Metacognition in the leadership classroom: a study of the efficacy of metacognitive instructional strategies for content knowledge acquisition
Benjamin BrooksPurpose
The purpose of this research study is to examine if using metacognition in Leadership Studies courses can enhance student learning of Leadership Studies content.
Design/methodology/approach
This quasi-experimental study was conducted in several sections of the introductory leadership course in a Leadership Studies minor program at a large, public university in the southeast United States. The study used a pre- and post-test to compare content knowledge acquisition between a comparison group that received non-metacognitive instruction and an intervention group that received metacognitive instruction.
Findings
Data analysis indicated that the intervention group produced greater gains in content knowledge acquisition than did the comparison group. These results were statistically significant and showed a moderate effect size.
Research limitations/implications
A quasi-experimental study of this nature cannot determine causality. More research should be conducted either in a controlled, laboratory environment that can potentially demonstrate causality or in similar instruction scenarios to attempt to replicate the results of this study.
Originality/value
While there is a substantial body of literature exploring the efficacy of metacognitive instruction, very little of that research has been conducted in Leadership Studies and even less has been specifically focused on content knowledge acquisition in a leadership learning context. The results of this study suggest that metacognitive instruction is a pedagogical strategy leadership instructors can effectively use to develop leadership learners' content knowledge.