Metacognition
What is metacognition?
Metacognition “refers to one’s knowledge concerning one’s own cognitive processes or anything related to them, e.g., the learning-relevant properties of information or data.” (Flavell, 1976). Metacognition is essentially “thinking about thinking,” and can be broken down into two parts in the context of learning:
- Awareness of how one learns best.
- Control or self-regulation for implementing when to apply the appropriate learning strategies.
Why is metacognition important?
Metacognition is important because it relates to a learner’s motivation and self-regulation. A learner with a high level of metacognition for a learning task can identify which learning strategies to use and know when it’s time to implement them. Equally as important, learners need to be motivated. Metacognition and motivation go hand-in-hand for successful learning; if learners lack motivation, then it doesn’t matter if they know how and when to apply learning strategies. This also works the other way around; you cannot learn without both!
For example, a learner with a high level of metacognition might choose to study for their French exam using flashcards to recall vocabulary if this method has worked for similar learning tasks in the past. If a learner is aware of how they learn best and exercise self-discipline (i.e. self-regulation in committing to the learning task), then you can say that the learner is exhibiting a high level of metacognition.
According to Vanderbilt University, metacognition is defined as:
“the processes used to plan, monitor, and assess one’s understanding and performance. Metacognition includes a critical awareness of a) one’s thinking and learning and b) oneself as a thinker and learner” (Chick, 2013).
In everyday life, people can apply metacognition to solve problems by being intentional and aware of their own thinking and learning, even with ordinary tasks. For example, if you are inconsistent with taking your daily vitamins, you will continue to be inconsistent unless you create a plan by deconstructing, monitoring, and assessing your thoughts and behavioral patterns. With self-awareness, you can take the necessary steps to resolve the problem. In this scenario, let’s say that you tend to forget to take your vitamins on days when you sleep in and are running late to work. Now that you have recognized a factor related to the problem, you can change your routine to eliminate this specific factor. Maybe instead of taking your vitamins in the morning, you plan to take them at dinnertime when you won’t be worried about rushing to work. By using a pill case organizer or a habit tracking app, you can monitor your progress. After implementing your new routine for several months, you can assess whether you are achieving your goal of consistently taking your vitamins on time every day.
Help your learners succeed by empowering them to think about their own learning!
References
Chick, N. (2013). Metacognition. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/metacognition/
Flavell, J. (1976). Metacognitive aspects of problem-solving. In L. Resnick (Ed.), The
Nature of Intelligence. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum Assoc.