Mathematical metacognition and computational thinking in adolescents: the roles of cognitive flexibility and grade level

Background Computational thinking is a key higher-order cognitive skill in adolescence, extending beyond computer science to mathematical problem solving and complex reasoning. Although mathematical metacognition has been associated with computational thinking, the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear. Grounded in Flavell’s metacognitive theory and Wing’s framework, this study examines the mediating role of cognitive flexibility and the moderating role of grade level in this association among high school students. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted with 467 high school students (M age = 16.05, SD = 1.20, 57.2% female) from grades 9–12 in Diyarbakır, Türkiye. Participants completed validated self-report measures of mathematical metacognition, cognitive flexibility, and computational thinking. The proposed moderated mediation model was tested using Hayes’ PROCESS macro (Model 14). Results Mathematical metacognition was positively associated with computational thinking. Mediation analyses showed that cognitive flexibility partially mediated this relationship, indicating both direct and indirect associations between metacognitive regulation and computational thinking. In addition, the interaction between cognitive flexibility and grade level was significant, indicating that this association varied across grade levels. Simple slope analyses showed that the positive association between cognitive flexibility and computational thinking strengthened at higher grade levels. The index of moderated mediation was significant (IMM = 0.065, 95% CI [0.012, 0.141]), indicating that the indirect association varied systematically across grade levels. Conclusion The findings suggest that cognitive flexibility may represent an important mechanism underlying the association between mathematical metacognition and computational thinking within a developmental framework. By demonstrating that this association becomes stronger across grade levels, the findings support the value of integrating metacognitive and flexibility-oriented practices in secondary education to promote computational thinking.