Title Page

METACOGNITIVE AND COMPUTATION SKILLS: PREDICTING STUDENTS’

PERFORMANCE IN MATHEMATICS

Conceptual Framework

21st Century Skills

Metacognitive Skills
Computation Skills

Students’ Performance in the

Mathematics in the Modern World

Skills Enhancement Plan

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework of the Study

Statement of the Problem

The main objective of this study was to determine whether computation skills and

metacognitive skills were significantly related to students’ performance.

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Specifically, this study should answer the following questions:

1. What is the level of computation skills of the students based on the result of

the test?

2. What is the level of metacognitive skills of the students based on the result of

the test?

3. What is the level of students’ performance based on their grade point average

(GPA) in Mathematics in the Modern World course?

4. Is there a significant relationship between the computation skills and students’

performance in Mathematics in the Modern World Course?

5. Is there a significant relationship between the metacognitive skills and

students’ performance in Mathematics in the Modern World Course?

6. Do metacognitive skills and computation skills predict students’ success in

Mathematics in the Modern World?

Statement of the Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance.

1. There is no significant relationship between the computation skills and

students’ performance in Mathematics in the Modern World Course.

2. There is no significant relationship between the metacognitive skills and

students’ performance in Mathematics in the Modern World Course.

3. Metacognitive and computation skills do not predict significantly the students’

performance.

Results and Discussion.

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Level of Students’ Computation Skills. Table 1 shows the students’ level of

computation skills based on their scores from the computation test.

Table 1. Level of Students’ Computation Skills (N = 90)

Test Mean Score SD MPS Descriptive
Equivalent
Computation Test 10.46 2.09 35% Average
Total Items: 30
Scale: 96 – 100% = Mastered; 86 – 95% = Closely Approximating Mastery; 66 – 85% = Moving Towards Mastery;
35 – 65% = Average; 15 – 34% = Low; 5 – 14% = Very Low; 0 – 14% = Absolutely No Mastery

As shown on the above Table 1, the Mean Score of the Students from the 30-item

computation test is 10.46. This has an equivalent Mean Percentage Score (MPS) of 35%.

This is interpreted as Average based on the given scale.

Based on the findings shown, this means that the level of students’ computation

skills based on their overall performance in computation test was average.

Evaluation of Computational Skills is highly required in the assessment of

Mathematics difficulties in both children with specific learning disabilities and broader

disorders to understand the reasons for poor achievement (Mabbott & Bisanz, 2008). In

addition, the critical importance of evaluating computational skills and problem-solving

skills definitely for the occurrence of math difficulties is apparent (Lambert et al., 2008)

This suggests that there should be regular comprehensive evaluation of students'

computation skills in order to determine how to improve their achievement in

Mathematics Test. Teachers must train their students to strengthen and develop their

computation skills in order to improve their achievement in Mathematics Skills Test, thus
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achieving success in Mathematics. Future researchers may also do a study focusing on

the factors that influence the level of students’ computation skills.

Level of Students’ Metacognitive Skills. Table 2 shows the students’ level of

metacognitive skills based on their scores from the metacognitive test.

Table 2. Level of Students’ Metacognitive Skills (N = 90)

Test Mean Score SD MPS Descriptive
Equivalent
Metacognitive 9.18 2.17 31% Low
Test
Total Items: 30
Scale: 96 – 100% = Mastered; 86 – 95% = Closely Approximating Mastery; 66 – 85% = Moving Towards Mastery;
35 – 65% = Average; 15 – 34% = Low; 5 – 14% = Very Low; 0 – 14% = Absolutely No Mastery

As shown in Table 2, the Mean Score of the Students from the 30-item

metacognitive test is 9.18. This has an equivalent Mean Percentage Score (MPS) of 31%.

This is interpreted as low based on the given scale.

Based on the findings shown, this means that the level of students’ metacognitive

skills based on their overall achievement in the metacognitive test was low.

Metacognition ability can be evaluated by a number of ways, but there is one

method presently used which is by using questions to discover perceptions of student

thinking, problem-solving skills, and strategies (Weinstein in Downing, 2009). Mastering

metacognitive skills will impact the performance in mathematics, mostly in mathematical

problem solving (Zan, 2000). In addition, metacognitive skills contribute to 37% in the

performance level of mathematical problem solving (Desoete et al., 2001). It is claimed

that students with metacognitive skills are more strategic and intelligent than those

without these skills (Rivers, 2001). On the other hand, students observe problems in
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mathematics and problem-solving tasks because they are ignoring an extensive series of

cognitive or metacognitive processes (Grizzle-Martin, 2014).

However, findings have shown that the students’ level of metacognitive skills is

interpreted as low based on their achievement in the test. This suggests that teachers must

teach students on the way that their high order thinking skills such as Analyzing,

Evaluating and Creating will be more developed so that their metacognitive skills will be

enhanced and strengthened to have better performance in Mathematics.

Level of Students’ Performance. Table 3 shows the students’ performance based

on their GPA in Mathematics in the Modern World.

Table 3. Level of Students’ Performance

Course N Mean GPA Descriptive Equivalent

Mathematics in the 90 88.65 Approaching Proficiency

Modern World
Scale: 95 – 100 = Advanced; 90 – 94 = Proficient; 80 – 89 = Approaching Proficiency; 75 – 79 =
Developing; 75 and Below = Beginning

As shown in Table 3, the Students’ Mean GPA in Mathematics in the Modern

World Course is 88.65 and it has a descriptive equivalent which is Approaching

Proficiency based on the given scale.

Based on the findings, this means that students’ overall performance in

Mathematics in the Modern World course based on their Grade Point Average(GPA) is in

approaching proficiency level.

Students’ performance—whether successful or not—is possibly due to a

deficiency of metacognitive skills, not cognitive skills (Chang, 2002). The students with a
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very high-performance level were directly relative to the metacognitive skills. This means

that metacognitive skills did affect their performance (Abdullah et al., 2017).

Mathematical performance is meaningfully and absolutely affected by applying

metacognitive stratagems (Bernard & Bachu, 2015).

The findings denote that teachers especially those who are handling Mathematics

courses must help students to strengthen both of their computation and metacognitive

skills to improve their mathematics performance and to maximize the chance to achieve

success in mathematics.

Testing Hypotheses

The null hypothesis declaring that there is no significant relationship between the

students' level of computation skills and their level of performance in Mathematics was

tested using the Pearson coefficient of correlation as shown in Table 4.

Table 4. Test of Relationship between Computation Skills and Mathematics

Performance
Variables Pearson “r” Interpretation p-value Interpretation

Computation .593 Moderate Positive .000 With

Skills and Linear Relationship Significant
Mathematics Relationship
Performance
Scale: 0 – ± 0.29 = No Linear Relationship *N = 90
± 0.30 – ± 0.49 = Weak Linear Relationship
± 0.50 – ± 0.69 = Moderate Linear Relationship
± 0.70 – ± 0.99 = Strong Linear Relationship
±1 = Perfect Linear Relationship

The results showed that there is a moderate positive correlation between students’

computation skills and students’ Mathematics performance (Pearson “r” = .593) which

means that when the students' computation skills are more strengthened and developed,

they will perform better in Mathematics. On the other hand, if such computation skills are
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weak, the bigger the chance that they will have poor performance in Mathematics.

Besides, a significant relationship was established between the two variables (p-value

< .05). Thus, the null hypothesis was rejected and the alternative hypothesis specifying

that there is a significant relationship between the students’ computation skills and their

Mathematics performance was accepted.

Philips (2007) emphasized that computation skill is essential for today’s

generation and posited that it empowers students to be more operative problem solvers

for situations beyond the computer science realm, and inspires them to generate tools to

solve problems, rather than utilize prevailing paraphernalia. This skill also has been

called the literacy of the 21st century, which is being addressed at the tertiary level with

high degrees of achievement. Moreover, Lunsford & Poplin (2011), said that computation

skills are an important factor of student success in elementary statistics regardless of the

level of mathematics presented, or the virtual emphasis on computation versus

interpretation by the instructor.

Since the significant relationship between computation skills and Mathematics

performance has been established, this recommends that both students and teachers must

help one another to strengthen the students’ computation skills in order to maximize their

performance in Mathematics.

The null hypothesis declaring that there is no significant relationship between the

students' level of Metacognitive skills and their level of performance in Mathematics was

tested using the Pearson coefficient of correlation as shown in Table 5.

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Table 5. Test of Relationship between Metacognitive Skills and Mathematics

Performance
Variables Pearson “r” Interpretation p-value Interpretation

Metacognitive .529 Moderate Positive .000 With

Skills and Linear Relationship Significant
Mathematics Relationship
Performance
Scale: 0 – ± 0.29 = No Linear Relationship *N = 90
± 0.30 – ± 0.49 = Weak Linear Relationship
± 0.50 – ± 0.69 = Moderate Linear Relationship
± 0.70 – ± 0.99 = Strong Linear Relationship
±1 = Perfect Linear Relationship

The results showed that there is a moderate positive correlation between students’

metacognitive skills and students’ Mathematics performance (Pearson “r” = .529) which

means that when the students’ students Metacognitive Skills are more developed,

students will perform better or will have a better performance in Mathematics. On the

other hand, if such Metacognitive skills are not well-developed, students will struggle to

have a good performance in Mathematics. Further, a significant relationship was

established between the two variables (p-value < .05). Thus, the null hypothesis was

rejected and the alternative hypothesis specifying that there is a significant relationship

between the students’ metacognitive skills and their Mathematics performance was

accepted.

Students who have high metacognitive skills achieve better in mathematics

lessons (including problem-solving) than students who have low metacognitive skills

(Jaafar & Ayub, 2010). Maier (2012) said that metacognitive development progresses

mathematical performance. Metacognitive skills assist students in understanding,

planning, implementing a strategy, correcting errors, and evaluating answers to the

mathematical problem solving, thus, students with high level of metacognitive skills can
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improve their performance, and obtaining the much-needed necessity of HOTS (Abdullah

et al., 2017).

Since the significant relationship between metacognitive skills and Mathematics

performance has been established, this recommends that both students and teachers must

help one another to strengthen the students’ metacognitive skills in order to maximize

their performance in Mathematics.

Regression Analysis

Table 6 shows the regression analysis of Computation Skills, Metacognitive

Skills, and Mathematics Performance. Using the stepwise method, Table 6 presents

which model best predicted students’ performance in Mathematics.

Table 6. Regression Analysis for Determining Predictors of Students’ Mathematics

Performance
Model R R2 Adjusted SE F-value p-value
R2
1 .593a .352 .344 3.37086 47.735 .000a

2 .670b .449 .436 3.12645 35.393 .000b

a. Predictors: (Constant), Computation_Skills

b. Predictors: (Constant), Computation_Skills, Metacognitive_Skills
c. Dependent Variable: Performance

The data show that there is a significant overall relationship of the model wherein

Computational Skills is the independent variable and Students’ Mathematics Performance

is the dependent variable (R = .593, p < .05). Likewise, there is also a significant overall

relationship of the model comprising two independent variables specifically

Computational Skills and Metacognitive Skills (R = .670, p < .05).

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Considering the R2 statistic, “Model 2” the better model in predicting students’

performance in Mathematics with two predictors because it posted a higher value of

0.449 known as the coefficient of determination which indicates the proportion of

variance of the dependent variable (Mathematics Performance) that can be explained by

the variation that also occurs in both independent variables (Computation and

Metacognitive Skills). In this case, approximately 45% of the variation in Mathematics

Performance can be explained based on the amount of variation that occurs between the

students’ Computation and Metacognitive Skills. The “Std. Error of the Estimate”

indicates the amount of dispersion for the prediction equation.

More importantly, a p-value less than 0.05 indicates a significant result. In this

case, the statistical value confirms that Computation and Metacognitive skills are

statistically valid predictors of Mathematics performance.

Table 7. Statistics Associated with the Predictors of Students’ Mathematics

Performance in the Multiple Regression Analysis
Model Unstandardized Standardized t p-value
Coefficients Coefficients
B SE Beta
1 (Constant) 76.330 1.819 41.964 .000
Computation_Skills 1.179 .171 .593 6.909 .000
2 (Constant) 73.255 1.861 39.357 .000
Computation_Skills .897 .174 .451 5.157 .000
Metacognitive_Skills .656 .168 .342 3.911 .000
a. Dependent Variable: Performance
*Model: Mathematics Performance = 73.255 + 0.897 Computation Skills + 0.656 Metacognitive Skills

The unstandardized beta coefficients contain a value that indicates whether the

relationship is direct or inverse. In this case, the “Unstandardized Coefficient” for Model
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2 of the Computation Skills = 0.897 and Metacognitive Skills = 0.656, both indicating a

direct relationship.

The coefficient values can be plugged into the regression equation used to plot the

line of regression. This equation is Y1=a + b1X1 + b2X2. To determine the value of

( Mathematics performance), take sum of the constant, the product of the coefficient of

computation skills and its actual value and the product of the coefficient of metacognitive

skills and its actual value based on the test scores.

In this case, by following the equation, Mathematics Performance = 73.255 +

0.897 Computation Skills + 0.656 Metacognitive Skills. For a Computation Score of 10

and Metacognitive Score of 15, Mathematics Performance = 73.255 + 0.897(10) +

0.656(15), predicts a Mathematics performance (GPA) of 92.065. Thus, both

Computation skills and Metacognitive skills of students significantly predict their

performance in Mathematics.

In a particular study done by Mohamad & Mahamod (2014), it was found out that

awareness in metacognitive skills can boost students’ interest in a particular subject thus

improving their performance. In addition, the said skills also are important in improving

and training the students to maximize their ability to solve problems. In the study done by

Jacobs & Harkamp (2012), the student’s ability in solving mathematical problems can be

improved. Furthermore, the findings from the study of Bayat & Tarmizi (2010) showed

that there is a positive and moderate significant relationship between a metacognitive

overall strategy and performance in the Algebra problem-solving. On the other hand,

Lunsford & Poplin (2011), found out that computation skills are an important factor of
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student success in elementary statistics regardless of the level of mathematics presented,

or the virtual emphasis on computation versus interpretation by the instructor.

With the findings revealed, students must acquire skills in Metacognitive and

Computation since these are essential for them to maximize their performance in any

Mathematics course. Teachers, with the use of sufficient resources, play a great role in it.
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Appendix G. Data Set

Students Computation Scores Metacognitive Scores Final Grade

1 13 10 91
2 10 9 86
3 14 9 97
4 9 9 89
5 10 9 86
6 10 8 85
7 16 11 99
8 14 8 91
9 12 8 86
10 12 11 92
11 11 9 89
12 10 14 96
13 13 9 89
14 9 9 88
15 11 12 95
16 13 12 85
17 10 9 90
18 12 11 93
19 9 8 85
20 11 11 91
21 10 9 90
22 8 7 84
23 10 8 93
24 9 6 89
25 9 8 84
26 11 9 93
27 10 18 94
28 13 12 98
29 9 5 84
30 8 7 84
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Students Computation Scores Metacognitive Scores Final Grades

31 9 8 85
32 11 9 89
33 10 9 92
34 12 10 93
35 10 8 85
36 11 11 92
37 11 10 89
38 10 9 89
39 11 10 90
40 10 8 81
41 9 8 86
42 11 9 89
43 9 8 87
44 9 9 91
45 13 9 87
46 13 11 94
47 8 7 80
48 9 8 85
49 9 9 86
50 14 9 92
51 8 11 90
52 9 12 88
53 10 9 89
54 11 9 92
55 12 10 92
56 11 10 89
57 11 9 92
58 10 8 90
59 9 5 86
60 10 9 92

Students Computation Scores Metacognitive Scores Final Grades

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61 9 7 83
62 10 13 82
63 8 11 84
64 14 15 96
65 9 7 86
66 7 11 92
67 8 8 86
68 10 11 89
69 8 4 84
70 9 11 90
71 9 8 86
72 14 9 90
73 12 9 83
74 8 10 88
75 9 8 86
76 16 13 88
77 13 9 92
78 4 5 78
79 14 11 90
80 10 8 89
81 10 8 86
82 15 10 92
83 9 7 86
84 13 11 92
85 9 8 81
86 9 11 90
87 12 6 96
88 10 8 89
89 8 6 83
90 9 7 84

Appendix H. Data Analysis

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Correlations

Test for Correlations of Computation Skills and Mathematics Performance

Level of Students'
Computation Performance
Skills

Pearson Correlation 1 .593**

Level of Computation Skills Sig. (2-tailed) .000

N 90 90
**
Pearson Correlation .593 1

Students' Performance Sig. (2-tailed) .000

N 90 90

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

Test for Correlations of Computation Skills and Mathematics Performance

Level of Students'
Metacognitive Performance
Skills

Pearson Correlation 1 .529**

Level of Metacognitive Skills Sig. (2-tailed) .000

N 90 90
**
Pearson Correlation .529 1

Students' Performance Sig. (2-tailed) .000

N 90 90
**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

Linear Regression

Checking the Assumptions:

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*The box plots show only 1 mild outlier in Computation Skills, one mild outlier in
Metacognitive Skills, and no outlier in Performance satisfying the assumption of no
significant outliers in regression analysis.

*The standardized Betas have values less than 1 in absolute value satisfying the
assumption of non-multicollinearity in regression analysis.

*The residuals are approximately normally distributed satisfying the assumption of

normal residual distribution in regression analysis.
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*The scatterplot of residuals shows approximately similar spread across different

predicted values suggesting the homogeneity of variance. This satisfies the assumption of
homoscedasticity of residuals (equal error variances) in regression analysis.