Metacognition Study Guide
Objectives:
●
Define metacognition and explain its role in learning.
●
Determine the impact of development on metacognition.
●
Consider ways to enhance your own and your future
students’ metacognition
Key Terms:
Pages 327-336
Metacognition –
Knowledge about our own thinking process
Three kinds of metacognitive knowledge:
Declarative metacognitive knowledge – Our
understanding of how we learn and what we know
Procedural metacognitive knowledge – our
understanding of how to use various learning strategies. Do I know how to take
notes? Do I know how to summarize the reading?
Self-regulatory metacognitive knowledge
– Our understanding of when to apply the strategies and knowledge at our
disposal. When to use the skills
Three metacognitive skills:
Planning – involves deciding how much
time is spent on a task, what strategies we will use, what resources will help,
how to start the task, what order to go in, and so on.
Monitoring - the real time awareness of
“how am I doing.” It asks questions such as “Is this making sense? Am I going
too fast? Do I need to study longer?”
Evaluating – making judgments about the
process and outcome of thinking and learning. Ask questions such as: “Do I need
to change strategies? Do I need help? So I stop now? Is this project finished?”
Learning strategies
– ideas, or a plan, for accomplishing learning goals
Learning tactics
– the specific techniques used that will make up the plan
Concept map – a
drawing that captures the relationship between ideas AKA: webs
READS – A five
step reading strategy. Stands for: Review
headings and subheadings; Examine
boldface words; Ask, “What do I
expect to learn?”; Do it – Read! Summarize in your own words.
KWL – a strategy
that guides general reading and inquiry. What do I already know about this subject? What do I want to know? At the end of the reading or inquiry, what have I learned?
Focus some time on
Guidelines: Becoming an Expert Student
·
Have necessary declarative knowledge
o
Have definitions near you as you study
o
Review facts and concepts before reading new
material
·
What type of assessment will be given? (short
answer, essay, etc.)
o
For essay answers, practice writing answers to
possible questions
o
For multiple choice use mnemonic devices to
learn definitions
·
Are you familiar with the organization of the
materials?
o
Preview headings, subheadings, introductions,
topic sentences, summaries, etc.
o
Be alert for words that signal relationships: on
the other hand, because, first, second, however, since, etc.
·
Understand and know your own cognitive skills
o
Use examples related to new material that will
relate to something you care about and understand well.
o
Test out different strategies
·
Make sure to study the right information the
right way
o
Know what topics and readings will be covered on
the test
o
Spend time on the important, difficult and
unfamiliar material
o
Keep tabs of the information that you find most
challenging. Spend more time studying these readings.
o
Use your own words and create mnemonics, images,
examples, questions, and notes to process information.
·
Monitor your comprehension
o
Ask yourself questions to test your
understanding
o
If a problem while reading, ask yourself if it
is important. If it is mark it so that you can reread it or get help to
understand it.
o
Form a study group and quiz each other
Summary:
The three skills used to regulate thinking and knowing are:
planning, monitoring, and evaluating. Learning strategies are plans that
outline how to accomplish a goal and learning tactics are the specific
techniques we will use to accomplish that goal. The book also discussed several
procedures for developing learning strategies. It mentioned mnemonic devices
such as READS and KWL. It then outlined guidelines of how to apply learning
strategies that teachers could use as well as how we could teach our students
these strategies.
Application
Questions:
1. What learning tactics will you utilize in
this course?
a.
Using mnemonics devices to remember key terms
b.
One challenge I have is reading every single word of
the text. I tend to start out reading every word but after a while I skim and
skip ahead. One thing I want to focus on this semester is reading every single
word
c.
Outline Notes
d.
Make my own tests
e.
Think aloud
f.
Organize my study time and study area and stick to it.
2.
How will you improve your students’ declarative,
procedural, and self-regulatory metacognitive knowledge? Include ideas for each
type of knowledge in your response.
a.
Declarative – I will teach the students various
learning strategies. Students will then take an assessment that will help
provide strategies that may work for them. Students will then research one of
those strategies and choose one they fill would fit them best.
b.
Procedural – Next I am going to ensure that the
students know how to use these strategies and understand the strengths and
weaknesses of the strategy. Students will split up into groups based off of the
strategies. Students will then present to the class how the strategy is used and
what the strengths and weaknesses of the strategy.
c.
Self-Regulatory – Last I will have the students use
these strategies throughout the semester. We will discuss when to use them and
re-evaluate their progress and make changes as needed.
3. How will you help your students plan, monitor,
and evaluate their learning?
a.
Have the student explain how they came to an answer
b.
Reflective journals (last 10 minutes of class to write
about what they had learn and how it applies to their life)
c.
Learning strategy assessment – then students outline
how they will use that strategy for the first test. After the first step we
evaluate and make changes (continue for each test).
d.
Have students create their own blog that allows them to
post their reflections as well as reflect and comment on other classmates
reflections.
