Investigation of the correlation between college students’ success with stoichiometry subproblems and metacognitive awareness

Abstract

The development of problem-solving skills — particularly with stoichiometry concepts — is paramount for succeeding in a general chemistry sequence. Key concepts related to problem solving and stoichiometry were analyzed and reported in this paper. The study analyzed retention of stoichiometry concepts over two consecutive quarters, the correlations between metacognition and success, and the correlations between the COSINE (Coding System for Investigating Subproblems and the Network) codes with the categories measured by the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI). Two cohorts, identified as the general and focus groups, were evaluated in the study. The general group (n = 39) took MAI in the Fall quarter and completed one multi-step question as a part of their regular exam. Concurrently, the focus group (n = 20) participated in a think-aloud session in which they solved six stoichiometry questions. Using a 95% confidence level, statistical differences between the fall and winter problem-solving performances were observed with the focus group. Furthermore, statistically significant correlations (using a 95% level of confidence) were observed between the MAI categories and the COSINE codes.