EDU 330: Educational Psychology Daniel Moos, PhD Metacognition EDU 330: Educational Psychology Daniel Moos, PhD

Metacognition What is Metacognition? Metacognition in theory Metacognition in reality Metacognition in practice

Let’s play… Rock-Paper-Scissors Best two out of three Winner gets to.... TEACH!

TEACHER: “Teach” and then clap twice STUDENTS: “Okay” and then clap twice Teacher: (1) Summary of IPT model (2) Implications Listener: “I heard…” and then add additional info TEACHER: “Yes” and then STUDENTS clap twice

What is Metacognition and why is it important? Selective Attention example #1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJG698U2Mvo Selective Attention example #2: Write your name as many times as possible in 15 seconds Multiply number by 4; what is your number? Teachers present content about an average of 110 word per minute during a lecture Presentation rates substantially faster than what students can write… in other words, students cannot write down everything! 8

What is Metacognition? Cognition refers to… Metacogntion refers to… The manner in which information is processed (the way in which students process, store, retrieve, manipulate knowledge) Metacogntion refers to… Knowledge about these operations and how they may be best used to achieve a learning goal 8

Metacognition in Theory

Metacognition in Reality (I) Not just another “education” buzz word… We know it is incredibly important in learning… Over 35 years of research (Flavell, 1979, 1987s) Knowledge-of-person variables Individual understanding (are you better at math or English?) Knowledge-of-task variables Knowledge of tasks (which tasks take you longer to complete?) Knowledge-of-strategy variables Knowledge of effective strategies (which strategies are most effective for you?)

Metacognition in Reality (II) Not just another “education” buzz word… We know it is incredibly important in learning… Supported in diverse areas of research: Cognitive Psychology, Educational Psychology, Learning Sciences Personal commitment and consistency of findings: 31 of my 33 published journal articles are based on studies that used metacognition to explain learning Statistically significantly predicted learning outcomes Accessible instructional strategies for supporting metacognition

Metacognition in Practice (I) Metacognitive activities should guide students to: Articulate what they already know Articulate what they learned Monitor progress, evaluate work, and set goals Identify, evaluate, and implement effective strategies Connect content and transfer learning between contexts Characteristics of effective metacognitive activities: Facilitate student planning, monitoring, and reflection Are offered before, during, and after learning Occur in various settings (individuals, pairs, small group, large group)

Metacognition in Practice (II) What activities effectively teach and/or support metacognition based on the below criteria? Metacognitive activities should guide students to: Articulate what they already know Articulate what they learned Monitor progress, evaluate work, and set goals Identify, evaluate, and implement effective strategies Connect content and transfer learning between contexts Characteristics of effective metacognitive activities: Facilitate student planning, monitoring, and reflection Are offered before, during, and after learning Occur in various settings (individuals, pairs, small group, large group)

Metacognition in Practice (III) Exit Cards I understand…. I do NOT understand….

Many students (of all ages) do not self-regulate their learning Metacognition in Practice (IV) SRL prompts Many students (of all ages) do not self-regulate their learning Planning Questions (before learning): What do you already know about ______? Monitoring questions (during learning): What have you learned so far? What questions do you have and/or is there anything you do not feel like you understand? Reflection (after learning): What did you learn about _______? What challenges did you face? What areas still confuse you?

Provide opportunities for students to express: Metacognition in Practice (V) KWL Charts Provide opportunities for students to express: what they know (K); want to know (W); have learned (L)

Metacognitive Note-taking Metacognition in Practice (VI) Metacognitive Note-taking Dynamic interplay between content & understanding

Surrounds existing assignment/activity and encourages metacognition Metacognition in Practice (VII) Wrappers Surrounds existing assignment/activity and encourages metacognition Lecture wrappers: 3 important points Exam wrappers: Predict exam performance, describe study strategies; reflect and modify Homework wrappers: Predict difficulty, reflect and modify

Metacognition in Practice (VIII) Promoting Metacognition through rubrics and Assignment Directions See Handouts

Age trends in Metacognition Young Elementary (6 yr olds) Do know: Familiar items easier to remember, small set of information easier to recall Do not know: Limit to amount one can recall Young Elementary (7 yr olds) Do know: Interest, familiarity, and story length affect comprehension and recall Do not know: Effect of how ideas are sequenced, time of test should affect study time Elementary (9 yr olds) Do know: Recall is limited (younger children overestimate how much they can store and retrieve in STM) Begin to understand when they know something well enough to pass a memory test (younger children choose to study something they had already seen) 13