Thinking About Thinking: How Metacognition Can Transform Teaching and Learning

By Miriam Chacon, EcoEducate’s Director of Coaching and Professional Development

Metacognition, or the ability to reflect on our thinking and why we do what we do, is a powerful tool that improves the effectiveness of teaching and learning. It benefits students by providing them with strategies to understand and regulate their learning and transforms teachers into more reflective and effective professionals.

Javier is a middle and high school math teacher in San Cristóbal, Galapagos. During a “Study Circle,” where teachers share experiences and solve shared problems, Javier observed: “I’ve noticed that when I use more concrete examples linked to everyday life, my students understand abstract concepts better. I also notice that some students require more time and different information-processing approaches.”  Javier has begun to identify efficient patterns in his teaching and in the way his students respond to different methods.

Elena, a middle school teacher in Santa Cruz, recounted the comment of a student named Juanito: “The next time I don’t understand something, I’m going to try to draw it or ask for help, as the teacher taught us, because today in fraction class it worked perfectly for me.” Juanito identified that using graphic representations and asking for help were strategies that worked better for his understanding. Elena transformed the way Juanito learns and helped him identify the best way to do it, sparking deeper and more meaningful learning.

Definitions of Metacognition

Since Flavell first mentioned it in 1976 in the field of cognitive psychology, the concept of metacognition has evolved considerably. Stewart and Landine (1995) introduce the idea of active participation of the individual in their thought process. Wenden (1998) and Rubin (1990) define it as a complex thought process that involves active and dynamic control over one’s cognitive processes. Carretero (2001) includes the concept of self-regulation, where people regulate their cognitive activity when facing a task. Chekwa et al. (2015) define it as awareness of one’s own learning and the rational processes involved.

As Velásquez (2024) explains, developing metacognition implies having the ability to recognize oneself as a cognitive processor and being aware of all the processes that support cognitive activity. In addition, the individual can recognize this awareness in others. Metacognition is applied to three types of knowledge:

• Declarative knowledge: awareness of things and oneself as a subject capable of learning about and understanding the factors influencing the learning process
• Procedural knowledge: understanding “how” to get things done, being aware of the strategies and execution of methods necessary to complete a task or achieve a goal
• Conditional knowledge: knowing “why” strategies are effective and “when” they should be used

Implementation of Metacognition in Teacher Professional Development

Some strategies that we use with teachers in our training processes include:

1. Regular Meetings: We organize meetings where teachers discuss their experiences, share effective strategies, and collectively reflect on their classroom practices, building collaborative learning communities and mutual support.
2. Process Modeling: During professional development sessions, the facilitator often asks teachers to describe the model or strategy implemented in a workshop, solve a problem, or make pedagogical decisions, demonstrating how to apply metacognition in real-time.
3. Periodic Observation: We design classroom observation systems with clear standards, using formative feedback sessions to discuss performance and suggest improvements, defining clear and specific goals, and developing strategies to achieve them.
4. Self-evaluation: We promote time for reflective writing during which teachers document their thoughts, successes, challenges, and strategies used, encouraging self-evaluation and critical thinking about their pedagogical practices.
5. Action Research Projects: We encourage projects where teachers investigate their practice, identify problems, implement interventions, and reflect on results. Class study is an excellent strategy as an example.
6. Role Shift: We use this strategy for teachers to practice pedagogical decision-making and reflect on the choices and consequences observed.  An example of this is observing other teachers assuming our role.
7. Reflective Questionnaires: We use questionnaires that promote reflection on what has been learned, the strategies used, and the results obtained with questions such as: What worked well today? What did not work? What could you do differently next time? 

Reasons We Include Metacognition in Our Professional Development Processes

Metacognition is an indispensable tool for educators to reflect on their teaching and identify areas of strengths and those needing improvement. This practice engages educators in a process of ongoing self-evaluation that is essential to achieve continuous improvement and stay on top of the latest educational research and trends.

Teachers who practice metacognition tend to foster a culture of reflection and self-evaluation, improving self-awareness and responsibility. In addition, they create an environment where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities. By reflecting on their mistakes and successes and encouraging students to do the same, they develop a growth mindset that views learning as an ongoing process.

Perhaps the most important outcome of metacognition is that it fosters ongoing learning and intellectual autonomy, allowing teachers to have more active control over their professional development. It helps them learn to plan, monitor, and evaluate their learning and prepare to meet teaching challenges more confidently and effectively.

We strongly believe that professional development facilitators–trainers of trainers——should act as role models, reflecting on their teaching methods and adjusting strategies according to the needs during training events.

Finally, the development of metacognition in teachers raises their self-esteem as their teaching practices improve, fostering a self-reinforcing cycle of professional growth. Conversely, a lack of understanding of metacognition can limit one’s ability to learn and hinder the possibility of more useful, meaningful, and lasting learning.

There are many additional ways to promote metacognition, and we’d love to hear about any strategies that have worked for you! Please contact us at [email protected] with your ideas!

Bibliography

Carretero M. (2001). Metacognición y educación. Buenos Aires: Aique.

Chekwa, E., McFadden, M., Divine, A., y Dorius, T. (2015). Metacognition: transforming the learning experience. Journal of Learning in Higher Education, strategies. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 116, 4015-4024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.01.883

Velásquez-Jaramillo, M. (2024). Metacognición en el aula: la necesidad de trascender esfuerzos individuales para transformar el aprendizaje.  Praxis, 20(2). https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=9714339

Wenden, A. L. (1998). Metacognitive knowledge and language learning. En Applied linguistics 19(4), 515- 537. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/19.4.515

Wenden, A. y Rubin, J. (1990). Learner strategies in language learning. En The Modern Language Journal, 74(4), 509. https://doi.org/10.2307/328531