METACOGNITIVE ASPECTS OF TEACHING MEDICAL DISCIPLINES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11603/m.2414-5998.2026.1.16041Keywords:
medical education; metacognition; cognitive functions; clinical thinking; self-regulated learning; innovative pedagogical methods.Abstract
Abstract. Metacognitive aspects of teaching medical disciplines are becoming increasingly relevant in the context of the transformation of medical education oriented toward a competency-based approach and the development of clinical thinking. The aim of this study was to conduct a comparative evaluation of the effectiveness of metacognitively oriented approaches in teaching medical disciplines compared with traditional instructional methods. The study was conducted during the 2023–2024 academic year at the Medical Institute of Petro Mohyla Black Sea National University (Mykolaiv, Ukraine). A total of 60 students majoring in Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy were randomly assigned to the experimental (n = 30) and control (n = 30) groups. In the experimental group, instruction was carried out using metacognitive strategies (reflective journals, think-aloud method, debriefings, and self-assessment of decisions), whereas the control group was taught according to a traditional model. Assessment was performed using the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI), academic performance indicators, and analysis of the quality of clinical task performance. It was found that baseline levels of metacognitive awareness did not differ between the groups (p = 0.64). After completion of the educational cycle, the total MAI score in the experimental group increased to 198.6 ± 10.9 compared to 172.4 ± 13.1 in the control group (p < 0.001), with the most pronounced improvements observed in the planning and monitoring subscales. The mean academic score increased from 76.5 ± 5.8 to 88.9 ± 4.7 (p < 0.001) in the experimental group, whereas in the control group it rose from 77.2 ± 6.1 to 82.4 ± 5.5 (p = 0.043). Students in the experimental group also demonstrated higher quality of clinical thinking and a greater level of reflection. The obtained results indicate that the implementation of metacognitive strategies in the educational process significantly enhances the effectiveness of training future medical professionals and is advisable for integration into modern educational programs.
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