Mwangi,Elizabeth Wanja2025-03-142025-03-142024-11https://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/29792A Research Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Educational Psychology in the School of Education and Lifelong Learning of Kenyatta University, November, 2024 Supervisors: 1.Elizabeth Mwaniki 2.Josephine MutuaAcademic achievement is regarded as one of the important predictors of success worldwide. Nonetheless, poor academic achievement is rife in secondary schools in Nairobi City County. This has been attributed to many factors including academic stress, poor economic growth, and high crime rates. Studies worldwide have identified achievement goal orientation and metacognition as significant in predicting students' academic achievement. Noteworthy, there has been a relative dearth of studies on this area in Nairobi City County. Thus, the current study sought to determine the relationship between achievement goal orientation, metacognition, and the academic achievement of students in public secondary schools in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study’s main objectives were: to find out the relationship between achievement goal orientation and academic achievement, to determine the relationship between metacognition and academic achievement, to establish whether there were gender differences in students’ achievement goal orientation and metacognition and finally to find out the relative predictive weight of achievement goal orientation and metacognition on academic achievement. The theoretical foundation of this study were achievement goal orientation theory (Nicholas,1984) and cognitive monitoring model (Flavell,1976). The study employed a correlational research design. A total of 363 form two students participated in the study. Nairobi City County was purposively selected as the area of the study due to its deteriorating poor academic achievement. Purposive sampling, stratified random sampling, simple random technique, and stratified proportionate sampling was used. Achievement Goal Questionnaire (R-AGQ) (Elliot et al.,2008) and Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (R-MAI) (Schraw et al., 1994) were used to collect data. Pro forma summary table was prepared to determine total scores in the seven subjects. Pilot study involved 60 form two pupils (30 boys and 30 girls) selected randomly from one of the secondary schools in Westland's Sub County and the school selected during pilot study was not considered in the main study. Pearson product moment correlation was used to determine relationship between predictors and the outcome variables. T-test for independent samples was used to examine gender differences in achievement goal orientation and metacognition, while Multiple regression was used to determine the variable that had higher prediction on academic achievement. Results of the study showed a significant relationship between achievement goal orientation and academic achievement r (363) =.03, p <.05. Approach and avoidance orientation subscales had a positive relationship with academic achievement. There was a significant relationship between metacognition and academic achievement r (363) =.13, p <.05. Metacognitive regulation had higher prediction with academic achievement. There were significant gender differences in achievement goal orientation and metacognition (t=3.28, df=2, p<.05). High levels of achievement goal orientation and metacognition were observed among boys than girls. The prediction equation of achievement goal orientation and metacognition was ŷ=6.35 + .06 AGO +.08 M. Metacognition had a prediction of (B= .08) and achievement goal orientation had a prediction of (B=.06). In conclusion, although achievement goal orientation and metacognition predicted academic achievement, metacognition predicted academic achievement more than achievement goal orientation. The results of this study are important and form a basis upon which curriculum developers can modify teacher training curriculum to help learners in thinking aloud and reflect on their learning as well as focusing more on content mastery for better academic achievement of students.enThesis