探討後設認知能力對國中生類比學習成果之影響-以比熱和熱平衡概念為例

Abstract

後設認知能力為科學學習之重要成分，若學習者在學習過程中能運用後設認知策略，則能監控、反思自己的學習行為，並找出和調整最適合自己的學習策略。先前研究指出，後設認知能力在類比學習過程中可能扮演重要角色(Cheshire, Ball, & Lewis, 2005 ; Mason,1994)，然而有關後設認知能力對類比推理能力之影響，在過去研究並未有較深入的探討。因此本研究目的有二:首先欲分析後設認知能力與類比推理的成果是否有關，其次則探討後設認知能力在類比推理過程所扮演的角色。 本研究採質量混合設計，以比熱和熱平衡概念設計結構相似類比，並以Teaching with Analogies (TWA)模式進行類比教學。研究對象為常態分班的國中二年級四個班級，全體學生於教學前進行比熱和熱平衡概念測驗前測和後設認知自陳量表。接受類比學習活動後，學生即完成類比過程後設認知自陳量表和比熱、熱平衡類比回憶問題，以分析其類比學習成果和後設認知表現高、低是否有關。另外研究者根據一般性後設認知自陳量表總分，於每班自後設認知表現高、中、低組各選取2名，每班共6名，共計24名學生進行類比推理的訪談，在訪談過程中要求學生放聲思考並錄影及錄音，以針對學生所展現的類比推理能力和後設認知能力進行編碼和分析。 結果顯示高後設認知能力組的學生在經過類比活動後，於比熱和熱平衡類比回憶問題之表現顯著優於中、低後設認知能力組學生的表現，但三組學生於比熱和熱平衡概念後測與延宕測表現則無顯著差別。研究結果亦發現，類比過程後設認知自陳表現和概念前測表現對類比回憶問題表現有顯著預測力，顯示後設認知能力和科學概念的理解與類比推理表現息息相關。針對不同後設認知能力學習者的類比推理訪談過程進行分析，研究結果顯示後設認知表現在類比推理的各階段皆扮演重要的角色，具有高後設認知能力的學習者，在類比推理的處理/提取資訊階段能完整分析任務訊息、在類比物和標的物的配對過程中則能監控所使用的相關科學概念和配對及推論過程，以降低過程中的推理失誤、或於出現失誤時能及時覺察而回頭檢視並提出修正，因此多能成功利用類比物推論至標的物，展現高層次的類比推理能力。反之，後設認知能力較低的學習者則於類比推理過程中鮮少進行監控，因而產生推理失誤而不自覺，僅能指認類比物的部分基礎對應或複雜對應，類比推理能力層次較低。 本研究顯示在類比推理過程中，學習者的後設認知表現對其類比推理過程與表現有重要的影響。

Metacognition is an important element of scientific learning. A metacognitive learner can monitor and reflect on their learning processes and adjust accordingly. Previous studies have indicated that metacognition may play a major role in processes of learning with analogies. We feel that a more thorough study is needed to explore the influence of metacognition on students’ performance of analogical reasoning. Thus, a purpose of our study was to examine whether students’ metacognitive ability is a significant predictor of their analogical reasoning performance . Secondly, we would like to explore the role that metacognition may play in the analogical reasoning process. This study took a mixed-method approach. Two analogies were developed for concepts about specific heat and heat equilibrium, and four classes of the 8th graders received a analogical instruction with Teaching with Analogies (TWA) Model. All students completed a pretest on heat concepts and a self-reported metacognitive inventory prior to the instruction. After the instruction, a self-reported topic-specific metacognitive inventory and an analogical reasoning test were given to the students to understand the relationship between their performance of analogical learning and their metacognitive ability. In addition, students with high, moderate, and low metacognitive ability were invited (eight from each group, a total of twenty-four students) for an analogical reasoning interview. Students were to think-aloud during the interview, and the interviews were coded for students’ metacognitive behaviors and their ability of analogical reasoning. Results showed that students with high metacognitive ability were significantly outperformed than their counter parts on the analogical reasoning test. No significant difference was found on the post and the postponed tests of heat concept among the three groups. Findings of the regression analysis showed both scores on the self-reported topic-specific metacognitive inventory and the pretest of heat concept were significant predictors for the students’ performance of analogical reasoning. In addition, analyses of the interviews suggested that metacognition played an important role across all phases of analogical reasoning. Students with high metacognitive ability could conduct a thorough task analysis at the beginning of analogical reasoning. While mapping the base analogy with the target concept, they monitored steps of mapping and inferring process as well as their use of scientific concepts. They often evaluated their answers and corrected mistakes if there were any. Therefore, they could infer the target concept from the base and demonstrated a higher level of analogical reasoning. On the other hand, monitoring was not often observed on students with low metacognitive ability during the analogical reasoning process. They had difficulties in mapping the base with the target concept,and therefore, exhibited a low ability of analogical reasoning. In sum, findings of our study indicated that metacognitive ability is essential for better performance of analogical learning. Increasing students’ metacognitive ability may aid their outcomes of learning with analogies