Learning How to Learn

What is Metacognition?

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 you learn more deeply and efficiently, which will help you do better on assignments and exams.

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.

What can you do to develop your metacognition skills? Let's follow the steps in the cycle.

1. Assess the task
   • Ask yourself: What is the task? What is involved? What is required? What is the outcome? (Essay, quiz, presentation, etc.)
   • Make a list or a concept map to keep track of your answers to these questions
2. Evaluate Strengths and Weaknesses
   • Think of your strengths and weaknesses - consider how you can apply these to the task at hand
   • How can your strengths help you?
   • How can you improve on your weaknesses?
3. Plan the Approach
   • Make a flow chart or a concept map to plan how you will accomplish your task
4. Apply Strategies
   • Start working!
   • If your chosen strategy is not working, don't be afraid to change to another strategy
5. Reflect
   • What did you learn from this task?
   • What went well?
   • What would you do differently next time?

Metacognition Worksheets

Use the Research Paper Checklist to make sure that your research paper is complete and properly formatted.

Use the Research Paper Reflection after you have completed your research paper to reflect on how the process went. What went well? What would you do differently next time?

Strategies for Students