 Metacognition refers to a learner’s ability to be aware of and monitor their own learning processes.  Usually defined by it’s component parts.

 Knowledge of cognition  Refers to what individuals know about their own cognition or cognition in general.  Regulation of cognition  Refers to metacognitive activities that help control one’s thinking and learning.

 Includes three types of metacognitive awareness:  Declarative Knowledge  Procedural Knowledge  Conditional Knowledge

Procedural Conditional Declarative knowing oneself as a learner and about what factors influence one’s performance. knowing about oneself as a learner and about what factors influence one’s performance. Example: capacity limitations, rehearsal, and integration of info into LTM.  Effective learners appear to use these aspects. Refers to knowledge execute procedural skills. Refers to knowledge how to execute procedural skills. Example: heuristics and strategies such as how to “chunk” information.  Individuals use knowledge and select skills more automatically. Refers to knowing to apply various cognitive actions. Refers to knowing when and why to apply various cognitive actions. Example: knowing when and what information to rehearse.  Allows students to allocate resources and use strategies effectively.

 Three essential skills are included in the process of controlling one’s thinking or learning:  Planning  Monitoring  Evaluation

Regulation of Cognition Planning Selection of appropriate strategies and the allocation of resources that effect performance. Example: making predictions before reading, selection of strategies and allocation of resources before beginning a task. Monitoring Refers to one’s on-line awareness of comprehension and task performance. Example: Such as self-testing while learning.Evaluation Refers to appraising the products and regulatory processes of learning. Example: Such as re- evaluating goals and conclusions.

 “Is a relatively systematic structure of knowledge that can be used to explain and predict a broad range of cognitive and metacognitive phenomena” (Schraw & Moshman, 1995.) › These theories are personally derived. › And integrate knowledge of cognition and regulation of cognition.

 Characteristics › Allows an individual to integrate varied aspects of metacognition into a single framework. For example, children have difficulty using knowledge of memory to regulate cognition, because they have not yet integrated metacognitive knowledge and regulatory skills.

 Characteristics continued:  Coordinate beliefs that allow individuals to predict, control and explain their cognition, the cognition of others, or cognition in general. For example, a good strategy user, knows effective learning depends on activating relevant knowledge from memory, selectively using strategies, and motivates oneself to learn material at a deeper level. This guides ands coordinates one’s learning constituting a theory of what it means to be an effective learner.

 There are three different types of metacognitive theories:  Tacit Theories  Informal Theories  Formal Theories

 Are unconcious frameworks that systematize metacognitive knowledge.  for example, children’s beliefs about intelligence affects behavior in a classroom.

 Individuals are aware of some of their beliefs and assumptions regarding a phenomena, but have not yet constructed a theoretical structure that integrates and justifies beliefs. › Informal theories start as domain specific, and gradually are generalized to other domains.

 A systemized approach to learn something that has a specific form or structure (e g. physics, music, or statistics) that needs to be known, used, or remembered. › Allows individuals to make informed choices about self-regulatory behaviors.

Cultural Learning Individual Construction Peer interaction

 When students lack a theory of metacognitive knowledge, they are unable to explain their cognitive performance or plan effectively. › For example, students have difficulty in scientific reasoning due to lack of knowledge of a theory of metacognition. › Students do not differentiate between formal hypotheses and the data used to test these hypothesis, because they lack the skills to think strategically.

 Many programs do not help students understand the structure of metacognitive theory and use the theory to organize knowledge.

 Thus, Instructional programs should include: › Ways to help construct metacognitive awareness aiding theoretical formalization. › To accomplish this…

 Educators need to promote general awareness of the importance of metacognition: › Improve regulation of cognition. › And foster environments promoting metacognitive awareness.

PlanningPlanningMonitoringMonitoringEvaluatingEvaluating What is the nature of the task? What is my goal? What kind of information and strategies do I need? How much time will I need? Do I have a clear understanding ? Am I reaching my goals? Do I need to make changes? Have I reached my goals? What worked? What didn’t work? What would I do differently next time?

 Promoting goal orientations in the classroom Vs. performance orientations. › Students with mastery orientations seek to improve their competence, whereas, students with a performance orientation seek to prove competence.