UNR1102 - Creativity and innovation

Dr. Mohamed H. Zaky

Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT)

Fall 2023 Semester

AASTMT - Alexandria
Metacognitive processes
What is metacognition?

It's the ability to think

Metacognition is
deeply about cognitive
knowledge about
phenomena by
one's own complex
controlling the
cognitive processes.
cognitive processes.

© Dr. Mohamed H. Zaky 2023 3

What is metacognition?

Metacognition

Metacognitive knowledge Metacognitive regulation

Declarative Procedural Conditional Self- Self- Self-

knowledge knowledge knowledge monitoring evaluation reinforcement

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Metacognitive knowledge: Thinking about thinking
Metacognitive knowledge is what people know about their cognitive
processors, learning and problem-solving methods, and learning task
demands.

The 3-level model of metacognitive knowledge

• Declarative knowledge comprises pre-monitored cognitive tasks on which knowledge is built

such as memorizing, reading, perceiving, and acquiring language.
• Procedural knowledge employs processes to measure cognitive progress when engaged in a
process, i.e., computing.
• Conditional knowledge reflects on the limitations of knowledge, i.e., the certainty of knowing.
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Metacognitive regulation: A personal control paradigm
Metacognitive regulation is the ability to voluntarily regulate
physiological activity, behaviour, or consciousness.

The 3-level model of metacognitive regulation

• Self-monitoring is actively monitoring one's own behaviour.

• Self-evaluation is a discrimination reaction that compares self-monitoring
data to desired behaviour criteria, standards, or expectations.
• Self-reinforcement is the process's motivating component using
circumstances to alter behaviour to match standards.
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Metacognitive cycle –
Assess the task

In this stage, creative

people build rich,
interconnected,
flexible cognitive
structures to assess
the motives to do the
task.
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Metacognitive cycle – Evaluate
strengths and weaknesses

Elements of the original

representation are
recombined and
reordered to generate
new mental structures
that represent the
strengths and
weaknesses.

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Metacognitive cycle –
Plan the approach

Creative people plan

better when they have
some say over what they
do. This stage of
metacognition focuses on
critical thinking, problem-
solving, and creativity.

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Metacognitive cycle –
Apply strategies

This is where creative

people become "stuck."
Supervisors can accelerate
progress by communicating
with the team. Also,
remind the team that they
can change strategies if
necessary.

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Metacognitive cycle –
Reflect

The reflection process is two-

fold. First, compare the
product to an internal
standard; the creative
enterprise's initial objective,
and the mental image.
Second, presenting the
prototype to potential
customers.

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Performing a creative task
Core cognitive processes Metacognitive processes

Metacognitive control
Control of *task engagement, *task
strategies, *response production
Short-term

Creative thinking
Based on

memory

Idea generation or creative

problem solving Metacognitive monitoring
Evaluation of *task characteristics,
*task performance, *candidate
response

Metacognitive knowledge
Long-term

Problem-relevant knowledge
Based on

memory

Knowledge elements used in Knowledge of *creative tasks, *task

creative solution strategies, *what is creative

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Creative task performance in steps
Task order Pre-task During task Post-task
Creative Thinking Process task instructions Core task (e.g., idea generation) Presentation/Implementation of
Cognition
Core

solution

Metacognitive - Start task, or gather more - Decision on task dis/engagement - Selection of responses
control info - Select or change strategy
Metacognitive - Evaluation of task - Reconsider task characteristics - Update task characteristics
Metacognition

monitoring characteristics - Evaluation of ongoing - Evaluation of own total

- Anticipation of own performance performance
performance - Evaluation of candidate - Evaluation of own idea set
- Evaluate examples responses
Metacognitive - Activation of - Retrieval of metacognitive - Update of metacognitive
knowledge metacognitive knowledge knowledge knowledge

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HOW CREATIVE
ARE YOU?
STRETCH YOUR MIND
WITH A TEAMMATE
Exercise One - Distance Makes
the Brain Grow Stronger
• Have you ever noticed how it’s often easy to give
someone else advice while trying to give yourself advice
feels difficult?
• Using a creative game to shift your perspective and tap
into this element can make all the difference when trying
to solve problems, particularly those that relate to you
personally.
• In this creative activity, share two handouts among the
group equally and tell everyone to work on the handout
individually and solve the problem as quickly as possible.
• Then, let the group exchange the handouts to examine
others’ solutions.

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“Creativity can solve almost any
problem. The creative act, the
defeat of habit by originality,
overcomes everything.” George
Lois, 1931, Art Director and
Author