RESEARCH OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' COGNITIVE AND METACOGNITIVE SELF REGULATION STRATEGIES AND THEIR MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT ACCORDING TO GENDER

Abstract

The main aim of this study is examining the effects of university students' learning strategies on mathematics achievement. Rehearsal, elaboration, organization, critical thinking, and metacognitive self regulation are considered in this extent. Furthermore, differences at the variables according to gender are searched. The study group consisted of 106 Yildiz Technical University Mathematics Department students (45 male and 61 female) who attend the course Calculus II. In this relational type of research, for the purpose of determining students' learning strategies based on self regulation, Motivated Strategies for Learning questionnaire developed by Pintrich et al. is used. Students' term point averages are taken as their mathematics achievement scores. For the analysis of data, Pearson's correlation analysis and regression analysis are used. Findings introduce that although cognitive and metacognitive learning strategies based on self regulation do not have a significant effect on mathematics achievement solely, they do have a significant effect when used together. Also, for the explanation of achievement, it is revealed that gender makes up a difference.