The Comparison of the Effectiveness of the Thinking Cycle and Direct Explanation on Metacognitive Knowledge and Learning Speed of Sixth Grade Male Students in Ilam

Considering the importance of two variables of metacognitive knowledge and learning speed in students, the use of thinking cycle teaching methods and direct explanation to achieve students' access to these two variables is important and necessary. Thinking Cycle and direct explanation are among those methods that can lead to students' self-regulation and educational achievement in different subjects. Thus, aim of this study was to compare the effect of thinking cycle and direct explanation on metacognitive knowledge and educational learning speed of elementary school students. The present study is a semi-experimental study in which 60 students from the sixth grade male students in Ilam city were selected using cluster sampling. Research tools included metacognitive knowledge and learning speed questionnaires. Data analysis was performed by multivariate analysis of covariance using SPSS-22 software. The results showed that the thinking cycle and direct explanation had a significant effect on increasing metacognitive knowledge (Partial ŋ2 = 0.61, p = 0.001, F = 106.15). Also, the thinking cycle and direct explanation a significant effect on increasing the speed of learning (36.36). Partial ŋ2 = 0, p = 0.001, F = 47.29). Likewise, the effectiveness of mutual education was higher than the direct explanation in metacognitive knowledge and students' learning speed (p <0.05). The present study showed that the thinking cycle and direct explanation improves the amount of metacognitive knowledge and the speed of students' learning. Accordingly, in the process of direct thinking and explanation (especially in the thinking cycle) students learn to act faster in solving problems in the learning process and in this way, improve their metacognitive knowledge and speed of learning.