Teaching students how to think about their own learning using metacognition
Intended Learning Outcomes
- Define metacognition and its connection to successful student learning
- Identify student learning strategies and classroom strategies that promote metacognition
Facilitation Notes
Begin by asking TAs to debate whether learning and studying mean the same thing. This is typically best done as a free form discussion.
Explicitly define metacognition. What is it, why do we do it, and how can we achieve it? Provide some examples of metacognitive questions. To help folks understand the benefits of metacognition, consider walking students through the activity provided, which is from Saundra McGuire’s book (2015) entitled “Teach Students How to Learn: Strategies You Can Incorporate Into Any Course to Improve Student Metacognition, Study Skills, and Motivation.”
- TAs are instructed to count the vowels in the list of words/phrases provided and are given 45 seconds to do so.
- TAs are then asked to recall as many words as they can. A quick poll usually demonstrates that folks only remember a handful of terms (if any!).
- Next, provide TAs with the list of words and ask them to identify an organizing principle, reading from top to bottom. Give folks a minute to think about it on their own, then discuss as a group. The terms are in number order.
- Give TAs another 45 sec to review the list and again ask them to recall as many words/phrases as they can. Most folks will remember many or all terms this time.
- Follow up the activity by asking TAs what made the difference in their ability to remember the list between first and second trials.
The activity provides a nice segue into a discussion of how we as teachers can promote metacognition.
- Make learning goals explicit – have TAs brainstorm with a partner some concrete ways they could do this in their classrooms. Some ideas include stating learning goals at the beginning of class, connecting key concepts or problems to stated learning goals, asking students about the purpose/overarching goal of an activity. Communicate to TAs that even if the lead instructor doesn’t have an explicit or written set of learning outcomes for the course, they can ask the lead instructor to share with them:
- What should students should be taking away from the material this week?
- What are students going to be expected to do with this material on future assignments?
- Study strategies – To help TAs explore how metacognition can play a role in different study strategies, have them read through the provided case study. As a group, have TAs identify the study skills that each student implements, and whether or not either student engages in metacognitive practices (thinking about their own learning). This case study is from Kimberly D. Tanner “Promoting Student Metacognition” (2012) CBE Life Sci Educ. 11(2): 113–120.
- Provide opportunities for students to reflect on their learning – Using the metacognition graphic provided earlier, invite TAs to select a prompt from the graphic and use this as a jumping off point for designing their own in-class activity that promotes metacognition. A rough idea for an activity is fine, and it can be a modification of something they are already doing. Have a few folks share out what prompt they chose and their ideas.
Close with an Exit Ticket that prompts folks to think about what they are taking away and what they still have questions about.
