Metacognition

Current trends in education suggest that pupils should have more responsibility for their own learning, but how can they if they don’t understand the what, the why and the how? This practical guide explores the idea that a metacognitive approach enables pupils to develop skills for lifelong learning. If pupils can identify the what, the why, and the how of their learning, they can begin to formulate strategies for overcoming challenges and for continuous improvement. In this book, the authors truly engage with research into the link between metacognition and learning, and the idea that if you can effectively articulate your thoughts and strategies regarding how you learn, you might then be in a better position to take actions in order to improve and to be able to learn best. An appendix of useful resources is also included, which offers a range of activities surrounding the language of learning, reflection and metacognition, as well essential advice on how to develop metacognition in the early years (4-8), middle years (8-10), and upper years (10-13). Metacognition in the Primary Classroom demonstrates how important it is for children to be well-enough informed to play an active role in learning better. Having the language skills to talk about your learning, and the opportunity to share ideas and strategies with others, enables all concerned to explore and develop approaches in order to learn better. This book is a crucial read for anyone interested in ensuring that pupils take an active role in their own learning.

Metacognition refers to the awareness an individual has of their own mental processes. In the past thirty years metacognition research has become a rapidly growing field of interdisciplinary research within the cognitive sciences. This book brings together leading cognitive scientists to consider some of the key questions regarding this phenomenon.

Metacognition refers to thinking about our own thinking. It has assumed a prominent role in social judgment because our thoughts about our thoughts can magnify, attenuate, or even reverse the impact of primary cognition. Metacognitive thoughts can also produce changes in thought, feeling, and behavior, and thus are critical for a complete understanding of human social behavior. The present volume presents the most important and advanced research areas in social psychology where the role of metacognition has been studied. Specifically, the chapters of this book are organized into four substantive content areas: Attitudes and Decision Making, Self and Identity, Experiential, and Interpersonal. Each section consists in several chapters summarizing much of the work done in recent decades on critical topics, such as attitude strength, persuasion, bias correction, self-regulation, subjective feelings, embodiment, and prejudice, among others. This book also emphasizes interpersonal aspects of metacognition as they play an essential role in close relationships, groups, consumer and clinical interactions. Each chapter is written by an expert in the field, and presents a state-of-the-art view of the many ways metacognition has been examined by social psychologists.

Research has identified the importance of helping students develop the ability to monitor their own comprehension and to make their thinking processes explicit, and indeed demonstrates that metacognitive teaching strategies greatly improve student engagement with course material.This book -- by presenting principles that teachers in higher education can put into practice in their own classrooms -- explains how to lay the ground for this engagement, and help students become self-regulated learners actively employing metacognitive and reflective strategies in their education.Key elements include embedding metacognitive instruction in the content matter; being explicit about the usefulness of metacognitive activities to provide the incentive for students to commit to the extra effort; as well as following through consistently.Recognizing that few teachers have a deep understanding of metacognition and how it functions, and still fewer have developed methods for integrating it into their curriculum, this book offers a hands-on, user-friendly guide for implementing metacognitive and reflective pedagogy in a range of disciplines. Offering seven practitioner examples from the sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, the social sciences and the humanities, along with sample syllabi, course materials, and student examples, this volume offers a range of strategies for incorporating these pedagogical approaches in college classrooms, as well as theoretical rationales for the strategies presented. By providing successful models from courses in a broad spectrum of disciplines, the editors and contributors reassure readers that they need not reinvent the wheel or fear the unknown, but can instead adapt tested interventions that aid learning and have been shown to improve both instructor and student satisfaction and engagement.

Metacognition is the first textbook to focus on people's extraordinary ability to evaluate and control their cognitive processes. This comprehensive text covers both theoretical and empirical metacognitive research in educational, developmental, cognitive and applied psychology. Authors John Dunlosky and Janet Metcalfe address many of the key questions that have inspired scientists to pursue research in this domain. To answer these and many other questions, the authors assess major theoretical themes and programmatic research in the field. The authors also include chapters that define the scope of metacognition and cover its historical origins. Not only do they describe well-received theories about the nature of metacognition, but they also highlight unresolved mysteries currently on the cutting-edge of research. Key Features Emphasizes the practical relevance of theory and research in metacognition to learning with the use of "Application" boxes Introduces students to important questions that have yet to be answered by the metacognitive research literature with the inclusion of "Mystery" boxes Provides three easy-to-conduct demonstrations (e.g., tip-of-the-tongue experience, delayed-judgment-of-learning effect, etc.) that students can try themselves Offers brief biographies that introduce students to some of the most influential leaders in metacognition Includes a general summary at the end of each chapte Intended Audience This text is an ideal resource for undergraduate cognitive psychology students. It also serves as comprehensive handbook for more advanced students and psychological scientists engaged in the study of metacognitive processes.

Showcasing exemplary research programs, this book explores how the latest theories and findings on cognitive development can be used to improve classroom instruction. The focus is on how children acquire knowledge about the processes involved in learning—such as remembering, thinking, and problem solving—as well as strategies for mastering new information. The contributors are leading experts who illustrate ways teachers can support the development of metacognition and goal-directed strategy use throughout the school years and in different academic domains. Teacher behaviors and instructional methods that promote these abilities are identified, and innovative assessment approaches and research designs are described.

Publisher Description

From Mark Quirk, recipient of the 2006 Society of Teachers of Family Medicine's Excellence in Education award, comes the latest on improving medical education. In this volume, Quirk explores metacognition, the idea that we can think about the way we or other people think, and thus gain a better understanding of ourselves, our own cognitive processes, and the patients we seek to help. Written for medical educators--from medical school faculty to residents--this book will help you teach your students and interns how to extrapolate lessons from experience and integrate learning and practice. It will help them to think more clearly and thoroughly about what they read, hear, and learn on a day-to-day basis and thus become more informed and humanistic doctors.