Metacognition

Metacognition is the process of how learners discover how they learn and how to improve their learning. Using knowledge of learning strategies, tasks, and of themselves to plan their learning, monitor their progress toward a learning objective, and evaluate the outcome.

Metacognition also promotes Self-Regulated Learning, which improves students’ success in school and the classroom. A learning plan and a way of reflecting on that learning plan will help the students also achieve the learning objectives laid out by the teacher in a class. 

MIT | Metacognition Open External Link

How do you use Metacognition in the Classroom?

In Dr. Saundra McGuire’s address from Temple University, she stated that not only should faculty know what Bloom’s Taxonomy Open External Link   is and how to use it; but also teach their students what it is and how to use it in their own learning. 

Teaching Students How to Learn Open External Link

Cambridge uses a three-step model of planning, monitoring, and evaluating. This process helps students manage their learning and make them aware of their learning gaps. When you, as a teacher, check in with students, you can recognize the gaps and take steps to help students meet the learning objectives.

Cambridge | What is Metacognition? Open External Link

For more information on what metacognition is and how to effectively use it, see the activities below or the additional resources found at the bottom of the page.

Activities that use Metacognition

Some of the following activities have been revised from the Boston University page A Pedagogical Guide to Zoom Open External Link .

  • Work with the students to find the muddy subjects.
  • Reassure the students by helping them problem-solve their learning gaps.
  • Facilitate a think-pair-share activity to help the students monitor their learning and evaluate how to improve.
  • Use asynchronous learning Open External Link to help the students reflect on what they have learned and collaborate with other students on their learning.
  • Have an open discussion forum for students to go and ask questions or share what they have learned about a topic using Canvas or a shared online document.
  • Have students go into breakout rooms or small groups to discuss and reflect on the various aspects of the topic. Be sure that the students know what to discuss and what evidence of their discussion they need to return to the larger class discussion. Clearly define responsibilities (i.e. summarizer, cheerleader, devil’s advocate, note taker, etc.) for each group member. Specific assignments will help the students take an active role in the discussion.
  • Plan on ways for students to be able to use the chat in Zoom for answering questions and to discuss and make comments on the topic being learned.
  • Have students create a diagnostic learning log where they create a list of key concepts and points that they understood. Have them then create another list of points that were uncelar, along with possible remedies for problems.

Preparing Instructional Objectives

Instruction is successful, or effective, to the degree that it accomplishes what it sets out to accomplish. Students that plan, monitor, and evaluate their own learning help them to feel accomplished in the learning objectives in the class.

Additional Resources

See the following resources for a more depth understanding of metacognition and how to effectively use it in the classroom.