Part 6 Preparing an Assignment/Project

What did you discover about yourself using this questionnaire? What aspects are you
strong in? What aspects do you need to improve?

Abstraction:

Metacognition

What you did while answering the questionnaire and analyzing your scores is an exercise
in metacognition. You stopped for a moment and thought about how you study and learn. You
were reminded of your strengths and weaknesses, then you wrote what it is that you can do to
improve your study habits. Hopefully, this will help you start to learn more effectively.
The most important goal of education is to teach students how to learn on their own. It is
vital that students acquire the skills of how to learn; and that these skills enable them to learn not
just while they are in school but for a lifetime. This entails a deeper awareness of how one
processes information, the ability to evaluate his own thinking and to think of ways to make his
own learning process more effective. All these involve metacognition.
What is metacognition? This appears to be such a high-sounding word that some people
are confused about even before they actually spend time to find out what it really means. It is
not at all that complicated. In fact, we do metacognitive activities so often in our daily lives.
When you sense that you are experiencing some difficulty with a topic you are studying, and you
try out different strategies to learn better, you are practicing metacognition. The word may be
long, seems to be intangible but it is worth focusing on because it can help you to be a more
successful learner. When you become a teacher, it can also help your students to learn more
efficiently and effectively.
The term “metacognition” was coined by John Flavell. According to Flavell,
metacognition consists of both metacognitive knowledge and metacognitive experiences or
regulation. Metacognition, simply put, is “thinking about thinking” or “learning how to learn”.
It refers to higher order thinking which involves active awareness and control over the cognitive
processes engaged in learning. Metacognitive knowledge refers to acquired knowledge about
cognitive processes, knowledge that can be used to control cognitive processes. Flavell further
divides metacognitive knowledge into three categories: knowledge of person variables, task
variables and strategy variables.
Person Variables. This includes how one views himself as a learner and thinker.
Knowledge of person variables refers to knowledge about how human beings learn and process
information, as well as individual knowledge of one’s own learning processes.
Task Variables. Knowledge of task variables includes knowledge about the nature of
the task as well as the type of processing demands that it will place upon the individual. It is
about knowing what exactly needs to be accomplished, gauging its difficulty and knowing the
kind of effort it will demand from you.
 Strategy Variables. Knowledge of strategy variables involves awareness of the strategy
you are using to learn a topic and evaluating whether this strategy is effective. If you think your
strategy is not working, then you may think of various strategies and try out one to see if it will
help you learn better. Terms like meta-attention and meta-memory are related to strategy
variables. Meta-attention is the awareness of specific strategies so that you can keep your
attention focused on the topic or task at hand. Meta-memory is your awareness of memory
strategies that work best for you.

Metacognitive Strategies to Facilitate Learning

Researchers such that of Fang and Cox showed that metacognitive awareness was evident
in pre-schoolers and in students as young as eight years old. Children already have the capacity
to be more aware and reflective of their own learning. However, not many have been taught and
encouraged to apply metacognition.
The challenge then to future teachers like you is to integrate more activities that would
build your students’ capacity to reflect on their own characteristics as learners (self-knowledge),
the tasks they are to do (task knowledge) and the strategies that they can use to learn (strategic
knowledge). Remember, metacognition is like any other thing you will teach. Metacognition
involves knowledge and skills which you and your students can learn and master.
Here are some examples of teaching strategies to develop metacognition:
1. Have students monitor their own learning and thinking.
2. Teach students study or learning strategies.
TQLR – This can be taught to younger students (primary grades). It is a
metacognitive strategy before listening to a story or presentation.
T is for Tune in. It is first important for the learner himself to be aware that he is
paying attention, and that he is ready to learn.
Q is for Question. The learner is given questions or he thinks of questions about
what he will soon learn.
L is for Listen. The learner then intentionally exerts effort to listen. He becomes
aware if he is momentarily detracted and goes back to listen again.
R is for Remember. The learner uses ways or strategies to remember what was
learned.

PQ4R – This is usually for older students in the intermediate levels and onwards.
This strategy is used to study a unit or chapter.
P – Preview. Scan the whole chapter before delving on each paragraph. Check
out the objectives. Look for outlines or advance organizers that will give you an idea
about the important topics and ideas in the chapter. Read the summary of the chapter
first.
Q – Question. Read the guide questions provided, or think of your own questions
about the topic.
R – Read. Check out sub headings as you read. Pay attention on words that are
printed in bold or italicized. Find out the meaning of words that are not clear to you.
Use a marker or colored pencil to highlight important words or phrases.
R – Recite. Work on answering the questions you had earlier.
 R – Review. Pinpoint topics you may need to go back to and read in order to
understand better.
R – Reflect. Think about what you read. Is everything clear to you? What are
the main points you learned? How is this relevant or useful to you?
3. Have students make predictions about information to be presented next based on
what they have read.
4. Have students relate ideas to existing knowledge structures.
5. Have students develop questions; ask questions of themselves, about what’s going on
around them.
6. Help students to know when to ask for help.
7. Show students how to transfer knowledge, attitudes, values, skills to other situations
or tasks.

Novice and Expert Learners

In the last twenty years, cognitive psychologists have studied the distinction among
learners in the manner they absorb or process information. They are able to differentiate expert
learners from novice learners. A very important factor that separates these two types of learners
mentioned is metacognition. Expert learners employ metacognitive strategies in learning. They
are more aware of their learning process as they read, study and do problem solving. Expert
learners monitor their learning and consequently adjust their strategies to make learning more
effective.

Differences between Novice and Expert Learners

Aspect of Learning Novice Learners Expert Learners

Knowledge in different Have limited knowledge in Have deeper knowledge in
subject areas the different subject areas different subject areas
because they look for
interrelationships in the
things they learn
Problem solving Satisfied at just scratching the First try to understand the
surface; hurriedly gives a problem, look for boundaries,
solution to the problem and create a mental picture of
the problem
Learning/Thinking strategies Employ rigid strategies that Design new strategies that
may not be appropriate to the would be appropriate to the
task at hand task at hand
Selectivity in Processing Attempt to process all Select important information
information they receive to process; able to breakdown
information to manageable
chunks
Production of output Do not examine the quality of Check their errors and
their work, nor stop to make redirect their efforts to
revisions maintain quality output