monthly workshop series: metacognition (20 february 2019)...smart but scattered: the revolutionary...
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Monthly Workshop Series20 February 2019
METACOGNITION
PRESENTERGALEN DAVISDirector of Faculty DevelopmentThe Learning House
(he/him/his)
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this session, you should be able to:
• Articulate the role that metacognition plays in learning.
• Describe “metacognitive illusions.”
• Identify strategies to foster students’ metacognitive perspectives in your online course(s).
AGENDA
1. Metacognition and Learning
2. Strategies to Promote Metacognition
1. METACOGNITION AND LEARNING
WHAT IS METACOGNITION?
• Metacognition is the ability to evaluate one’s own learning.
• Can apply to:– Identifying comprehension (or lack thereof)
– Studying strategies
– Understanding learning preferences
– Awareness of strengths/weaknesses
Source: McCabe (2011)
EXECUTIVE FUNCTION SKILLS1. Response inhibition2. Working memory3. Emotional control4. Sustained attention5. Task initiation6. Planning/prioritization7. Organization8. Time management9. Goal-directed persistence10. Flexibility11. Metacognition
Source: Dawson & Guare (2009)
COMPONENTS OF METACOGNITION1. Metacognitive knowledge
a. Personb. Taskc. Strategy
2. Metacognitive experiences3. Goals/tasks4. Actions/strategies
Source: Flavell (1979)
THE METACOGNITIVE PROCESS
Externally-imposed task/goal
Existing metacognitive
knowledge
Conscious metacognitive
experience
Selection of cognitive strategy
Additional metacognitive experiences
Activation of (meta)cognitive
strategies
Problem set assigned.
Student reflects on previous problem
sets.
Student thinks to himself, “this will
be hard.”
Student opens textbook to
relevant section for reference.
Student finds the reference material
helpful.
Student works on problem set, using
other strategies when stuck.
Source: Flavell (1979)
THE METACOGNITIVE CYCLE
Planning
MonitoringEvaluating
Source: Sweetland Center for Writing (n.d.)
CDR: SUBSET A
Standard Low level (1) (2) (3) High level (4)
The course includes the required journaling or free-response self-reflection component.
The course suggests an optional or ungraded self-reflection assignment.
The course requires at least one significant free-response self-reflection assignment.
The course requires a self-reflection assignment for several weeks (e.g. 25% to 50% of the weeks in the course).
The course requires a long-term (multiple weeks) self-reflection component (e.g. more than 50% of the course has assignment related to self-reflection or journaling assignment).
METACOGNITIVE ILLUSIONS
“Metacognitive illusions” refers to a phenomenon in which individuals believe that they’ve learned more than they have.
STUDYING TECHNIQUES• 3 phenomena correlated with more positive assessment scores:
– The testing effect
– The spacing effect
– The generation effect
• Study indicated student awareness only of generation effect
• 80% of undergrads learn their own study strategies
Source: McCabe (2011)
2. STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE METACOGNITION
PROMOTE EFFECTIVE STUDY HABITSTo promote:• Explicitly refer to the effects• Include formative assessments• Ask students to generate questions
as they consume materials• Create student-generated question
banks• Recommend scheduled reviews of
material• Offer live/recorded study sessions
The Testing Effect“Learning and memory for material is improved when
time is spent taking tests on the material, versus spending the same amount of time restudying the
material.”
The Generation Effect“Learner-created materials will be more easily
remembered then instructor-provided materials.”
The Spacing Effect“Holding constant total study time, spacing out (or distributing over time) the study of to-be-learned
material is more effective than massing (or cramming) the material.”
PROMOTE READING COMPREHENSION• Reciprocal teaching
– Questioning– Summarizing– Predicting – Clarifying
• Elaborative interrogation– “Why is this true?”
Source: Smith, Holliday, Austin (2010)
ASSIGN GROUP WORK• Reciprocal teaching• Problem-based learning• Additional benefits:
– Maximizes retention– Builds community – Includes narrative component– Authentic assessment
Forming
StormingNorming
Performing
ASSIGN REFLECTIVE EXERCISES
Source: Sweetland Center for Writing (n.d.)
Planning
•Role-playing•Pre-writing
Monitoring
•Collaborative troubleshooting•Post peer review follow-up•Self-reflective comments on drafts•Troubleshooting journal
Evaluating
•Dialogue about feedback•Articulate transferable skills•Project post-write
CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE REFLECTIVE EXERCISES• Short
• Attend to individual needs/preferences
• Goal-specific
• TimelySource: Huang (2017)
ASSISTING STUDENTS WITH REFLECTION: THE 5 R’S• Recalling
• Recapturing• Relating
• Rationalizing
• RedirectingSource: Huang (2017)
PROVIDE EFFECTIVE FEEDBACKEffective feedback is:• Descriptive• Constructive• Actionable• Timely• Prioritized• Personalized
DESIGN EFFECTIVE ASSESSMENTS• Include formative assessments (practice)• Include a prior knowledge assessment• Scaffold assignments• Design authentic assessments• Include customized responses in autograded assessments• Consider ePortfolios• Ensure alignment
EXPERT BLIND SPOT
?????
IDENTIFY CONTEXT THROUGH MODULE SUMMARIES• Review
– Activate prior knowledge
• Preview– Provide guidance on consuming the material
• Motivate– Connect it to the real world or future content
BIG HAIRY AUDACIOUS INSTITUTIONAL STRATEGIES• Instruct students on effective learning and studying techniques
– Gen Ed requirement
– Training module (e.g. “How to be a Successful Online Student”)
• Conduct evaluations to determine students’ learning
preferences, styles
• Develop an e-portfolio strategy
POSSIBLE TOOLS THAT CAN HELP• Tools that facilitate group work
– Task management software (e.g. Nozbe, Asana)
– Case study tools– Collaborate writing apps (e.g. Google Docs, wikis, etc.)
• Tools that facilitate effective studying– PDF annotators – Collaborative quiz apps
– Planners
• Journaling tools• Tools that facilitate media generation• ePortfolios
SUMMARY
TAKEAWAYS: GENERAL• Metacognition is an awareness of one's own learning.
• Many students possess metacognitive illusions that inflate their perception of learning.
TAKEAWAYS: COURSE WRITERS• Include formative assessments, such as:
– Reflective assignments
– Active reading comprehension tasks
• Assign group work, particularly problem-based learning.• Design effective assessments.
• Identify context - or ask students to do so.
TAKEAWAYS: COURSE FACILITATORS• Explicitly discuss the testing effect, the spacing effect, and
the generation effect.• Encourage students to generate questions as they
consume instructional materials.• Schedule (and record) office hours where you review
material with students.• Provide effective feedback.
QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION
GALEN DAVISDirector of Faculty Development
ReferencesDawson, P., & Guare, R. (2009). Smart but scattered: The revolutionary "executive skills" approach to helping kids reach their
potential. New York: Guilford Press.Effective studying milestones: related to the “spacing effect” (discussed in McCabe, J. (2011, April). Metacognitive awareness
of learning strategies in undergraduates. Memory Cognition, 39(3), 462-476.)Flavell, J. H. (1979, October). Metacognition and cognitive monitoring. American Psychologist, 34(10), 906-911.Hodge, E. A. (1993). The effects of metacognitive training on the reading comprehension and vocabulary of at-risk college
students. Research & Teaching in Developmental Education, 10(1), 31-42. Huang, L. (2017, November 6). Three ideas for implementing learner reflection. Retrieved
from https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/three-ideas-implementing-learner-reflection/McCabe, J. (2011, April). Metacognitive awareness of learning strategies in undergraduates. Memory Cognition, 39(3), 462-
476.Smith, B. L., Holliday, W. G., & Austin, H. W. (2010). Students' comprehension of science textbooks using a question-based
reading strategy. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 47(4), 363-379.Son, L. K. (2004). Spacing one's study: Evidence for a metacognitive control strategy. Journal of Experimental Psychology:
Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 30(3), 601-604.Sweetland Center for Writing. (n.d.). Metacognition--Cultivating reflection to help students become self-directed learning.
Retrieved from https://lsa.umich.eduWillining, P., & Scagnoli, N. (2004). Feedback in Online Programs.