Module in Facilitating Learning

MODULE 1. METACOGNITION

Overview:

This appears to be such a high-sounding word that some people are confused
about even before they actually spend time to find out what it really means. You will find
out in this module.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Explain metacognition in your own words.

2. Apply metacognition strategies in your own quest for learning as a novice or
an expert learner.

Discussion:

Metacognition refers to “thinking about thinking” and was introduced as a concept

in by John Flavell, who is typically seen as a founding scholar of the field. Flavell said
that metacognition is the knowledge you have of your own cognitive processes (your
thinking). Flavell (1979). It is your ability to control your thinking processes through
various strategies, such as organizing, monitoring, and adapting. Additionally, it is your
ability to reflect upon the tasks or processes you undertake and to select and utilize the
appropriate strategies necessary in your intercultural interactions.

Metacognition is considered a critical component of successful learning. It

involves self-regulation and self-reflection of strengths, weaknesses, and the types of
strategies you create. It is a necessary foundation in culturally intelligent leadership
because it underlines how you think through a problem or situation and the strategies
you create to address the situation or problem.

Many people become accustomed to having trainers and consultants provide them with
knowledge about cultures to the point where they are dependent on the coach, mentor,
trainer, or consultant. However, they need to learn to be experts in cultural situations
themselves through metacognitive strategies such as adapting, monitoring, self-
regulation, and self-reflection. Culturally intelligent leaders can use metacognition to
help themselves and to train themselves to think through their thinking.

Metacognition is broken down into three components: metacognitive knowledge,

metacognitive experience, and metacognitive strategies. Each of these is discussed in
the following sections.

Metacognitive Knowledge

Metacognitive knowledge involves (a) learning processes and your beliefs about
how you learn and how you think others learn, (b) the task of learning and how you
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process information, and (c) the strategies you develop and when you will use them. Let
us say you have to learn a new language in 6 months. Here is how you would think
about it, using metacognitive knowledge:

 Learning Process: I am good at learning new languages and I think I can do this
in the time period I have been given. This includes how one views himself as a
learner and thinker. It refers to knowledge about how human beings learn and
process information, as well as individual knowledge of one’s own learning
process.

 Task of Learning: To complete this task, I will need to think about the following:

o How soon can I get information to start learning the language?

o How long will it take me to learn the language?

o What information is available to me to learn this new language?

o Is this language similar to a language I have learned before?

o Will I be able to learn the language in time?

o How hard will it be for me to learn this language?

o What do I need to do to learn the language?

This includes knowledge about the nature of the task as well as the type of
processing demands that it will place upon the individual. It is about knowing
what exactly needs to be accomplished, gauging its difficulty and knowing the
kind of effort it will demand from you.

 The Strategies: I think learning this new language is going to take me 12

months, but I only have 6 months to prepare. I better find other ways to me meet
this goal. I think I will find out if there is an accelerated language class that I can
take. Maybe I should consider hiring a private tutor, or maybe I will just focus on
learning the basics of the language. Knowledge of strategy variables involves
awareness of the strategy you are using to learn a topic and evaluating whether
this strategy is effective. If you think your strategy is not working, then you may
think of various strategies and try out one to see if it will help you learn better.
Terms like meta-attention and meta-memory are related to strategy variables.

Meta-attention is the awareness of specific strategies so that you can keep your
attention focused on the topic or task at hand.

Meta-memory is your awareness of memory strategies that work best for you.

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Metacognitive Experience

Arnold Bennett, a British writer, said that one cannot have knowledge without
having emotions. Bennett (1933). In metacognition, there are feelings and emotions
present that are related to the goals and tasks of learning. These components of
metacognition speaks to metacognitive experience, which is your internal response to
learning. Your feelings and emotions serve as a feedback system to help you
understand your progress and expectations, and your comprehension and connection of
new information to the old, among other things.

When you learn a new language, for example, you may recall memories, information,
and earlier experiences in your life to help you solve the task of learning a new
language. In doing this, your internal responses (metacognitive experience) could be
frustration, disappointment, happiness, or satisfaction. Each of these internal responses
can affect the task of learning a new language and determine your willingness to
continue. Critical to metacognition is the ability to deliberately foster a positive attitude
and positive feelings toward your learning.

Metacognitive Strategies

Metacognitive strategies are what you design to monitor your progress related to
your learning and the tasks at hand. It is a mechanism for controlling your thinking
activities and to ensure you are meeting your goals. Metacognitive strategies for
learning a new language can include the following:

 monitoring whether you understand the language lessons;

 recognizing when you fail to comprehend information communicated to you in the

new language;

 identifying strategies that help you to improve your comprehension;

 adjusting your pace for learning the information (for example, studying for 2
hours, rather than 1 hour, every day);

 maintaining the attitude necessary to ensure you complete the lessons in a timely
manner;

 creating a check-in system at the end of each week to make certain you
understand what you have learned.

Metacognitive Strategies to Facilitate Learning

Researchers such as that of Fang and Cox showed that metacognitive

awareness was evident in pre-schoolers and in students as young as eight years old.

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Children already have the capacity to be more aware and reflective of their own
learning. However, not many have been taught and encouraged to apply metacognition.

The challenge then to future teachers like you is to integrate more activities that
would build your students’ capacity to reflect on their own characteristics as learners
(self-knowledge), the task they are to do (task knowledge) and the strategies that they
can use to learn (strategic knowledge). Remember, metacognition is lie any other things
you will teach. Metacognition involves knowledge and skills which you and your
students can learn and master.

Here are some examples of teaching strategies to develop metacognition. (Work

hard on applying these strategies now in your role as a student. It will surely be a
rewarding experience for you.

1. Have students monitor their own learning and thinking. (Example: have a student
monitor a peer’s learning/thinking/behaving in dyad)
2. Teach students study or learning strategies.
TQLR – This can be taught to younger students (primary grades). It is a
metacognitive strategy before listening to a story or presentation.
T is for Tune In. It is first important for the learner himself to be aware that he is
paying attention, and that he is ready to learn.
Q is for Question. The learner is given questions or he thinks of questions about
what he will soon learn.
L is for Listen. The learner then intentionally exerts effort to listen. He becomes
aware if he is momentarily detracted and goes back to listen again.
R is for Remember. The learner uses ways or strategies to remember what was
learned.

PQ4R – This is usually for older students in the intermediate levels onwards. This
strategy is used to study a unit or chapter.
P – Preview. Scan the whole chapter before delving on each paragraph. Check
out the objectives. Look for outlines or advance organizers that will give you an
idea about the important topics and ideas in the chapter. Read the summary of
the chapter first. (But please don’t stop at the summary alone. No. No. No. This is
not a good idea at all. (Read the whole chapter)/
Q – Question. Read the guide questions provided, or think of your own
questions about the topic.
R – Read. Check out sub headings as you read. Pay attention on words that are
printed in bold or italicized. Find out the meaning of words that are not clear to
you. Use a marker or colored pencil to highlight important words or phrases. (Do
not highlight the whole paragraph!)
R – Recite. Work on answering the questions you had earlier.

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R – Review. Pinpoint topics you may need to go back to and read in order to
understand better.
R – Reflect. Think about what you read. Is everything clear to you? What are the
main points you learned? How is this relevant or useful to you?
3. Have students make predictions about information to be presented next based
on what they have learned.
4. Have students relate ideas to existing knowledge structures. (It is important to
have relevant knowledge structures well learned.
5. Have students develop questions; ask questions of themselves, about what’s
going on around them (Have you asked a good question today?)
6. Help students to know when to ask for help. (He/she must be able to self monitor;
require students to show how they have attempted to deal with the problem of
their own.)
7. Show students how to transfer knowledge, attitudes, values, skills to other
situations or tasks.

Novice and Expert Learners

In the last twenty years, cognitive psychologists have studied the distinctions
among learners in the manner they absorb or process information. They are able to
differentiate expert learners from novice learners. A very important factor that separates
these two types of learners mentioned is metacognition. Expert learners employ
metacognitive strategies in learning. They are more aware of their learning process as
they read, study and do problem solving. Expert learners monitor their learning and
consequently adjust their strategies to make learning more effective. The table below
shows the difference between a novice learner and an expert learner.

Differences Between Novice and expert Learners

Aspect of Learning Novice Learners Expert Learners

Knowledge in different  Have limited  Have deeper

subject areas knowledge in the knowledge in different
different areas subject areas because
they look for
interrelationships in the
things they learn
Problem Solving  Satisfied at just  First try to understand
scratching the the problem, look for
surface; hurriedly boundaries, and create
gives a solution to a mental picture of the
the problem problem
Learning/Thinking  Employ rigid  Design new strategies
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Strategies strategies that may that would be

not be appropriate to appropriate to the task
the task at hand at hand
Selectivity in Processing  Attempt to process  Select important
all information they information to process;
receive able to breakdown
information to
manageable chunks
Production of Output  Do not examine the  Check their errors and
quality of their work, redirect their efforts to
nor stop to make maintain quality output
revision
Exercises/Drills:

Answer the following questionnaire. Put a check in the column that best describes what
is true to you.

PART 1.

Always Sometimes Never Your

(5) (0) Score
(10)

1 I exert effort to find out why I need

to do a particular task.
2 I reward myself when I work.
3 I see to it that I give myself regular
breaks from work.
4 I am able to keep my concentration
and does not let my mind “drift
away”
5 I have ways of dealing with
distractions.
6 I am willing to do the work I do not
enjoy because I see it as important.
7 I seek clarification from the teacher
about her expectations and
standards
8 I go to tutorials to improve my
school work.

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PART 2.
Always Sometimes Never Your
(10) (5) (0) Score
1 I make a weekly timetable for the
school work I need to accomplish.
2 I make a review schedule for
examinations.
3 I plan to get the necessary
resources and equipment prior to
starting work.
4 I submit all my assignment on time.
5 I have a place to work where I
won’t be disturbed.
6 I have time for family commitments
and relaxation as well as studying.
7 I prioritize tasks which should be
done first, second and so on.
8 I make lists of things to do.
9 I make a list of valuable references
with bibliographic details, page
numbers of quotes and so on.
10 I review my work before submitting
it.
Adapted from Bradford University
PART 3.
Always Sometimes Never Your
(10) (5) (0) Score
1 I discuss work assignments with
other students.
2 I share resources with other
students.
3 I keep cuttings from newspapers
and magazines which may be of
help to me.
4 I make sure I see TV programs
which may be useful
5 I read the topic assigned before a
session.
6 I ask questions and generally take
part in group discussions.
7 I listen out for key ideas when
someone is talking.
8 When I am listening to someone, I
try to anticipate what they will say
next.

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PART 4
Always Sometimes Never Your
(10) (5) (0) Score
1 I get so worried about assignments
that they make me feel ill.
2 This worry about assignments
makes me feel depressed.
3 I feel miserable about doing
assignments.
4 I let these concerns about the work
get on top of me.
5 When I need to work, others
always succeed in persuading me
to go out.
6 I have difficulty in talking to others
about my worries.
7 I ignore my personal fitness
through worrying about
assignments.
8 The stress of assignments causes
me to get behind and I never seem
to catch up.

PART 5.
Always Sometimes Never Your
(10) (5) (0) Score
1 My notes indicate the main ideas,
rather than merely repeat what has
been said.
2 I listen for key ideas when listening
to a speaker.
3 I approach tutors for help.
4 I organize or file my notes
regularly.
5 I re-write under key ideas,
headings, using numbering or
lettering schemes.
6 I have a shorthand technique of my
own.
7 I underline or highlight key ideas
so they stand out.
8 I decide before reading a book
whether it is vital or background
reading.
9 I go over a book before diving into
chapter one.

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10 I check the contents page for

relevance before reading a book.
11 I look for summaries at the end of
chapters.

PART 6.
Always Sometimes Never Your
(10) (5) (0) Score
1 I see to it that I understand what is
really being asked for in the
assignment/project.
2 I read other references and read
about the topic.
3 I make an outline/plan before doing
my assignment/project.
4 I check for spelling mistakes.
5 My essays have clear
introductions.
6 My essays have conclusions.
7 I frequently check back to the title
during the writing of an essay.
8 My essay/research paper has a full
set of references and bibliography.
9 I review project/assignment before
submitting it.
10 I request someone else to look
at/read my project/assignment
before submitting.

Scoring:
The six parts of the questionnaire pertain to the following aspects of study habits:
Part 1. Motivation
Part 2. Organizing and Planning your work
Part 3. Working with others; Utilizing Resources and Feedback
Part 4. Managing School Work Stress
Part 5. Note-taking and Reading
Part 6. Preparing an Assignment/Project
Use the scoring guide below
Scoring for Part 1 Motivation
Score 10 for Always
5 for Sometimes
0 for Never
Feedback:

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 Scores from 55 to 80 mean that you do not appear to have many problems in
getting down to work and keeping to it.
 Scores from 31 to 50 mean that you sometimes get down to work but you can
be distracted, you might not always be certain why you have to work. You
probably could benefit from learning some techniques that help you get down to
work more consistently and keep at it.
 Scores of 30 and below signify that you really do have problems in getting down
to work. Unless you develop skills in this area you are likely to have many
unsatisfactory experiences as a student throughout your lie. You need to take
action.

Scoring for Part 2. Organizing and planning your Work

Score 10 for Always

5 for Sometimes
0 for Never
Feedback:

 Scores from 70 to 100 mean you are well-organized and plan ahead for your
work.
 Scores from 40 to 65 mean you are not as well-organized as you can be. Your
time management may benefit from a closer analysis.
 Scores of 35 and below mean you have little organization, probably deal with
things as they happen, constantly doing things at the last minute, often not
getting work completed. You need to take action.

Scoring for Part 3. Working with other; Utilizing resources and Feedback
Score 10 for Always
5 for Sometimes
0 for Never
Feedback:

 Scores from 55 to 85 mean you make full use of resources available, listen well
and take an active part in seminars.
 Scores from 35 to 50 mean you probably collect resources, but you need to ak
yourself how to use them more effectively.
 Scores of 30 and below mean there are important resources around you that you
are ignoring. You may not be hearing much of what is being said. You need to
know what resources are available, and you need to find out where they are and
what they have to offer. You need to take action.

Scoring for Part 4. Managing School Work Stress

Score 10 for Always
5 for Sometimes

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0 for Never
Feedback

 Scores from 65 to 80 mean that although you sometimes get stressed and
worried you have the skills of knowing how to minimize problems and look after
yourself.
 Scores from 40 to 65 mean that you handle you anxieties and concerns
moderately well but could develop skills to manage them more effectively.
 Scores of 35 and below mean that you are likely to get overwhelmed with your
problems which will make you much less effective as a student. You need to
acquire the skill of managing stress more effectively. You need to take action.

Scoring for Part 5. Note-taking and Reading

Score 10 for Always
5 for Sometimes
0 for Never
Feedback

 Scores from 70 to 100 mean that you prepare well and read efficiently, learning
as you go. You waste little time reading irrelevant materials.
 Scores from 45 to 70 mean your reading and note taking skills are adequate, but
could be improved.
 Scores from 40 and below mean your notes are likely to be of little use to you, if
they exist at all. You spend a lot of time reading or sitting in but come with very
little. You need to become more selective in what you read or write down. You
need to take action.

Scoring for Part 6. Preparing an assignment/Project

Score 10 for Always
5 for Sometimes
0 for Never
Feedback

 Scores from 70 to 100 mean that your essays are well thought out, researched
and clearly written.

 Scores from 40 to 65 mean that there is room for improvement although you
demonstrate some skills.
 Scores of 35 and below mean that you probably wonder why your essays always
get such low marks. Resources and support are available to help you improve
your essay writing skills. Take action now,

Analysis:

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My Score in the Study Habits Questionnaire

Aspect of Study Habits My Score Interpretation

Part 1. Motivation

Part 2. Organizing and Planning Your

Work

Part 3. Working with Others, Utilizing

Resources and Feedback

Part 4. Managing School Work Stress

Part 5. Note-taking and Reading

Part 6. Preparing Assignment/Project

What did you discover about yourself using this questionnaire? What aspects are you
strong in? What aspects do you need to improve in?

Evaluation:

1. Based on the principles of metacognition, prepare your own metacognitive game

plan on how you can apply metacognition to improve your study skills.

Please visit this link for additional information

[Link]

References:

Maria Rita, D. L. (2014). Facilitating Learning: A Metacognitive Process: Lorimar

Publishing

Brawner, D.G. (2018). Facilitating Learner-Centered Teaching. Adriana Publishing Co.

Inc.

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