Metacognitive Learning Strategies for University Students: The Higher School for Education and Training (E.S.E.F.K) Students as a case study

Abstract

Metacognitive learning strategies come to foster active forms of learning using various modalities that the learners employ in order to optimize one’s brain potency and capability of function. A plethora of research has been conducted regarding metacognitive learning strategies in various disciplines. Research on comparing the utility of use of learning strategies in two different modules for the same category of students in higher education as well as investigating the factors that push students resort to a set of learning strategies at the expense of others when the subject matter changes is the main objective of the current study. Evidently, the variety of learning strategies accounts for the differences in individuals’ learning capacities, especially when the students shift from one area of inquiry to another within the same span of time. In this vein, the objective behind this work is to test whether students employ different metacognitive learning strategies to achieve comprehension and self-regulation in two different school subjects for the same group having the same tutor in both subjects, or that their brains function similarly regardless of the acquired element (Grammar and reading comprehension) are the case. Therefore, an empirical study based on mixed method approach is used to pinpoint the different metacognitive strategies utilised by students in these subjects to achieve comprehension. A questionnaire was first utilized to find out the learning strategies students use and the variables responsible for students’ full comprehension achievement. Second, interviewing students about how they employ the aforementioned strategies in their tasks comes to complete the vision of the study. The participants are S2 students in English department in the higher school of Education and training in kénitra (E.S.E.F.k). A mixed group of 32 students divided between 7 males and 25 females. Recommendations and implications will also be discussed in the study.