Benefits of Metacognition
Listed below are ways that metacognition can positively affect learners.
- Development of independent learners. More self-aware as critical thinkers and problem solvers, enabling them to actively approach knowledge gaps and problems and to rely on themselves.
- Able to monitor, plan, and control their mental processes.
- Better able to assess the depth of their knowledge
- Able to identify effective learning strategies
- Better able to transfer knowledge
- More likely to perform better academically
- Emotional and social growth
This is powerful information that could also be shared in class with learners to get “buy in” about thinking metacognitively in their studies.
Check out this short activity [PDF, Word Doc] to use with your learners – to get them thinking about thinking and learning. This activity helps them to develop a toolkit of ways that they can use to improve their learning and retention of information and helps them to share and learn from one another.
*Should be used at beginning, midterm and end of semester to role model the importance of continual review of learning strategies*
Dr. Stephen Chew is a cognitive psychologist from Samford and has a series of excellent videos that can also be shared with students to better help them understand the benefits of metacognition for their learning. Below is video 1 in a 5 part series by Dr. Chew. Consider sharing these videos with your class!
Interested in watching them all? Here is the Youtube link