MODULE FACILITATING AND ASSESSING LEARNING

CHAPTER I: Metacognition

Objectives:

a. Define the meaning, concepts of metacognition.

b. Classify the learner centered psychological principles.

“Metacognitive
thinking teaches us
about ourselves,”
Tamara Rosier

Metacognition is defined in simplest terms as “thinking about your own thinking.” The
root “meta” means “beyond,” so the term refers to “beyond thinking.” Specifically, this
means that it encompasses the processes of planning, tracking, and assessing your own
understanding or performance.

Metacognition (derived from the Greek root word "meta" meaning "beyond" and the Latin
word "cognoscere" meaning "getting to know") refers to a student’s ability to be aware of
what they are thinking about and choose a helpful thought process. It captures a student’s
ability to:

 Analyse how they think

 Have high self-awareness and control of their thoughts
 Choose an appropriate and helpful strategy for the task at hand.
The phrase was termed by American developmental psychologist John H. Flavell in
1979, and the theory developed throughout the 1980s among researchers working with
young children in early cognitive stages. “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. For example, I am engaging in metacognition

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if I notice that I am having more trouble learning A than B; if it strikes me that I should
double check C before accepting it as fact.”
Flavell argued that metacognition explains why children of different ages deal with
learning tasks in different ways, i.e., they have developed new strategies for thinking.
Research studies (see Duell, 1986) seem to confirm this conclusion; as children get older
they demonstrate more awareness of their thinking processes.

Metacognition has to do with the active monitoring and regulation of cognitive processes.
It represents the “executive control” system that many cognitive theorists have included
in their theories (e.g., Miller, Newell & Simon, Schoenfeld). Metacognitive processes are
central to planning, problem-solving, evaluation and many aspects of language learning.
Metacognition is relevant to work on cognitive styles and learning strategies in so far as
the individual has some awareness of their thinking or learning processes.

Metacognition, or thinking about one’s thinking, is key to facilitating lasting learning

experiences and developing lifelong learners. Linda Darling-Hammond and her
colleagues (2003) identify two types of metacognition: reflection, or “thinking about what
we know,” and self-regulation, or “managing how we go about learning."

LEARNER-CENTERED PSYCHOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES (LSP)

14 PSYCHOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES PERTAIN TO THE

LEARNER AND THE LEARNING PROCESS.

The 14 principles are divided into those referring to:

A. Cognitive and metacognitive

B. Motivational and affective
C. Developmental and social
D. Individual difference factors

A. Cognitive and Metacognitive

1. Nature of Learning Process - the learning of complex subject matter is most

effective when it is an international process of constructing meaning from
information and experience.

 Learning is the process by which an individual acquires knowledge, attitudes and

skills that are necessary to meet the demands of life. While touching a burning
candle, a child gets burnt and he withdraws the fingers. When he faces a similar
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situation again he withdraws his fingers faster. Gradually he learns to avoid not
only the burning candle but also other burning things. The behaviour of an
individual is thus changed through experiences. This change in behaviour brought
about by experiences is commonly known as learning.

2. Goals of the Learning Process - the successful learner, over time and with support
and instructional guidance, can create meaningful, coherent representations of
knowledge.

The learning goal is the backbone of a lesson and provides the “reason” for teaching and
observing it.

3. Construction of Knowledge - the successful learner can link new information with
existing knowledge in meaningful ways. Knowledge widens and deepens as students
continue to build links between new information and experiences and their existing
knowledge base.

 Students learn by connecting new knowledge with knowledge and concepts that
they already know, thereby constructing new meanings (NRC, 2000). Research
suggests that students connect knowledge most effectively in active social
classrooms, where they negotiate understanding through interaction and varied
approaches. Instructors should be aware that students, as novice learners, often
possess less developed or incomplete conceptual frameworks (Kober, 2015). As
a result, it may take time to learn how to “chunk” knowledge into similar, retrievable
categories, grow larger conceptual ideas, and interconnect ideas. They may also
harbor misconceptions or erroneous ways of thinking, which can limit or weaken
connections with new knowledge (Ambrose, et. al, 2010).

4. Strategic Thinking - the successful learner can create and use a repertoire of thinking
and reasoning strategies to achieve complex learning goals. Successful learners use
in their approach to learning reasoning, problem solving, and concept learning.

 Strategic thinking is simply an intentional and rational thought process that focuses
on the analysis of critical factors and variables that will influence the long-term
success of a business, a team, or an individual.
 Strategic thinking includes careful and deliberate anticipation of threats and
vulnerabilities to guard against and opportunities to pursue. Ultimately strategic
thinking and analysis lead to a clear set of goals, plans, and new ideas required to
survive and thrive in a competitive, changing environment. This sort of thinking
must account for economic realities, market forces, and available resources.
 Strategic thinking requires research, analytical thinking, innovation, problem-
solving skills, communication and leadership skills, and decisiveness.

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5. Thinking about thinking - Successful learners can reflect on how they think and learn,
set reasonable learning or performances goals, select potentially appropriate
learning strategies or methods, and monitor their progress towards these goals.

 Metacognition is the ability to think about and regulate one’s own thoughts.
Teaching metacognitive strategies can improve learners’ performance at school.
This makes it a good, evidence-based target for intervention.
 A simplified definition of metacognition is “thinking about thinking”, but
metacognition also encompasses the regulation of these thoughts – the ability to
change them. It is a step further than simple awareness of thought processes,
incorporating the ability to alter thoughts and behaviours. Explicitly teaching
learners strategies for metacognition has been shown to lead to improvements in
attainment.

6. Context of Learning - Learning is influenced by environmental factors, including

culture, technology and instructional practices.

Contextual learning is based on a constructivist theory of teaching and learning. Learning

takes place when teachers are able to present information in such a way that students
are able to construct meaning based on their own experiences. Contextual learning
experiences include internships, service learning and study abroad programs.

Contextual learning has the following characteristics:

 emphasizing problem solving

 recognizing that teaching and learning need to occur in multiple contexts
 assisting students in learning how to monitor their learning and thereby become
self-regulated learners
 anchoring teaching in the diverse life context of students[clarification needed]
 encouraging students to learn from each other
 employing authentic assessment

For More Knowledge:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZrUWvfU6VU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elZFL4FLVLE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grSw_n0xZUk

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