Popularization writing education

The effect of explicit instruction on metacognitive awareness in undergraduate interdisciplinary students

Abstract

In this study, we report on the effect of explicit instruction in popularization discourse on metacognitive awareness in undergraduate interdisciplinary students. We developed a popularization discourse teaching intervention using educational design research. The iterative design cycle lasted four academic years and spanned eight consecutive designs. Then, interdisciplinary students took part in the four-hour in-class intervention. Data from questionnaires and self-reflections were analyzed quantitatively, using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and qualitatively, using thematic analysis. The quantitative analysis shows an increase in declarative knowledge and some increase in procedural knowledge. The qualitative analysis shows students have attained declarativeknowledge about popularization as a genre, procedural knowledge into how to produce popularization discourse, and self-regulation by managing expectations of popularization writing. One session in popularization discourse could thus already positively influence metacognitive awareness, but more and consistent training would create more beneficial outcomes.