Introduction – Metacognition and Self-Regulation
Metacognition and self-regulated learning are essential elements when deep approaches to a subject matter are required. But what is metacognition? Jennifer Livingston says: ‘Metacognition refers to higher order thinking which involves active control over the cognitive processes engaged in learning.’[1] Subconsciously we are all partaking in metacognitive approaches to learning: we know how we plan our work, we know when we do not understand something and reconsider the problem at hand in an attempt to better aid our comprehension, we evaluate how we feel about certain tasks/topics; even something as simple as ‘I don’t like this task’ demonstrates a metacognitive approach. Therefore, it is important for us, as teachers, to make our students aware of these processes early on in, and throughout, the courses we teach. Indeed, this seems part of good practice when incorporating a Constructivist approach to teaching and learning (Biggs 1934, Kolb 1984) as I aim to do with my own teaching. There are many ways to encourage students to think about their own learning and monitor their own progress, I am particularly interested in the use of reflective journals.
What are Reflective Journals?
The requirements are simple: students should submit a short weekly entry (perhaps up to 200 words) on what they have learnt in class that week. The journal entries will be in response to questions such as:
How did what you learnt challenge your preconceptions of the topic/subject?
How does this impact your writing?
How will these incorporate their learning into their other courses, etc?
Pros?
Reflective journals, particularly in my own discipline, Creative Writing, are an effective tool in aiding metacognitive thinking and self-regulation. Such questions and responses encourage, in the case of Creative Writing, students to think critically about their work and the choices they make when writing which, in turn, helps them to become more aware of their learning processes. K.D Tanner highlights the benefits of such a task:
If an instructor assigns such writing, either in conjunction with an exam or as part of a specific reflective writing assignment, he or she is explicitly giving students a strategy for developing metacognitive approaches, as well as practice using that approach in the context of their disciplinary course.[2]
Reflective journals also allow students a space, particularly if shared on a forum such as Moodle, for their thoughts and feelings, to sound out ideas with others, and give each other feedback outside the classroom which can be monitored by their teacher.
Cons?
Perhaps a negative aspect to encouraging the sharing of reflective journals between students will be an increase in workload for the teacher. However, they could also be considered a useful feedback tool to a new teacher, like myself. I would be able to check in on my students learning, see what they enjoy, what they need help with, how they’re applying what they learn in class to their writing, and, if done on a forum such as Moodle, answer questions which can be seen by the whole class instead of just one student via email. Therefore, I think the positives of such an activity far outweigh the negatives.
Introduction – Metacognition and Self-Regulation
Metacognition and self-regulated learning are essential elements when deep approaches to a subject matter are required. But what is metacognition? Jennifer Livingston says: ‘Metacognition refers to higher order thinking which involves active control over the cognitive processes engaged in learning.’[1] Subconsciously we are all partaking in metacognitive approaches to learning: we know how we plan our work, we know when we do not understand something and reconsider the problem at hand in an attempt to better aid our comprehension, we evaluate how we feel about certain tasks/topics; even something as simple as ‘I don’t like this task’ demonstrates a metacognitive approach. Therefore, it is important for us, as teachers, to make our students aware of these processes early on in, and throughout, the courses we teach. Indeed, this seems part of good practice when incorporating a Constructivist approach to teaching and learning (Biggs 1934, Kolb 1984) as I aim to do with my own teaching. There are many ways to encourage students to think about their own learning and monitor their own progress, I am particularly interested in the use of reflective journals.
What are Reflective Journals?
The requirements are simple: students should submit a short weekly entry (perhaps up to 200 words) on what they have learnt in class that week. The journal entries will be in response to questions such as:
Pros?
Reflective journals, particularly in my own discipline, Creative Writing, are an effective tool in aiding metacognitive thinking and self-regulation. Such questions and responses encourage, in the case of Creative Writing, students to think critically about their work and the choices they make when writing which, in turn, helps them to become more aware of their learning processes. K.D Tanner highlights the benefits of such a task:
If an instructor assigns such writing, either in conjunction with an exam or as part of a specific reflective writing assignment, he or she is explicitly giving students a strategy for developing metacognitive approaches, as well as practice using that approach in the context of their disciplinary course.[2]
Reflective journals also allow students a space, particularly if shared on a forum such as Moodle, for their thoughts and feelings, to sound out ideas with others, and give each other feedback outside the classroom which can be monitored by their teacher.
Cons?
Perhaps a negative aspect to encouraging the sharing of reflective journals between students will be an increase in workload for the teacher. However, they could also be considered a useful feedback tool to a new teacher, like myself. I would be able to check in on my students learning, see what they enjoy, what they need help with, how they’re applying what they learn in class to their writing, and, if done on a forum such as Moodle, answer questions which can be seen by the whole class instead of just one student via email. Therefore, I think the positives of such an activity far outweigh the negatives.
References
Livingston, Jennifer, ‘Metacognition: An Overview,’ 2007, <http://gse.buffalo.edu/fas/shuell/CEP564/Metacog.htm> [Accessed on 28th April 2015]
Tanner, K.D., ‘Promoting Student Metacognition,’ CBE – Life Sciences Education, 11(2), <http://www.lifescied.org/content/11/2/113.full> [Accessed on 28th April 2015] p.113-120.
[1] Jennifer Livingston, ‘Metacognition: An Overview,’ 2007
<http://gse.buffalo.edu/fas/shuell/CEP564/Metacog.htm>, [Accessed on 28th April 2015]
[2] K.D Tanner, ‘Promoting Student Metacognition,’ CBE – Life Sciences Education, 11(2), <http://www.lifescied.org/content/11/2/113.full> [Accessed on 28th April 2015] p.113-120.