ENHANCING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS: APPLYING DESIGN THINKING TO METACOGNITION AND COGNITIVE ABILITY PREDICTORS

Abstract

Twenty first century skills is one of the most discussed topics in the last decade. Studies and experiments are done in all levels of education on developing these essential skills in the learners. In this context, the researcher tried to find the nature of relation between Meta-cognition, cognitive ability and the academic achievement applying the principles of Design Thinking. Design thinking involving five major steps namely, empathise, define , prototype , ideate and test were used when considering the preparation of test and materials. Prospective teachers were considered as sample for this study. 191 B.Ed. students from a College of Education were taken as the sample for this study. Meta-cognitive Inventory, Cognitive Ability Test and Achievement Test were used for collecting the data. Pearson’s Product moment correlation and Regression analysis was done. This study records a positive, linear correlation between the three selected variables. The study also records meta-cognition and cognitive ability of prospective teachers as predictors of their academic achievement.

Keywords: Academic achievement, cognitive ability, Meta-cognition, prospective teachers