The relationship among metacognitive awareness, self-efficacy toward the teaching profession and the problem-solving skills of teacher candidates

Purpose: This research is conducted for the purpose of examining the perceptions of teacher candidates regarding their metacognitive awareness, self-efficacy for the teaching profession and problem-solving skills. Method: The research has been conducted using a correlational research design. The sample group of the study comprised 1,475 teacher candidates randomly selected from the participants in a pedagogical formation program and senior students of Ziya Gokalp Faculty of Education in the spring semester of the academic year 2014-2015. In the research, a personal information form, a metacognitive awareness inventory, a teacher self-efficacy scale and a problemsolving inventory were used as the data collection tools. Received: 24 Jan. 2017 Received in revised form: 09 June 2017 Accepted: 21 Nov. 2017 DOI: 10.14689/ejer.2017.72.6 Keywords Metacognition, self-efficacy, problem solving, teacher candidates, teaching profession Findings: It was found that the metacognitive awareness of teacher candidates is a significant predictor of their self-efficacy perception regarding the teaching profession. It was concluded that the metacognitive awareness of teacher candidates has significantly predicted their perception levels regarding their problem-solving skills. It was further determined that the perceptions of teacher candidates regarding their problem-solving skills have significantly predicted their perception levels regarding the teaching profession. Implications for Research and Practice: The result of the research affirms the following suggestions. First, activities developing metacognitive awareness should be included in teacher training programs so that the metacognitive awareness of teacher candidates can be developed further. In this way, they will be able to comprehend the importance of metacognitive awareness. Second, instructors should use methods and techniques that will improve the metacognitive awareness of teacher candidates in their courses.