EDUC 313B
METACOGNITION
- coined by John Flavell
- consists of both metacognitive knowledge and
metacognitive experiences or regulation
- simply put, is “thinking about thinking” or “learning how
to learn”
- refers to higher order thinking which involves active
awareness and control over the cognitive processes
engaged in learning
- refers to the acquired knowledge about cognitive
processes, knowledge that can be used to control
cognitive processes
divided into three (3) categories:
1. knowledge of person variables
2. task variables
3. strategy variables
PERSON VARIABLES
- includes how one views himself as a learner and thinker
- refers to knowledge about how human beings learn and
process information, as well as individual knowledge of
one’s learning processes
- example you may be aware that you study more
effectively if you study very early in the morning than late
in the evening, and that you work better in a quiet library
rather than at home where there are a lot of things that
make it hard for you to focus and concentrate
TASK VARIABLE
- includes knowledge about the nature of the task as well
as the type of processing demands that it will place upon
the individual
- it is about knowing what exactly needs to be
accomplished gauging its difficulty and knowing the kind of
effort it will demand from you
- example you may be aware that it takes more time for
you to read and comprehend a book in educational
philosophy than it is for you to read and comprehend a
novel
STRATEGY VARIABLES
- involves awareness of the strategy you are using to learn
a topic and evaluating whether this strategy is effective
- if you think your strategy is not working, then you may
think of various strategies and try out one to see if it will
help you learn better
- terms like meta-attention and meta-memory are related
to strategy variables
META-ATTENTION – is the awareness of specific
strategies so that you can keep your attention focused on
the topic or task at hand
META-MEMORY – is your awareness of memory
strategies that work best for you
these three variables all interact as you learn and apply
metacognition
Omrod, includes the following in the Practices of
metacognition.
1. Knowing the limits of one’s own learning and memory
capacities.
2. Knowing what learning tasks one can realistically
accomplish within a certain amount of time.
3. Knowing which learning strategies are effective and
which are not
4. Planning an approach to a learning task that is likely
to be successful.
5. Using effective learning strategies to process and
learn new materials.
6. Monitoring one’s own knowledge and
comprehension. In other words, knowing when
information has been successfully learned and when
it is not.
7. Using effective strategies for retrieval of previously
stored information.
8. Knowledge is said to be metacognitive if it is keenly
used in a purposeful manner to ensure that a goal is
met.
Example:
A student may use knowledge in planning how to
do homework:
“I know that I (person variable) have more difficulty with
my Science assignments than English and find Araling
Panlipunan easier (task variable), so I will do my
homework in Science first, then English, then Araling
Panlipunan (strategy variable)
If one is only aware about one’s cognitive strengths or
weaknesses and the nature of the task but does not use
this to guide his own learning, then NO metacognition has
been applied.
Huitt believes that metacognition includes the Ability
to ask and answer the ff. types of question;
 What did I know about this subject, topic, issue?
 Do I know what I need to do now?
 Do I know where I can go to get some information,
Knowledge?
 How much time will I need to learn this ?
 What are some strategies and tactics that I can use to
Learn this?
 Did I understand what I just heard, read or saw?
 How will I know if I am learning at an appropriate
rate?
 How can I spot an error if I make one?
 How should I revise my plan if its not working to my
Expectations/satisfaction?
Metacognitive Strategies to Facilitate Learning
- Fang and Cox showed that metacognitive awareness
was evident in preschoolers and in students as young as 8
yrs old; during these years children have the capacity to
be more aware and reflective of their own learning
- challenge for future teacher, is to integrate more
activities that would build your students’ capacity to reflect
on their own characteristics as learners (self-knowledge),
the tasks they are to do (task knowledge) and the
strategies that they can use to learn (strategic
knowledge)
1. Have students monitor their own learning and thinking.
2. Teach students study or learning strategies.
TQLR – this can be taught to younger students
- metacognitive strategy before listening to a story
or presentation
T – Tune in
- it is first important for the learner himself to be
aware that he is paying attention, and that he is
ready to learn
Q – Question
- the learner is given questions or he thinks of
questions about what he will soon learn
L – Listen
- the learner then intentionally exerts effort to
listen; he becomes aware if he is momentarily destructed
and goes back to listen again
R – Remember
- the learner uses ways or strategies to remember
what was learned
PQ4R – usually for older students in the intermediate
levels and onwards; used to study a unit or chapter
3. Have students MAKE PREDICTIONS about information
to be presented next based on what they have learned.
4. Have students RELATE IDEAS TO EXISTING
KNOWLEDGE STRUCTURES.
5. Have students DEVELOP QUESTIONS, ask questions
of themselves, about what’s going on around them
6. Help students to KNOW WHEN TO ASK FOR HELP.
(Students must be able to self-monitor, require them to
show how they have attempted to deal with the
problems of their own)
7. Show students how to TRANSFER knowledge,
attitudes, values, skills to other situations or tasks
Novice and Expert Learners
In the last twenty years, cognitive psychologists Have
studied the distinctions among learners in the Manner
they absorb or process information. They Were able to
differentiate expert learners from Novice learners. A very
important factor that Separate these two types of
learners mentioned is Metacognition. Expert learners
employed Metacognitive strategies in learning . They
were More aware of their learning process as they read,
Studied and did problem solving. Experts learners
Monitored their learning and consequently adjusted Their
strategies to make learning more effective.
Difference between Novice and Expert Learners

P – Preview Aspect of Learning Novice Learners Expert Learners

- scan the whole chapter before delving on each Knowledge in different Have limited Have deeper
subject areas knowledge in the knowledge in different
paragraph different subject areas subject areas because
- check out the objectives they look for
- look for outlines or advance organizers that will interrelationships in the
give you an idea about the important topics and things they learn
ideas in the chapter
- rad the summary of the chapter first (but do not
Problem Solving Satisfied at just
stop on the summary alone) scratching the surface;
Q – Question hurriedly gives a
- read the guide questions provided, or think of solution to the problem
your own questions about the topic
R – Read
- check out sub headings as you read Learning / thinking Employ rigid strategies Design new strategies
Strategies that may not be that would be
- pay attention on words that are printed in bold
appropriate to the task appropriate to the task
or italicized at hand at hand
- find out the meaning of words that not clear to
you
- use a marker or colored pencil to highlight Selectivity in Attempt to process all Select important
important words or phrases Processing information they information to process;
R – Recite receive able to breakdown
information to
- work on answering the questions you had manageable chunks
earlier

R – Review Production of output Do not examine the Check their errors and
- pinpoint topics you may need to go back to quality of their work, redirect their efforts to
and read in order to undeRstand better nor stop to make maintain quality output
revisions

R – Reflect
- think about what you read
- Is everything clear to you? What are the main
points learned? How is this relevant or useful to
you?