Learning to be a

Better Student
Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the chapter, the students are able to:

1.Explain learning and explain how it works in
humans.
2.Identify the parts of the brain involved in learning.
3.Describe the importance of neuroplasticity and
its implications to learning.
4.Discuss the influence of metacognition and self-
regulation in learning.
5.Choose and apply strategies to improve learning.
Learning
• Behaviorists define learning as a
relatively permanent change in behavior
as a result of practice or experiences.
• Cognitive psychologists define learning
as a process that leads to change as a
result of experience.
• Learning is the acquisition of knowledge,
skills, and attitudes through experience.
• It is a transformational process that
leads to personal growth and
development.
• Learning helps the individual to adapt
in the environment.
• Learning is a constant process.
WHAT HAPPENS IN THE BRAIN
DURING LEARNING
• Learning new knowledge and skills
everyday keeps the structures of the brain
changing and increase its ability to learn.
• The process of neuroplasticity is the ability
of the brain to change that involves the
addition of new neurons, new
interconnections between neurons, and
the reorganization of information
processing areas.
• The process of neuroplasticity or changes
in the structure and functions of the
neurons in the brain usually happen in
the cerebral cortex which is the wrinkled
layer of the brain.
• The cerebral cortex is packed with
neurons and is responsible for the most
sophisticated information processing in the
brain.
• The cerebral cortex plays a key role in
human learning, thought, memory, and
language
METACOGNITION AND SELF-
REGULATED LEARNING
• Metacognition is the awareness of
one's thinking and the strategies one
is using to learn.
• The ‘meta’ in metacognition refers to
higher-order cognition about cognition.
• Metacognition is simply defined as
cognition about cognition or thinking
about thinking.
• Psychologist John Flavell identified two
components of metacognition:
metacognitive knowledge and metacognitive
regulation.
• Metacognitive knowledge includes
knowledge of one’s own cognitive abilities,
knowledge of cognitive tasks, and
knowledge of the strategies to complete the
cognitive tasks.
• Metacognitive regulation refers to how the
individual monitors and control one’s
cognitive processes.
• Barry J. Zimmerman defines self-regulated
learning (SRL) as the process in which
students systematically direct their
thoughts, feelings, and actions toward the
attainment of their academic goals.
• Self-regulated describes a process of
taking control of and evaluating one's own
learning and behavior.
• In simple words, self-regulated learning is
a process of taking control of and
evaluating one's own learning.
Suggested Activities
• To discover your strengths and weaknesses, answer the
Multiple Intelligence Inventory. The test may be
downloaded at
http://www.kerstens.org/alicia/planning10/Multiple%20Int
elligences%20Inventory.pdf and will be answered in the
classroom.

• Answer the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory. The test

may be downloaded at
https://www2.viu.ca/studentsuccessservices/learningstrat
egist/documents/MetacognitiveAwarenessInventory.pdf
and will be answered in the classroom.