The relationships and impact of teachers’ metacognitive knowledge and pedagogical understandings of metacognition

Abstract

We know that metacognitive students are successful in school (Sternberg Instructional Science 26:127-140, 1998). However, despite the recognition of the role of metacognition in student success, limited research has been done to explore teachers' explicit awareness of their metacognition and their ability to think about, talk about, and write about their thinking (Zohar Teaching and Teacher Education 15:413-429, 1999). Therefore, the current study investigates teachers' understanding of metacognition and their pedagogical understanding of metacognition, and the nature of what it means to teach students to be metacognitive. One hundred-five graduate students in education participated in this study. The data analysis results, using mixed research method, suggest that the participant's metacognitive knowledge had a significant impact on his/her pedagogical understanding of metacognition. The results revealed that teachers who have a rich understanding of metacognition report that teaching students to be metacognitive requires a complex understanding of both the concept of metacognition and metacognitive thinking strategies.The demands of the twenty-first century require students to know more than content knowledge; they must know how to learn. Learning is an active process that requires students to think about their thinking, or be metacognitive. Metacognition is a person's knowledge about the cognitive processes necessary for understanding and learning (Flavell, Metacognition Learning (2010) 5:269-288

Educational Complexity and Professional Development: Teachers’ Need for Metacognitive Awareness

“…Underlying both content and pedagogical knowledge is knowledge of cognition; the knowledge of strategies, skills, and abilities that impacts a person's learning ability as well as how and why to use strategies and techniques for increasing performance and accomplishing cognitive tasks. Moreover, research indicates that teachers' knowledge of cognition is linked to their learning ability, pedagogical effectiveness, ability to transfer learning from one context to another, and ability to adapt in a complex educational environment (Bransford et al, 2000;Ertmer & Newby, 1996;Georghiades, 2004;Gourgey, 1998;Hartman, 2001;Kramarski & Michalsky, 2009;Lin et al, 2005;Pucheu, 2008;Wilson & Bai, 2010). This would suggest that teacher PD should focus on metacognitive awareness, including knowledge of cognition, because it will impact many common teacher practices.…”

Self and Peer Assessments in Active Learning Model to Increase Metacognitive Awareness and Cognitive Abilities

“…The success of students in completing science tasks can depend on their awareness of what is known and how to apply it or metacognition activities (Lai, 2011;Wilson & Bai, 2010). One's metacognition activities are unique and difficult to measure (Akturk & Sahin, 2011;Williams & Atkins, 2009).…”

The psychological dimension of transformation in teacher learning

“…Not surprisingly then, those teachers whose metacognitions are keenly honed demonstrate more teaching practices that promote learners' understanding. They are also superior in supporting learners' own regulation of learning (Kramarski & Revach, 2009) through tweaking their engagements with learners (Postholm, 2010(Postholm, , 2011N. Wilson & Bai, 2010).…”