Module 1

Metacognition is the process of thinking about one’s own thinking and learning. It involves knowing when
you know, knowing when you don’t know, and knowing what to do when you don’t know. In other words, it
involves self-monitoring and correcting your own learning processes. For example, you engage in metacognition
if you notice that you are having more trouble learning concept A than concept B, or if you realize that your
approach to solving a problem is not working, and you decide to try a different approach.

Metacognition also involves knowing yourself as a learner; that is, knowing your strengths and weaknesses as a
learner. For example, if you can explain what your strengths are in academic writing, or exam taking, or other
types of academic tasks, then you are metacognitively aware. Metacognitive processes can be applied to learning
and thinking in all disciplines and contexts. It is an essential skill for life-long learning, and therefore,
metacognitive skills need to be taught and discussed with students.
Metacognit
ive approach to support student learning involves promoting student learning involves promoting
Metacognitive

Approach
student metacognition- teaching students how to think about how they think and how they approach learning. Why
is it important? It makes thinking and learning visible to students. The figure below provides examples of
metacognitive activities that can be adapted to any discipline.

Students read syllabus and answer Encourage students to examine their

questions about the course goals, study current thinking. Ask students to answer
expectations, etc questions, such as, what do I already know
about this skill/topic that would help guide
learning?

Reveal student thinking processes and

Check comprehension and identify areas of difficulty. Examples:
confusion, what was most
Discuss with your partner how you would
confusing about the material? approach this problem. Have you ever
seen this principle at work in practice?
Describe what happened.
Give some specific contexts where you
think this principle/process would be the
preferred approach. Why?

Encourage students to reflect on Reveal student thinking processes

their performance, and see the
connection between exam
performance and study practices.
Questions to ask:
How many hours did you study?
How did you prepare for this
exam? Why did you lose points?
Allow students to monitor their
own thinking. What about my
study strategies for this exam
worked well and what should I
continue to do for the next exam?
What did not work well that I
should change next time?
and areas of difficulty. Examples:
Help students to recognize
conceptual change. Students
respond to questions such as,
How is my thinking changing (or
not changing) over time?

Figure 1. Examples of metacognitive strategies that help students to reflect on their learning. (Adapted from Tanner,
2012).
Motivating
Our
Motivation and learning are inextricably intertwined: “motivation influences learning and performance and what

Students
students do and learn influences their motivation” (Schunk et al., 2008, p. 5). Theories of motivation have
developed over decades. In recent years, Svinicki (2004) developed an amalgamated model of motivation for use in
higher education based on expectancy value theories, Bandura’s social cognitive theory, and goal orientation
theory. According to Svinicki’s amalgamated model, two important concepts contribute to students’ motivation to
achieve a goal: the value the goal has for them and their expectancies (expectations) that they will be able to attain
the goal. These concepts can be summarized by two key questions that students consider when given a task:  “Do I
want to do this task, and, if so, why?”  (value) and “Am I capable of doing this task?” (expectancy). As instructors,
we can use a variety of strategies to help increase students’ perceptions of the value of a given task as well as their
expectations of being successful with that task.