3F: Prompted Journal Writing for Increased Metacognition in Middle Grades Math

Abstract

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to further the exploration into the use of journal writing in mathematics in the eighth grade middle school classroom. In this pre-test/post-test-control-group design (N = 87), thirty-seven eighth grade students in a suburban middle school completed writing journals in math class for the duration of two academic units. Prior to beginning the journals, the intervention group viewed a presentation on the benefits of journal writing and metacognitive prompts which included information on why and when certain metacognitive strategies and prompts are useful. In addition to the pre-test and post-test, the students completed an attitudinal measure before and after the intervention to determine if there was a change in students’ attitudes towards writing in math after implementing the journal writing intervention. This study explored whether using a writing journal in mathematics would significantly impact the students’ learning outcomes and if it would significantly impact the students’ attitudes towards writing in mathematics. Additionally, the study sought to discover if a significant relationship exists between students’ mathematics learning gains and attitude toward writing in mathematics.

Keywords: mathematics education, metacognition, reflection, writing journals, informed prompts, attitude, middle grades math, communication, writing in mathematics