Effect of a metacognitive scaffolding on self-efficacy, metacognition, and achievement in e-learning environments

The object of the present research is to study the effects of a metacognitive scaffolding on metacognition, academic self-efficacy, and learning achievement in students with different cognitive styles in the Field Dependence-Independence (FDI) dimension when learning math content in an e-learning environment. Sixty-seven (67) students of higher education from a public university of Bogota, Colombia participated in the study. The research has an experimental design with two groups and posttest. One group of students interacted with an e-learning environment, which includes within its structure a metacognitive scaffolding. The other group interacted with an environment without scaffolding. Findings show that the scaffolding promotes significant differences in metacognitive ability, academic self-efficacy, and learning achievement. Similarly, the data show that students with different cognitive styles achieve equivalent learning outcomes.