Parental Beliefs and Children’s Metacognitive Awareness

Abstract

Metacognition is the knowledge a person has of his or her thinking and of things related to that thinking process (Flavell, 1979). Children with metacognitive awareness have better self-management and time and activity management (Brown & Smiley, 1978; Schraw & Dennison, 1994). Parents' beliefs and behavior influence their children's cognitive development (S. Miller 1988; Carr et al, 1989). The aim of this study determines the influence of parental beliefs on children's metacognitive awareness. This study has a quantitative design, incorporating a self-report questionnaire, namely the Parental Beliefs Questionnaire (PBQ) or the Junior Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (Jr. MAI), depending on surveyed population. The participants are 64 parents and 64 students in the fourth grade from three schools. The results of PBQ regression analysis undertaken on the results of Jr. MAI do not show a significant relationship, with a significance-test value of 0.742. For further research, first, addition of participant is needed; second, addition of variables such as teacher beliefs and parental behavior may be needed in the next study.