The Impact of Cognitive and Meta-Cognitive Learning Strategies on Academic Self-handicapping and Self-directed Learning in Entrance Exam Students

The purpose of this study was to the effect of training Cognitive and Metacognitive Learning Strategies on academic self-handicapping and self-directed learning of Entrance Exam students. This study was a quasi-experimental study with pretest-posttest design with control group. The statistical population of this study consisted of all female high school students of Khorramabad city who were studying in the academic year 2018-2019. Thirty students were selected using multistage cluster sampling and were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. Students in the experimental group received training cognitive and metacognitive strategies training in eight sessions but the students in the sample group did not receive any training. Before and after training, both sample groups completed pre-test, post-test, and follow-up questionnaires for academic self-handicapping and self-directed learning. Data were analyzed by Statistical software package in social sciences. The results showed that training cognitive and meta-cognitive learning strategies significantly reduced academic self-handicapping (p=0/001) and significantly increased self-directed learning (p=0/001) in the sample students. According to the findings, it can indirectly reduce academic self-disability and increase self-directed learning by training cognitive and metacognitive learning strategies to teachers. Also, by training these strategies to students, teachers can also directly reduce analytical disabilities and increase self-directed learning