Metacognition

 

As experts in our fields, we have learned how to be critical learners. That is, we have learned ways to plan, monitor, evaluate, and reflect on new contexts, ideas, practices, and research as part of daily lives. These reflective, metacognitive skills are invaluable to us, and they are largely invisible to, therefore not practiced by, our students as novice learners.  The resources on this page offer ideas and resources addressing reflective, metacognitive practices that can be incorporated into your courses.

 

 

 What is metacognition?

Supporting Slide Deck

The Notes section of the slide deck Links to an external site. includes talking points and resource links for all 3 sections here.

Starting Points

What is Metacognition Links to an external site. - brief video

What Students Should Know About How People Learn Links to an external site. - brief video

Stephen Chew addresses key research related to metacognition, and offers some strategies for learners and teachers.

Three Ways to Help Students Become More Metacognitively Aware Links to an external site. (PDF)

Teaching Metacognition Links to an external site. (PDF)

 

Strategies for Planning, Monitoring and Engaging

Metacognition: How to Get the Most Out of Studying Links to an external site. (Chew; Google doc)

Helping Students Get the Most Out of Learning Links to an external site. (Chew; chapter PDF)

The Google document provides an overview and link to the YouTube playlist of short videos Chew has created for students. The videos, which are also helpful to us as teacher, focus on active metacognitive strategies that can be embedded into teaching and learning. The article introduces critical learning and addresses core research related to metacognition.

Using Metacognition to Promote Learning Links to an external site. (Millis; PDF)

One feature of this article: offers a range of examples of activities teachers can embed offered before, during, and after class sessions or as ongoing assignments in an online course.

Promoting Student Metacognition Links to an external site. (Tanner; PDF)

Includes sample questions and prompts that can be embedded into course plans and student work, and features a set of questions specifically aimed to promote teacher megacognition regarding teaching. While the target audience is biology teachers, the literature reviews and practical strategies are applicable across disciplines.

 

Additional Resources

Metacognitive Learning - Links to Teaching Activity Resources Links to an external site.

Metacognitive Learning - Bibliography Links to an external site.

Links referenced in 27 March session:

Example of teacher introducing learning during 1st week of class - video Links to an external site.

Designing Homework That Enhances Learning - pages 2-3 reference ways of efficiently and effectively responding to / grading homework Links to an external site.

Drawing to Learn - blog post Links to an external site. and article Links to an external site.