Effects Of Metacognitive Strategy on Critical Thinking Skills in Identifying Geometric Shapes in Quranic Calligraphy and Mathematical Basis Among 200-Level Kaduna State University

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of metacognitive strategy on critical thinking skills in identifying geometric shapes in Qur’anic calligraphy and understanding their mathematical basis among 200-level students of Kaduna State University. A quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test control group design was adopted. The population comprised 230 students, from which 60 were selected through simple random sampling and assigned to experimental and control groups. The instrument used for data collection was the Geometric and Quranic Calligraphy Critical Thinking Test (GQCCTT), with a reliability coefficient of 0.82. The experimental group received instruction using metacognitive strategies, including planning, self-questioning, monitoring, and reflective evaluation, while the control group was taught using the conventional lecture method. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and independent samples t-test at a 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that metacognitive strategy significantly improved students’ abilities to identify geometric shapes, analyze mathematical foundations, interpret spatial and symmetrical relationships, and solve geometry-based problems derived from Qur’anic calligraphy. The study concluded that metacognitive strategy effectively enhances critical thinking and higher-order reasoning in geometry learning and recommended its integration into mathematics instruction.