METACOGNITIVE AWARENESS AMONG FIRST-YEAR TEACHER EDUCATION STUDENTS IN A STATE UNIVERSITY

This study focuses on the metacognitive awareness of first-year teacher education students. Through its sub-dimensions, including declarative, procedural, conditional knowledge, planning, monitoring, and evaluation, the research used the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) to determine students' knowledge and regulation of cognition. The results showed that students generally have high metacognitive awareness, revealing high comprehension monitoring and adaptive learning strategies. However, some areas, including memory retention and visual learning strategies, were shown to need improvement. It also investigated whether metacognitive awareness varied by sex, socioeconomic status, and academic program. Results showed no significant differences based on sex or socioeconomic background, indicating that these variables do not meaningfully impact metacognitive development. The levels of metacognition were consistent across programs, although minor differences in evaluative skills indicated some differences between the two programs. These findings suggest the need for targeted interventions that focus on specific metacognitive skills and emphasize the influence of educational experiences on those capabilities. The findings highlight the importance of promoting metacognitive awareness in teacher education and provide a foundation for future research and pedagogical approaches to enhance the development of reflective and self-regulated learners among prospective teachers.