What is Metacognition?
At its simplest, metacognition is thinking about thinking. Studies have shown that experienced writers are able to perceive and articulate the steps they need to take to be success. This is metacognition. As we saw on the conversation map, cognitive studies are currently focusing on metacognition, and our understanding of the role and value of metacognition is vastly increasing (39). Ellen Carillo describes metacognition as mindfulness, and Kara Taczak and Liane Robertson enhance this view by defining metacognition as “the ability to mindfully monitor and consider why specific choices were made in a particular writing moment including, but not limited to, considering the different types of knowledge(s) learned before and acquired during that particular writing moment, and to be able to utilize that knowledge there and elsewhere.” Their definition clearly includes transfer as a part of metacognition, and other scholars agree that metacognition and transfer are interconnected. Mindfulness and awareness also appear in Alice Horning’s work as she describes some of the specific kinds of awareness that successful writers and readers have: “awareness of text structure, context and language as well as skills in analysis, synthesis, evaluation and application that they bring to bear on their reading and by extension on their writing. Only when novice writers think and respond like these expert readers can they move toward becoming critically literate, expert writers.” While most scholars are enthusiastic about metacognition and its potential, some keep us well grounded with a few concerns. Anne Beaufort, for example, reminds us of the potential for overwhelm” though metacognition can increase the richness of mental life, “that increasing richness, because of its time and cognitive demands, requires the judicious reduction of peripheral problems.” |
This amusing video is the Smithsonian's take on using metacognition in a science classroom.
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Metacognitive Development
Reflection
Reflection is a valuable tool to enhance metacognitive skills. Taczak and Robertson note that reflection helps students “to assess themselves as writers, including their own understanding of these different types of knowledge, allowing them to adopt the active stance in their own learning advocated by the Framework.”
Anne Beaufort suggests metacognitive reflection on the situatedness of writing, specifically in a writer’s rituals. As prompts, she suggests students reflect on these questions:
Neuroscience
Dirk Remley argues for a different kind of metacognition: explicit instruction in neuroscience concepts related to writing, especially regarding persuasive and multimodal messages. Remley cites studies that note that, for complex topics like writing, teaching the associated neuroscience concepts helps students write better and transfer those skills elsewhere.
Imitation
Imitation is another method for enhancing metacognitive skills. Among several scholars citing the value of imitation for metacognitive development, Irene Clark particularly notes that imitation of genres allows students to “develop a deeper, metacognitive understanding of genre and...practice with greater insight.” (Clark and others take care to convey that imitation is not plagiarism and does not destroy creativity.)
Explicit connections
Teachers can encourage metacognitive development by including, on writing assignments, an explicit connection between new assignments and skills already learned in the classroom.
Reflection is a valuable tool to enhance metacognitive skills. Taczak and Robertson note that reflection helps students “to assess themselves as writers, including their own understanding of these different types of knowledge, allowing them to adopt the active stance in their own learning advocated by the Framework.”
Anne Beaufort suggests metacognitive reflection on the situatedness of writing, specifically in a writer’s rituals. As prompts, she suggests students reflect on these questions:
- What rituals do you practice when you write?
- How do you think these rituals started?
- Have they changed over time or do they change in different places or when doing different kinds of writing? For example, has your use of a computer formed or changed your rituals?
- Have your writing rituals changed since you have come to college?
Neuroscience
Dirk Remley argues for a different kind of metacognition: explicit instruction in neuroscience concepts related to writing, especially regarding persuasive and multimodal messages. Remley cites studies that note that, for complex topics like writing, teaching the associated neuroscience concepts helps students write better and transfer those skills elsewhere.
Imitation
Imitation is another method for enhancing metacognitive skills. Among several scholars citing the value of imitation for metacognitive development, Irene Clark particularly notes that imitation of genres allows students to “develop a deeper, metacognitive understanding of genre and...practice with greater insight.” (Clark and others take care to convey that imitation is not plagiarism and does not destroy creativity.)
Explicit connections
Teachers can encourage metacognitive development by including, on writing assignments, an explicit connection between new assignments and skills already learned in the classroom.