Location
Preston 1
Session Format
Presentation
Abstract
This study examines the development of metacognitive awareness among teacher candidates enrolled in an accelerated Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program. Drawing on Scales, Wolsey, and Parsons’ Becoming a Metacognitive Teacher and the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory for Teachers (MAIT), the study investigates how teacher candidates engage with metacognitive practices while completing a course on curriculum and planning. Participants (n ≈ 20) completed the MAIT survey at the beginning and end of the eight-week course, and engaged in structured reflection activities designed to support awareness of their own decision-making in lesson planning and instructional design. Data collection includes paired pre- and post-surveys, written reflections, and course artifacts. Analysis will employ both quantitative (descriptive statistics, paired-sample comparisons) and qualitative (thematic coding of reflections) approaches to identify shifts in awareness and application of metacognitive strategies. Findings are expected to contribute to understanding how structured opportunities for metacognition within teacher preparation can strengthen candidates’ instructional decision-making, adaptability, and self-efficacy. The study has implications for integrating metacognitive frameworks into teacher education coursework to better prepare beginning teachers for the complexities of classroom practice.
Keywords
Metacognition, Teacher Education, Curriculum and Planning, Teacher Candidates, Instructional Decision-Making
Professional Bio
Annemarie Kaczmarczyk, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Elementary Education and Co-Director of the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program at Mercer University’s Tift College of Education. Her teaching focuses on literacy, writing pedagogy, curriculum, and assessment in elementary teacher preparation. Her research explores teacher candidate development, writing instruction, co-teaching, and equity in teacher education, with a particular emphasis on metacognition and reflective practice. She is also actively involved in professional service at the state and national levels.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Kaczmarczyk, Annemarie Bazzo and Allee, Karyn, "Developing Metacognitive Awareness in Teacher Candidates: A Study of Curriculum and Planning in an MAT Program" (2026). Georgia Educational Research Association Conference. 59.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gera/2026/2026/59
Developing Metacognitive Awareness in Teacher Candidates: A Study of Curriculum and Planning in an MAT Program
Preston 1
This study examines the development of metacognitive awareness among teacher candidates enrolled in an accelerated Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program. Drawing on Scales, Wolsey, and Parsons’ Becoming a Metacognitive Teacher and the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory for Teachers (MAIT), the study investigates how teacher candidates engage with metacognitive practices while completing a course on curriculum and planning. Participants (n ≈ 20) completed the MAIT survey at the beginning and end of the eight-week course, and engaged in structured reflection activities designed to support awareness of their own decision-making in lesson planning and instructional design. Data collection includes paired pre- and post-surveys, written reflections, and course artifacts. Analysis will employ both quantitative (descriptive statistics, paired-sample comparisons) and qualitative (thematic coding of reflections) approaches to identify shifts in awareness and application of metacognitive strategies. Findings are expected to contribute to understanding how structured opportunities for metacognition within teacher preparation can strengthen candidates’ instructional decision-making, adaptability, and self-efficacy. The study has implications for integrating metacognitive frameworks into teacher education coursework to better prepare beginning teachers for the complexities of classroom practice.
