Metacognition and Mathematical Problem-Solving Performance of Pre-Service Teachers

To prepare future educators in the field of teaching, they need to be equipped with the necessary competencies and skills. Metacognition and mathematical problem-solving skills are two of these crucial skills that they need to acquire. Hence, this study determined the role of metacognition in the problem-solving performance of pre-service teachers. It utilized the descriptive-correlational design to describe the metacognitive awareness, use of metacognition, and problem-solving performance of the 103 pre-service teachers. Further, the use and awareness of metacognition and mathematical problem-solving performance are correlated. The instruments used in gathering data are the MAI questionnaire and a mathematical problem-solving task. Findings revealed that the pre-service teachers are mindful of their metacognition and acknowledge declarative and procedural knowledge as key cognitive components in recalling significant mathematical concepts. Moreover, they plan and evaluate their strategies and procedures to complete more problem-solving tasks. They recognize the role of self-evaluation as an essential component of metacognition. This process helps the pre-service teachers to identify areas for improvement and develop more effective problem-solving strategies. Furthermore, satisfactory performance in mathematical problem-solving is attributed to the employment of metacognition. However, applying evaluation and planning requires time to accomplish mathematical problem-solving tasks. These significant components of metacognition identified in the current study are proposed to be considered in the Mathematics curriculum for their essential role in improving the problem-solving performance of pre-service teachers.