective treatment option.

<p>This study was conducted to examine the primary theoretical relation between metacognition andmindfulness. 98 university students participated, the possible influence of their age and number ofeducation years on the concepts were also examined. A short version of the MetacognitiveAwareness Inventory along with the Philadelphia Mindfulness Scale were employed to measure theconcepts. The results indicated that awareness, a central component of mindfulness wassignificantly related to metacognition. The results suggest that the concepts to some extent areinterrelated. Comparisons were made between students above, and below the median of age (22),and education years (1.5); no significant differences in metacognition or mindfulness were found.Neither were age and education years together significantly associated with the concepts.</p>

This study was conducted to examine the primary theoretical relation between metacognition andmindfulness. 98 university students participated, the possible influence of their age and number ofeducation years on the concepts were also examined. A short version of the MetacognitiveAwareness Inventory along with the Philadelphia Mindfulness Scale were employed to measure theconcepts. The results indicated that awareness, a central component of mindfulness wassignificantly related to metacognition. The results suggest that the concepts to some extent areinterrelated. Comparisons were made between students above, and below the median of age (22),and education years (1.5); no significant differences in metacognition or mindfulness were found.Neither were age and education years together significantly associated with the concepts.