Do Metacognitive-Supportive Exit Tickets in Middle School Math Classrooms Improve Students’ Self-regulated Learning?

• In Event: Unpacking Self-Regulated Learning: Cognitive, Motivational, and Methodological Insights Across Developmental and Disciplinary Contexts

Abstract

Many students struggle to accurately judge what they know, which may hinder learning and motivation. Yet teachers often lack tools to support metacognitive development. This study tested a scalable approach by enhancing math exit tickets with prompts to reflect on students’ confidence and accuracy. Sixty-one ninth-graders were randomly assigned to a control or reflection condition and completed seven exit tickets. For each ticket, the reflection group rated their confidence, received accuracy feedback, and completed a brief reflection exercise, while the control group received only accuracy feedback. The results offer encouraging signs that students engaged meaningfully with the reflections, and those in the reflection group reported greater use of metacognitive strategies and a marginal increase in mastery-approach goals after the intervention.

Authors

• Xinran Wang, Vanderbilt University

• Jerry Nelluvelil, Harvard University

• Madeleine Kingan, Harvard University

• Rebecca Adler, Vanderbilt University

• Lingfei Cao, Vanderbilt University

• Cristina D. Zepeda, Vanderbilt University

• Jon R. Star, Harvard University

• Bethany Rittle-Johnson, Vanderbilt University

• Kelley Durkin, Vanderbilt University