Face-to-face and online learning: The role of technology in students’ metacognition

The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have upset the structure of many organizations until reaching school, which has had to organize quickly for assuring online teaching. Traditional school, through its actors, should generate in the students the development of awareness towards their own way of learning, study flexibility, skills for self-evaluation and factors belonging to metacognitive strategies. The main aim of our research was to verify whether this general goal could be reached by both face-to-face and online learning. The Metacognitive Questionnaire on Study Method (QMS) was completed online by 324 students (125 males and 199 females) aged from 14 to 19, attending their classes on the “Google Classroom” platform. Our results suggest that both the conditions show advantages and drawbacks. Attitude towards school and study is better in face-to-face learning and Metacognition and study tends to be significantly more positive in face-to-face setting too. On the other hand, online learning enhances the use of subsidies and study flexibility as well as a minor anxiety state. Our results, albeit with their limitations, could offer many suggestions to the academic community committed to improving educational institutions.