PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY – GOA CAMPUS

Title of Module: LEARNING TO BE A BETTER STUDENT/LEARNER YL-___-___

Name of Student: ______________________ Week No.

Course Code: GE1 Name of Faculty: DR. ERNESTO V. VILLANOBO JR.
Course Title: UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

I - OBJECTIVES:

The students are expected to:

1. Explain how learning occurs;

2. Enumerate various metacognition and studying techniques; and
3. Identify the metacognitive techniques that you find most appropriate for yourself .

II – LESSON:

INTRODUCTION

In the context of learning, studies show that when you are able to think about how you think, how
you process information, and how you utilize techniques while you are studying, you have a higher
chance of improving your learning process than those who do not reflect on their methods.

This idea falls under the concept of METACOGNITION. Metacognition is commonly defined as
“thinking about thinking.”

Metacognition is the awareness of the scope and limitations of your current knowledge and skills.

Due to the awareness, metacognition enables the person to adapt their existing knowledge and
skills to approach a learning task, seeking for the optimum result of the learning experience.

Metacognition is not limited to the process of the individual. It also keeping one’s emotions and
motivations while learning in check.

Some people learn better when they like the subject, some when they are challenged by the topic,
and others if they have a reward system each time they finish the task.

The emotional state and the motivation of a person then should also be in the preferred ideal state
for that person in order to further facilitate his or her learning.

As seen from the abovementioned definitions, metacognition basically has two aspects: (1) self-
appraisal and (2) self-management of cognition

Self-appraisal is your personal reflection on your knowledge and capabilities;

While self-management is the mental process you employ using what you have in planning and
adapting to successfully learn or accomplish a certain task.

Under metacognitive knowledge, there are several variables that affect how you know or assess
yourself as a thinker.

First is the personal variable, which is your evaluation of your strengths and weaknesses in
learning.

Second is the task variable, which is what you know or what you think about the nature of the task,
as well as what strategies the task requires.
Lastly, strategy variable refers to what strategies or skills you already have in dealing with certain
tasks.

However, it must be noted that in order to make self-appraisal and self-management work, you
must have an accurate self-assessment – you must be honest about what you know and capable of
in order to find ways to utilize your strengths and improve on your weaknesses.

According to Waterloo Student Success Office, the following are other skills that can help
you in exercising metacognition:

O Knowing your limits

O Modifying your approach
O Skimming
O Rehearsing
O Self-Test
Knowing your limits

O Knowing your limits also looks at the scope and limitations of your resources so that you can
work with what you have at the moment and look for ways to cope with other necessities.
Modifying your approach

O It begins with the recognition that your strategy is not appropriate with the task and/or that
you do not comprehend the learning experience successfully.
O Recognizing, for example, that you are not understanding what you are reading, you should
learn to modify your strategy in comprehending your material.
O You might want to read and reread a page in five-minute intervals instead of trying to finish
the material in one sitting. You may want to make a summary or code for yourself instead of
using keywords or highlighting sections of what you are reading.
Skimming

O This is basically browsing over a material and keeping an eye on keywords, phrases or
sentences. It is also about knowing where to search for such key terms.
Rehearsing

O This is not just about repeatedly talking, writing and/or doing what you have learned, but also
trying to make a personal interpretation or summary of the learning experience.
Self-Test

O You can make essay questions or definition of terms test while you are reading or watching a
material.
O Self-test does not only focus on what you have learned but also on how you learned it.
Other strategies

O Other strategies that you need to develop include asking questions about your methods, self-
reflection, finding a mentor or support group if necessary, thinking out loud and welcoming
errors.
Using these strategies, you can at least identify four types of metacognitive learners.
First, the “tacit” learners are unaware of their metacognitive processes although they know the
extent of their knowledge.

Second, the “aware” learners know some of their metacognitive strategies but they do not plan on
how to use these techniques.

Third, “strategic” learners, strategize and plan their course of action toward a learning experience.

Lastly, the “reflective” learners reflect on their thinking while they are using the strategies and adapt
metacognitive skills depending on their situation.

The goal of metacognition is for the student to be a self-regulated learner.

Education should not be limited by the capabilities of the teacher, the content of the school
textbooks, the four corners of the classroom and the duration of the academic year or courses.

You should have the capability to study things on your own as well as accurately evaluate your
progress.

This is one of the benefits of using metacognitive techniques and strategies. Another benefit is the
compensation and development of cognitive limitations of the learner because the student is now
aware of his/her capabilities. Various researchers also showed significant improvement in academic
performance in any subject and across age range. The student is also enabled to transfer
knowledge from one context to another.

Other tips that you can use in studying are the following:

1. Make an outline of the things you want to learn, the things you are reading or doing, and/or
the things you remember.
2. Break down the task in smaller and more manageable details.
3. Integrate variation in your schedule and learning experience. Change reading material every
hour and do not put similar topics together (e.g. try studying English then Mathematics
instead of English then Filipino together). Also include physical activities in your planning.
4. Try to incubate your ideas. First, write your draft without doing much editing. Let the ideas
flow. Then leave your draft at least overnight or around 24 hours – some even do not look at
it for a week – and do something else. After a given time period, go back to your draft or
prototype and you might find a fresh perspective about it. Sometimes, during incubation, you
suddenly have ideas coming to you. Write them down in a notebook first and do not integrate
them into the draft yet. Review what you have written when the incubation period is done.
5. Revise, summarize and take down notes, then reread them to help you minimize cramming
in the last minute, especially when you have a weakness in memorizing facts and data.
Some people are motivated when the deadline is very close – tomorrow, for instance – and
they just review the day before some evaluation or exercise. If you are that kind of person,
you may still motivate yourself and have that feeling of urgency at the last minute but by
using the aforementioned techniques, your “cramming” need not be a desperate attempt to
learn but only as a way to energize your brain as you make a final review of the things you
have already been studying for a week or so before.
6. Engage what you have learned. Do something about it. On a reading material for example,
highlight keywords and phrases, write your opinions about the matter on a separate
notebook, or create a diagram or concept map. Some people also learn best by copying the
key paragraphs word for word. You may want to look for other definitions and compare or
contrast materials. Use your knowledge during discussions – just do something about it.

As you were reading this topic, were you aware of your metacognitive processes? What changes
did you feel as you try to use the metacognitive strategies and skills? We encourage you to utilize
and adapt the aforementioned techniques in whatever learning experiences you are about to
accomplish and find enjoyment and success in learning.
Learning Activities

Scenario: You are about to study for your final examinations and it is as if the universe conspired for
a heavy finals week, all your subjects provided at least three new reading materials and topics one
week (7 days) before the examination period. Create a diagram or schedule using at least five of
the metacognitive strategies, skills and studying techniques mentioned in this lesson on how you
would prepare for the next seven days before your final examinations.
ASSESSMENT TASK:

Explain in your own words, the 4 types of metacognitive learners. Situate yourself on it and provide
a possible concrete example.

REFERENCES/LEARNING RESOURCES

Alata, Eden Joy, Caslib, Jr., Bernardo Nicolas, et al., (2018). Understanding the Self. Manila: Rex Book Store,
Inc.

Abrugar , Victorino. 2014. “20 Ways to Become a Responsible Filipino Citizen”. Accessed July 12, 2020.
[Link]

Beilharza, Peter, and Trevor Hogan, 2002. Social Self, Global Culture: An Introduction to Sociological Ideas.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Chaffee, John. 2015. The Philosopher’s Way: Thinking Critically About Profound Ideas. 5th Ed. Boston:
Pearson.

Mangahas, Mahar., (/ 05:22 AM December 22, 2018) “What is ‘truly’ Filipino”.,Philippine Daily Inquirer .

David, Randolph, 2002. Nation, Self, and Citizenship: An Invitation to Philippine Sociology. Quezon City:
University of the Philippines Press.

Prepared by: Reviewed by: Approved:

ERNESTO V. VILLANOBO JR. PHD

FACULTY PROGRAM CHAIR DEAN