Thinking About Thinking in Physics: A Systematic Review on Metacognitive Approaches for Secondary Students
), Muslim Muslim(2), Hera Novia(3)
| 
Country:
(1) Department of Physics Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Indonesia
(2) Department of Physics Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Indonesia
(3) Department of Physics Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Indonesia
Corresponding Author
This review examines the literature on metacognitive strategies implemented in high school physics from 2021 to 2025, using Schraw's control framework, which encompasses planning, monitoring, and evaluation. The goal is to identify structural weaknesses that hinder overall theoretical progress and practical application in the classroom. Using PRISMA principles, an article search in ERIC yielded 244 documents, 22 of which were Scopus-indexed studies that met the criteria. We outline study designs, evaluation instruments, types of interventions, participants, and study objectives. A thematic synthesis addressed three guiding questions: (1) which instructional strategies contribute to metacognitive growth, (2) which evaluative instruments were used, and (3) what implementation conditions and challenges exist. Four main intervention categories were identified. Cognitive-reflective strategies foster self-awareness and introspection. Various inquiry methods combine metacognitive control with scientific investigation. Tools that aid visualization and representation of concepts, particularly simulations and concept maps, are key to organizing and maintaining coherent information. Gender-sensitive sociocultural and affective strategies foster motivation and inclusivity. All studies reported that these interventions had positive impacts on problem-solving, self-efficacy, and conceptual understanding. However, based on Schraw's hypothesis, this review identified planning as the most underdeveloped and neglected aspect of metacognitive regulation. Most studies relied heavily on self-reporting, leaving limited opportunities for task-embedded or multimodal assessments. Most designs were quasi-experimental or survey-based, and very few included mixed-methods or technology-mediated assessments. This research suggests combining structured insights, including goal setting, preemptive questioning, and activity design, with authentic assessments such as portfolios and think-aloud rubrics. Using these approaches within an equity-centered and culturally responsive pedagogy can foster active and self-directed learning in physics. Future research should aim to expand planning elements, diversify assessment techniques, and use educational technology to enhance and simplify metacognitive instruction in instructional design.
Keywords: metacognition, physics education, high school students, systematic literature review, thinking awareness.
Abulhul, Z. (2021). Teaching strategies for enhancing student’s learning. Journal of Practical Studies in Education, 2(3), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.46809/jpse.v2i3.22
Avargil, S., Lavi, R., & Dori, Y. J. (2018). Students’ metacognition and metacognitive strategies in science education. In Y. J. Dori, Z. R. Mevarech, & D. R. Baker (Eds.), Cognition, metacognition and culture in STEM education (pp. 33–64). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66659-4_3
Bangga, D. (2021). Senior high school students’ self-efficacy and its relation to engagement in online class setting in a private university in the South of Metro Manila. Science Education International, 32(4), 302–307. https://doi.org/ 10.33828/sei.v32.i4.4
Bogdanovic, I. Z., Rodic, D. D., Roncevic, T. N., Stanisavljevic, J. D., & Zouhor, Z. A. M. (2022). The relationship between elementary students’ physics performance and metacognition regarding using modified know-want-learn strategy. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 20(8), 1907–1926. https://doi.org/ 10.1007/s10763-021-10231-9
Bogdanović, I., Obadović, D. Ž., Cvjetićanin, S., Segedinac, M., & Budić, S. (2015). Students’ metacognitive awareness and physics learning efficiency and correlation between them. European Journal of Physics Education, 6 (2), 18–30.
Cai, S., Liu, C., Wang, T., Liu, E., & Liang, J. C. (2021). Effects of learning physics using augmented reality on students’ self-efficacy and conceptions of learning. British Journal of Educational Technology, 52(1), 235–251. https://doi.org/10.1111/ bjet.13020
Cardino, J. M., & Cruz, R. A. O.-D. (2020). Understanding of learning styles and teaching strategies towards improving the teaching and learning of mathematics. LUMAT: International Journal on Math, Science and Technology Education, 8(1), 19–43. https://doi.org/10.31129/LUMAT.8.1.1348
Carroll, D., Uribe-Flórez, L. J., Ching, Y.-H., Perkins, R., & Figus, E. (2023). Understanding learners’ experiences of using ePortfolio in a high school physics course. TechTrends, 67, 977–989. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-023-00908-z
Dessie, E., Gebeyehu, D., & Eshetu, F. (2023). Enhancing critical thinking, metacognition, and conceptual understanding in introductory physics: The impact of direct and experiential instructional models. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 19 (7), em2287. https://doi.org/10.29333/ ejmste/13273
Dragnic-Cindric, D., Lobczowski, N. G., Greene, J. A., & Murphy, P. K. (2024). Exploring the teacher’s role in discourse and social regulation of learning: Insights from collaborative sessions in high-school physics classrooms. Cognition and Instruction, 42(1), 92–123. https://doi.org/10.1080/07370008.2023.2266847
Dulger, Z., & Ogan-Bekiroglu, F. (2025). Students’ metacognition knowledge and skills during physics problem-solving process. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 21(2), 020106. https://doi.org/10.1103/4s17-6dxs
Galano, S., Liccardo, A., Amodeo, A. L., Crispino, M., Tarallo, O., & Testa, I. (2023). Endorsement of gender stereotypes affects high school students’ science identity. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 19(1), 010120. https://doi.org/ 10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.19.010120
Jahanifar, M. (2022). Academic self-concept in physics: A multidimensional and hierarchical model based on learning targets. School Science and Mathematics, 122(8), 402–416. https://doi.org/10.1111/ssm.12545
Langdon, X. J., et al. (2019). Examining the effects of different teaching strategies on metacognition and academic performance. Advances in Physiology Education, 43(3), 414–422. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00013.2018
Lee, H.-S., Gweon, G.-H., Webb, A., Damelin, D., & Dorsey, C. (2024). Measuring epistemic knowledge development related to scientific experimentation practice: A construct modeling approach. Science Education, 108(2), 383–411. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.21762
Liu, G., & Fang, N. (2016). Student misconceptions about force and acceleration in physics and engineering mechanics education. International Journal of Engineering Education, 32(1A), 19–29. https://doi.org/10.1080/08957347. 2011.554604
Malespina, A., Schunn, C. D., & Singh, C. (2023). Bioscience students’ internalized mindsets predict grades and reveal gender inequities in physics courses. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 19(2), 020135. https://doi.org/10.1103/ PhysRevPhysEducRes.19.020135
Malmberg, J., Fincham, O., Pijeira-Díaz, H. J., Järvelä, S., & Gašević, D. (2021). Revealing the hidden structure of physiological states during metacognitive monitoring in collaborative learning. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 37(3), 861–874. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12529
Marisda, D. H., Nurlina, N., Ma’ruf, M., Rahmawati, R., Idamayanti, R., & Akbar, M. (2024). Tantangan dalam pendidikan sekolah menengah: Profil keterampilan berpikir kritis siswa fisika [Challenges in secondary school education: Profile of physics students’ critical thinking skills]. Journal of Education and Learning (EduLearn), 18(3), 1099–1106. https://doi.org/10.11591/edulearn.v18i3.21666
Mathis, C., Southerland, S. A., & Jaber, L. Z. (2025). Tracing different forms of politicized care in teaching physics to students traditionally underserved in science. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 21(2), 020121. https://doi.org/10. 1103/yvbc-n7vk
Mešić, V., Jusko, A., Beatović, B., & Fetahović-Hrvat, A. (2022). Improving the effectiveness of physics homework: A minds-on simulation-based approach. European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 10(1), 34–49. https://doi.org/10.30935/scimath/11383
Neidorf, T., Arora, A., Erberber, E., Tsokodayi, Y., & Mai, T. (2020). An introduction to student misconceptions and errors in physics and mathematics. In T. Neidorf, A. Arora, E. Erberber, Y. Tsokodayi, & T. Mai (Eds.), Student misconceptions and errors in physics and mathematics: Exploring data from TIMSS and TIMSS advanced (pp. 1–10). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30188-0_1
Özçakmak, H. (2021). The effect of metacognitive awareness on academic success. African Educational Research Journal, 9(2), 434–448. https://doi.org/10. 30918/AERJ.92.21.020
Padios, A. C., Jr., & Tobia, M. V., Jr. (2023). Long distance lab affairs: Physics achievement and metacognition effects of distance laboratories in a senior high school in the Philippines. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 24(2), Article 333.https://doi.org/10.17718/tojde.1086870
Page, M. J., et al. (2021). PRISMA 2020 explanation and elaboration: Updated guidance and exemplars for reporting systematic reviews. The British Medical Journal, 372, n160. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n160
Perl-Nussbaum, D., & Yerushalmi, E. (2022). High school students’ perceptions on the relevance of inquiry-oriented instructional labs as introduction to an extended research project. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 18 (1), 010137. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.18.010137
Rahayu, S., & Hertanti, E. (2020). Students’ metacognitive awareness and physics problem solving ability and correlation between them. Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Fisika Al-Biruni, 9(2), 207–215. https://doi.org/10.24042/jipfalbiruni.v9i2.6009
Reinhard, A., Felleson, A., Turner, P. C., & Green, M. (2022). Assessing the impact of metacognitive postreflection exercises on problem-solving skillfulness. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 18(1), 010109. https://doi.org/10.1103/ PhysRevPhysEducRes.18.010109
Rugh, M., Capraro, M., & Capraro, R. (2023). Improving self-efficacy with automatically generated interactive concept maps: DIME Maps. Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 21(3), 141–157. https://doi.org/10.34190/ejel.21.3.2765
Safadi, R., & Saadi, S. (2021). Learning from self-diagnosis activities when contrasting students’ own solutions with worked examples: The case of 10th graders studying geometric optics. Research in Science Education, 51(2), 523–546. 10.1007/s11165-018-9806-8
Sapulete, H., Sopacua, F., & Sopacua, V. (2024). The analysis of students’ metacognitive skills in physics through problem-solving strategies in physics education students. Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan IPA, 10(7), 4453–4460. https://doi.org/10.29303/ jppipa.v10i7.7102
Schraw, G., & Dennison, R. S. (1994). Assessing metacognitive awareness. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 19(4), 460–475. https://doi.org/10. 1006/ceps.1994.1033
Schraw, G., & Moshman, D. (1995). Metacognitive theories. Educational Psychology Review, 7(4), 351–371. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02212307
Smela, B., Toumi, M., Świerk, K., Gawlik, K., Clay, E., & Boyer, L. (2023). Systematic literature reviews over the years. Journal of Market Access and Health Policy, 11(1), 2244305. https://doi.org/10.1080/20016689.2023.2244305
Sobocinski, M., Malmberg, J., & Järvelä, S. (2022). Exploring adaptation in socially-shared regulation of learning using video and heart rate data. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 27 (2), 385–404. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-021-09526-1
Stanton, J. D., Sebesta, A. J., & Dunlosky, J. (2021). Fostering metacognition to support student learning and performance. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 20(2), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.20-12-0289
Stoeckel, M. R., & Roehrig, G. H. (2021). Gender differences in classroom experiences impacting self-efficacy in an AP Physics 1 classroom. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 17(2), 020102. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.17.020102
Sukarelawan, M. I., Jumadi, Kuswanto, H., & Thohir, M. A. (2021). The indonesian version of the physics metacognition inventory: Confirmatory factor analysis and rasch model. European Journal of Educational Research, 10(4), 2133–2144. https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.10.4.2133
Uddin, M. J., Panda, B. N., & Agarwal, P. C. (2023). “I can now detect and rectify my error.” New generation ninth-grade learner’s problem-solving skills during experiments in physics through metacognitive brainstorming strategy. Physics Education, 58(3), 035023. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6552/acc296
Ulu, Y., & Yerdelen-Damar, S. (2024). Metacognition and epistemic cognition in physics are related to physics identity through the mediation of physics self-efficacy. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 20 (1), 010130. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.20.010130
Wade-Jaimes, K., Demir, K., & Qureshi, A. (2018). Modeling strategies enhanced by metacognitive tools in high school physics to support student conceptual trajectories and understanding of electricity. Science Education, 102 (4), 711–743. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.21444
Wang, H. S., Chen, S., & Yen, M. H. (2021). Effects of metacognitive scaffolding on students’ performance and confidence judgments in simulation-based inquiry. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 17(2), 020108. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.17.020108
Wangchuk, D., Wangdi, D., Tshomo, S., & Zangmo, J. (2023). Exploring students’ perceived difficulties of learning physics. Educational Innovation and Practice, 6, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.17102/eip.6.2023.03
Wider, Clarice & Wider, Walton. (2023). Effects of metacognitive skills on physics problem-solving skills among form four secondary school students. Journal of Baltic Science Education. 22. 357-369. https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/23.22.257
Willison, J., et al. (2023). Metacognitively ALERT in science: Literature synthesis of a hierarchical framework for metacognition and preliminary evidence of its viability. Studies in Science Education, 60(2), 153–189. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057267.2023.2207147
Yalçin, O., & Sadik, F. (2024). Examining the cognitive and affective changes in students through the implementation process of the physics curriculum based on an interdisciplinary context-based learning approach. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 54, 101672. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2024.101672
Zhang, M. X., Morphew, J., & Stelzer, T. (2023). Impact of more realistic and earlier practice exams on student metacognition, study behaviors, and exam performance. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 19 (1), 010130. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.19.010130
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.