^{Metacognition and student learning}

Jim Bader

Department of Biology

Center for Science and Mathematics Education

Recall knowledge

Take 3-4 minutes to write down every detail you can remember about the Mona Lisa as if describing it in detail to someone who had never seen the painting.

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Ready, set, go!

Report out – what do you remember?

And here she is. How accurate was your memory?

Recall learning

How do your students learn their multiplication tables?

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How did you learn them?

So what is the point?

Students (and most everyone else for that matter) don’t spend a whole lot of time thinking about how they know something, they are just happy to know it.

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So how did I get interested in this stuff?

Cleveland Mathematics and Science Partnership�(2002-2008)

ASM Biology Scholars Research Program (2009)

Biology Scholars: Research Question �

Does participating in cooperative learning increase student performance and metacognition?

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Why is this important to me?

Why is this important to me?

Why is this important to me?

Monica

• Essay tests are hard
• Study harder
• Read/re-read the textbook (highlight)
• Memorize vocabulary
• Starts studying the night before so it is fresh in her mind

Emily

• Test on day after a game
• Essay tests are challenging
• Outlines key ideas
• Notes cause and effect
• Stops to self assess – what does she know?
• Has a plan – starts early

So what is metacognition?

Schraw et al. (2006) Research in Science Education

So what is metacognition?

Metacognition refers to one’s knowledge concerning one’s own cognitive processes or anything related to them, e.g., the learning-relevant properties of information or data. For example, I am engaging in metacognition if I notice that I am having more trouble learning A than B; if it strikes me that I should double check C before accepting it as fact. (Flavell 1976)

So what is metacognition?

Metacognition also includes self-regulation- the ability to orchestrate one’s learning: to plan, monitor success, and correct errors when appropriate – all necessary for effective intentional learning… Metacognition also refers to the ability to reflect on one’s own performance (National Research Council 2000)

Bader and Fox (2010)

Pre-course (n=13) and post-course (n=17) scores for the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory. Boxes represent upper and lower quartiles, □ represents median, and whiskers extend to maximum and minimum values.

Bader and Fox (2010)

Correlations between post-MAI scores and measures of student achievement.

Bader and Fox (2010)

Local monitoring accuracy for three exams, Biol 336 Fall 2009. Boxes represent upper and lower quartiles, □ represents median, and whiskers extend to maximum and minimum values. (a) Exam 1 (n=57, r=.16), (b) Exam 2 (n=57, r=.26), (c) Final Exam (n=68, r=.39).

Strategies: Cooperative learning

Managing groups – Five essential elements

1. Positive interdependence (make the task something students can not complete on their own).
2. Face-to-face interaction (students need time in class to discuss ideas and report out to the class)
3. Individual and group accountability (just what it sounds like)
4. Interpersonal and small group skills (establish norms and expectations; reinforce positive interactions)
5. Group processing (opportunities for students to provide feedback on how the groups are working)

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Tanner et al (2003) Cell Biology Education

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Strategies: Metacognition

1. Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (pre and post)
2. Local monitoring
3. Cooperative learning assessments
1. Respond individually
2. Discuss, then write individual responses
3. Write individual responses, discuss, edit response and indicate why the new response is better.
4. Post-exam reflection form
5. Focus group at end of semester

So what did I learn about student learning?

• MAI scores not significantly different pre and post.
• Local monitoring showed similar improvement over the course of the semester, but not statistically significant.
• Group discussions were productive and educationally useful
• Higher percentage of “correct” answers in group vs individual assignments.
• Individuals within groups did not deviate from the consensus.
• High levels of participation by all members of each group.
• Individual edited responses showed significant insight.
• When given a choice, the class unanimously chose to work on tasks in groups rather than individually.

Strategies for promoting self regulated learning�

1. Inquiry based learning

Cognition: Promotes critical thinking through experimentation and reflection.

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Metacognition : Improves explicit planning, monitoring, and evaluation.

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Motivation: Provides expert modeling.

Strategies for promoting self regulated learning�

2. Collaboration among students and teachers

Cognition: Models strategies for novices.

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Metacognition : Models self reflection.

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Motivation: Provides social support from peers.

Strategies for promoting self regulated learning�

3. Strategy instruction

Cognition: Provides a variety of strategies.

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Metacognition : Helps students develop conditional knowledge.

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Motivation: Increases self-efficacy to learn.

Strategies for promoting self regulated learning�

4. Development of mental models and conceptual change

Cognition: Provides explicit model to analyze.

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Metacognition : Promotes explicit reflection and evaluation of the proposed model.

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Motivation: Promotes radical restructuring and conceptual change.

Strategies for promoting self regulated learning�

5. The use of technology

Cognition: Illustrates skills with feedback. Provides models and simulates data.

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Metacognition : Helps students test, evaluate, and revise models.

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Motivation: Provides informational resources and collaborative support.

Strategies for promoting self regulated learning�

6. Student and teacher beliefs

Cognition: Increases engagement and persistence among students.

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Metacognition : Promotes conceptual change and reflection.

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Motivation: Promotes modeling epistemology characteristic of expert scientists.

Strategies for promoting metacognition

Without question, the single most useful metacognitive strategy is formative assessment, but it is absolutely critical students get useful and timely feedback.

Strategies for promoting metacognition

1. Pre-assessment – What do I already know about this topic that could guide my learning?
2. Muddiest point – What don’t I understand?
3. Minute paper – What do I think I understand?
4. Talk aloud protocols (TAP) – Here is how I solved the problem.
5. Wrappers (lecture, homework, exam)
6. Retrospective post-assessment – How did I think about the topic before and how do I think about it now?
7. Reflective journal – What worked for me and what did not?

Metacognition in a nutshell

1. Plan
2. Monitor
3. Evaluate