The effects of a metacognitive strategies program on academic performance, perceived success and control for adults returning to school for academic upgrading

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence and effectiveness of a metacognitive strategies program for adult-upgrading students on their perceived control and perceived success in the academic setting, as well as performance on a reading comprehension or math assessment. As evidenced in the research pertaining to children, academic success has been closely associated with metacognitive awareness, particularly related to perceived control and perceived success. These two areas are considered integral components of attribution, metacognition and adult learning. For educators to be able to assist adults returning to school, it is important to ascertain if metacognitive training indeed changes perceived control and success as well as performance on academic tasks.; This research used a pre/post experimental design. The experimental group was composed of four intact English Cognitive strategies classes as well as two Math Cognitive Strategies classes. Two intact English classes and one intact Math class made up the control group.; The data were collected at a vocational college in a large city in Alberta over two semesters (one school year). During the first semester, data from 135 students were collected to develop and assess the reliability and validity of a Perception of Academic Achievement Scale (PAAS) as well as to gather data for the experimental portion of the assessment. A total of 98 students participated in experimental and control groups in order to obtain pre and post data in the area of English and Math.; The PAAS was developed and results of reliability and validity measures lent both theoretical and statistical support for the use of the PAAS in measuring perception of control and perception of success. An interaction was found for reading comprehension as measured by the Canadian Achievement Test for Adults for the experimental group. The experimental group displayed a distinct trend for greater positive change over time in perception of success as compared to controls in the English area. No significant group differences were observed for perception of control. As well, no significant differences were noted between the experimental and control groups for the math area in any of the variables measured. Educational and research implications are discussed as well as limitations of the study.