Three metacognitive approaches to training pre-service teachers in different learning phases of technological pedagogical content knowledge

Our study investigated 3 metacognitive approaches provided during different phases of learning technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK) in a Web-based learning environment. These metacognitive approaches were based on self-question prompts (Kramarski & Mevarech, 2003 Kramarski, B. and Mevarech, Z. R. 2003. Enhancing mathematical reasoning in the classroom: Effects of cooperative learning and metacognitive training. American Educational Research Journal, 40: 281–310. [CrossRef], [Web of Science ®] ) which appeared in pop-up screens and fostered the Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) of pre-service teachers (n = 144) through 1 of the 3 learning phases (Zimmerman, 2000 Zimmerman, B. J. 2000. “Attaining of self-regulation: A social cognitive perspective”. In Handbook of self-regulation, Edited by: Boekaerts, P., Pintrich, M. and Zeidner, M. 13–39. Orlando, FL: Academic Press. [CrossRef] ): planning, action and performance, and evaluation. Four measures (pre/post) were administered in the study: SRL self-report questionnaires in the contexts of pedagogical learning and teaching and TPCK in the comprehension and design lessons. Mixed quantitative and qualitative analyses showed that fostering students' SRL through the evaluation phase was the most effective for the pre-service teachers' perceived SRL in both the learning and teaching contexts and for their TPCK (comprehension and design lessons). Furthermore, students from the planning approach outperformed the students from the action approach in most of the SRL and TPCK measures.