Influence of Metacognitive Strategies Instruction on Chemistry Problem-Solving Abilities Among University Undergraduates in Kaduna State

This study examined the influence of metacognitive strategies instruction on the chemistry problem-solving abilities of undergraduate science students in Kaduna State, Nigeria. Metacognitive strategies, encompassing planning, monitoring, and evaluating one's own thinking, are theorised to be particularly effective in complex problem-solving domains such as quantitative chemistry, yet controlled studies on their effect at the Nigerian tertiary level are scarce. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was used. Sixty undergraduate students enrolled in General Chemistry at two federal tertiary institutions in Kaduna State participated, divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group received eight weeks of explicit metacognitive strategies instruction embedded in their regular chemistry sessions, including think-aloud protocols, error analysis journals, and strategy mapping exercises. A validated Chemistry Problem-Solving Test with a reliability of 0.84 was administered. Analysis of Covariance was used to compare groups. Results showed significant improvement in problem-solving performance in the experimental group, with the most notable gains observed in stoichiometry and equilibrium problem types. Gender did not moderate the treatment effect. The study contributes original empirical evidence for metacognitive instruction in Nigerian tertiary chemistry education and recommends incorporation of metacognitive skill development into undergraduate chemistry course structures in Kaduna State institutions. Keywords: metacognition, chemistry problem-solving, undergraduate students, Kaduna State, higher education.