Global trends in metacognition research for mathematics learning: A systematic literature review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29408/jel.v12i2.33665Keywords:
bibliometric analysis, mathematics, metacognitive, systematic reviewAbstract
Metacognition plays an important role in mathematics learning by facilitating students' self-awareness of their thinking processes. Although research on metacognition in mathematics has experienced considerable development, there is a lack of comprehensive studies that map the global research landscape in the last five years. This System Literature Review (SLR), integrated with Bibliometric analysis, examined 29 studies that were reviewed from 2021 to 2025 and met the inclusion-exclusion criteria following PRISMA guidelines. Data were collected from six scientific databases namely Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed, ERIC, Springer, IEEE Xplore and analyzed using VOSviewer 1.6.20. The results revealed four main findings: (1) Research trends show theoretical maturity from basic studies towards cognitive-affective integration and technology-enhanced interventions; (2) Turkey and Indonesia lead research productivity (14% each), with Asian countries accounting for 55% of the output, driven by assessment pressures and curriculum reform; (3) Methodological approaches balance qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods designs; (4) Metacognitive awareness significantly predicts mathematics achievement, operates within an integrated cognitive-affective system, shows individual differences, is shown to be changeable through interventions, yet low-achieving students show calibration issues. This study provides foundational insights for designing evidence-based metacognitive interventions and informing future research directions in mathematics education.
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