Metacognition, or 'thinking about thinking', can improve scientific literacy and practices. It involves knowledge of cognition, i. e., being cognisant of one's knowledge, and regulation of cognition, i. e., consciously controlling the process of knowledge acquisition. A self-regulated learner can assimilate new knowledge, conduct inquiry, solve problems and plan ahead his or her learning. While studies have been conducted on metacognition in chemistry education, none have included detailed assignments covering a range of metacognitive strategies. Our review of studies on metacognition in chemistry secondary and higher education also includes also several exemplary assignments on the energy topic for facilitating and assessing metacognition in high school classrooms. We use metacognitive prompts and the construct of chemistry understanding levels, macroscopic, microscopic, symbol, and process, as an approach for metacognitive intervention. Finally, we provide recommendations for educators and a rubric for researchers. Metacognition and Self-Regulated LearningFlavell [11] (1979) defined metacognition as 'knowledge and cognition about cognitive phenomena'. Flavell, Miller, and Miller, [12] who surveyed the large body of literature on metacognition since the 1970s, similarly defined metacognition as 'cognition about cognition'. While the science education literature provides various definitions for metacognition, Jacobs and Paris [13] identified two broad categories, or aspects, that often emerge in most of these definitions: knowledge about cognition, and regulation of cognition. According to Brown, [14] knowledge of cognition is relatively stable, often can be stated, can be fallible and is age dependent, while regulation of cognition is relatively unstable and age independent. Table 1 describes each aspect of metacognition in more detail.Students' gain in metacognition resulting from a metacognitive intervention can be assessed by various research tools, including interviews, questionnaires, think aloud protocols, assignments, and observations. [15,16] According to Ackerman and Goldsmith, [17] students' self-perception of their own performance ability is related to their ability to monitor [a] R.

In the contemporary landscape of science education, teachers aspire to implement approaches that engage students with diverse teaching methods in diverse learning environments. By reviewing educational literature that deals with chemical escape rooms (ChEsRms), we can find several purposes they serve; however, only a few papers used ChEsRms for assessing student’s knowledge and 21st century skills. The “Escape Room-based Educational Assessment” (EREA) has been built, at the Faculty of Education in our institution, to serve high-school chemistry teachers and their students as an alternative learning and assessment environment. A variety of puzzles are described in this activity paper. The escape room is equipped with cameras that record students’ work while solving the puzzles, and at the same time, they can be observed by their teachers from a control room. Teachers were asked to provide feedback on the activity and specify which puzzles required the implementation of significant chemical knowledge, high order thinking skills (analysis, synthesis, or evaluation), and thinking creatively, for their solution. Based on the teachers’ perception, the skills required while solving the puzzles were mapped. Teachers addressed a variety of aspects: (a) domain specific skills in chemistry such as the implementation and synthesis of chemical knowledge, (b) scientific practices such as question posing and problem solving, and (c) 21st century skills such as collaboration, taking initiative, and creativity.

In response to the realization that qualified applicants’ choice of a career in chemistry is declining, we investigated the factors involved in chemistry and chemical education career choice. Building on the social cognitive theory (SCT) and the social cognitive career theory (SCCT), this research examines the personal, environmental, and behavioral factors influencing the chemistry-related profession choice of 55 chemists, 18 chemical engineers, and 72 chemistry teachers. Research participants also suggest ways to encourage students to major in chemistry during high school and pursue a chemistry-related career. Results showed that high school serves as a significant turning point of future career choices. Self-efficacy in the task-oriented and chemistry learning aspects are the driving forces of choosing a chemistry career. We also shed light on the importance of enhancing students’ choice in chemistry-related career via quality educational programs. The study contribution lies in examining all three aspects of career choice in the SCCT. We have applied this framework specifically in chemistry, but the identified factors can be applied to other STEM domains. Practically, we provide recommendations for different stakeholders on how to overcome the shortage of skilled chemistry professionals.

An ongoing process of reforming chemical education in middle and high schools in our country introduced the technology-enhanced learning environment (TELE) to chemistry classes. Teachers are encouraged to integrate technology into pedagogical practices in meaningful ways to promote 21st century skills; however, this effort is often hindered by teacher concerns and resistance to change. We applied the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) to examine whether and how it could be used to identify chemistry teachers' concerns, and to characterize the process of change they experience when integrating TELE. An analysis of two kinds of participants, one of high school chemistry teachers and the other of middle school chemistry teachers, helped us to obtain an in-depth understanding of the way these teachers adopted the innovation. Results revealed that after ten years of implementation, the concerns of high school teachers remained multi-focal, and the impact and personal concerns increased and were predominant. Examining three case studies of middle school teachers showed that one teacher remained in the early stages of concerns during one year of implementation, while the other two exhibited a process of change, moving forward to advances stages of concerns. Our study can shed light on how CBAM might serve as a diagnostic tool for differentiating between teachers with different qualifications, experiences, and concerns in diverse teaching situations in middle school and high school. Such diagnosis can help stakeholders in the education system to develop specific interventions and activities for different groups of teachers based on specific concerns while implementing TELE.