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Learning Commons
Learning Commons
Learning Commons
Metacognition is a term that means "thinking about your thinking". This means developing an ability to reflect on how you learn, what you know or understand, and determining what you may need to work on to improve your learning. This is a powerful ability because it will help students to learn more deeply and efficiently.
By helping your students to develop metacognition skills, they will be able to work better on assignments, study more efficiently for exams, and become lifelong learners.
Metacognition can be viewed as a cycle. The steps are outlined in the image below.
Metacognition Cycle by John Spencer, adapted from Ambrose, S. A., Bridges, M. W., DiPietro, M., Lovett, M. C., & Norman, M. K. (2010).
How learning works: Seven research-based principles for smart teaching. John Wiley & Sons.
There are countless ways to incorporate metacognition skills in your classroom instruction.
A few examples include:
More activity ideas can be found in the links at the bottom of the page.
Have your students use the Research Paper Checklist to ensure that they have completed their research paper and included all necessary elements.
Have your students use the Research Paper Reflection to reflect on what they learned from completing their research paper including: What went well? What would they do differently next time?
How Learning Works
Praise for How Learning Works "How Learning Works is the perfect title for this excellent book. Drawing upon new research in psychology, education, and cognitive science, the authors have demystified a complex topic into clear explanations of seven powerful learning principles. Full of great ideas and practical suggestions, all based on solid research evidence, this book is essential reading for instructors at all levels who wish to improve their students' learning." --Barbara Gross Davis, assistant vice chancellor for educational development, University of California, Berkeley, and author, Tools for Teaching "This book is a must-read for every instructor, new or experienced. Although I have been teaching for almost thirty years, as I read this book I found myself resonating with many of its ideas, and I discovered new ways of thinking about teaching." --Eugenia T. Paulus, professor of chemistry, North Hennepin Community College, and 2008 U.S. Community Colleges Professor of the Year from The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education "Thank you Carnegie Mellon for making accessible what has previously been inaccessible to those of us who are not learning scientists. Your focus on the essence of learning combined with concrete examples of the daily challenges of teaching and clear tactical strategies for faculty to consider is a welcome work. I will recommend this book to all my colleagues." --Catherine M. Casserly, senior partner, The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching "As you read about each of the seven basic learning principles in this book, you will find advice that is grounded in learning theory, based on research evidence, relevant to college teaching, and easy to understand. The authors have extensive knowledge and experience in applying the science of learning to college teaching, and they graciously share it with you in this organized and readable book." --From the Foreword by Richard E. Mayer, professor of psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara; coauthor, e-Learning and the Science of Instruction; and author, Multimedia Learning
