Implementing Whole-School Metacognitive Strategies

Introduction

Metacognition is the awareness and understanding of thought itself and, more generally, the learning-processes one is engaged in; metacognitive approaches to teaching and learning focus on the planning, monitoring, evaluation and regulation of thinking processes. Metacognition essentially means cognition about cognition; that is, it refers to second-order cognitions: thoughts about thoughts, knowledge about knowledge or reflections about actions.

John Flavell (1976), who led studies regarding the concept of metacognition through his research, defining metacognition as follows: “metacognition refers to one’s knowledge concerning one’s own cognitive processes and products or anything related to them”; metacognition occurs as a result of one’s individual evaluation and observation of their cognitive behaviour in a learning environment (Ayersman, 1995). Hattie’s (2015) famous research on educational intervention 'Effect Sizes' showed metacognition to be one of the most powerful means of boosting attainment.

The Basics

Senior leaders in education have a critical role to play in promoting metacognition in their schools. Here are some steps that senior leaders can take to implement whole-school metacognition strategies:

1. Develop a shared understanding of metacognition Before implementing any metacognition strategies, it is important to ensure that everyone in the school has a shared understanding of what metacognition is and why it is important. Senior leaders can provide professional development opportunities for teachers and staff to learn about metacognition and its benefits for students. This can involve workshops, seminars, or even guest speakers who can share their expertise on the topic. Our online training course and our in-house training materials can help you to achieve this goal.
   

2. Embed metacognition in the curriculum Metacognition strategies should be integrated into the curriculum in order to ensure that all students have opportunities to develop their metacognitive skills. This can involve explicitly teaching metacognitive strategies, such as setting goals, monitoring progress, and reflecting on learning. It can also involve designing assessments that require students to reflect on their learning and evaluate their own performance. Our range of over forty metacognitive teaching resources (suitable for all school subjects) can help you to embed metacognition in your school's curriculum.
   

3. Provide teachers with resources and support In order to effectively implement metacognition strategies, teachers need access to resources and support. Senior leaders can provide teachers with professional development opportunities, such as workshops or coaching, to help them develop their own metacognitive skills and learn how to teach metacognitive strategies to their students. Additionally, senior leaders can provide teachers with resources, such as lesson plans and activities, to help them incorporate metacognition into their teaching. Registering a Whole-School Plan with us will grant you access to our complete range of teaching and teacher-training resources and allow all of the teachers in your school to register for our online course for free!
   

4. Foster a culture of reflection and feedback Metacognition requires a culture of reflection and feedback, where students are encouraged to think about their own thinking and receive feedback from their teachers and peers. Senior leaders can promote this culture by modelling metacognitive behaviours themselves, providing feedback to teachers and staff on their own metacognitive practices, and creating opportunities for students to reflect on their learning and receive feedback on their progress.
   

5. Evaluate and adjust strategies Finally, it is important to evaluate the effectiveness of metacognition strategies and adjust them as necessary. Senior leaders can collect data on student outcomes, such as academic achievement and self-efficacy, to assess the impact of metacognition strategies. They can also seek feedback from teachers, staff, and students to identify areas for improvement and make adjustments accordingly.

Continued Professional Development Focused on Metacognition & Self-Regulated Learning

Metacognition, or the ability to think about one's own thinking, has been found to be a critical factor in student success. When students are able to reflect on their own learning processes and adjust their strategies accordingly, they become more independent and confident learners. As such, implementing whole-school strategies that boost metacognition can be a powerful tool for improving educational outcomes across an entire school. However, in order to effectively implement these strategies, it is essential that teachers are properly trained.

Teacher training is a critical component of successful implementation of whole-school strategies that boost metacognition. Here are some of the reasons why teacher training is so valuable:

1. Teachers need to understand what metacognition is and why it is important In order to effectively implement metacognition strategies, teachers need to have a clear understanding of what metacognition is and why it is important for student learning. This includes an understanding of the different types of metacognitive strategies, such as planning, monitoring, and evaluating, and how these strategies can be applied in the classroom. Without this understanding, teachers may struggle to effectively implement metacognition strategies, or may not understand why they are important.
   

2. Teachers need to know how to teach metacognitive strategies to students In addition to understanding metacognition themselves, teachers need to know how to teach metacognitive strategies to their students. This involves understanding how to scaffold metacognitive development, so that students can gradually develop their metacognitive skills over time. It also involves understanding how to differentiate instruction, so that students at different levels of metacognitive development can be supported.
   

3. Teachers need access to resources and support In order to effectively implement metacognition strategies, teachers need access to resources and support. This can include professional development opportunities, such as workshops or coaching, to help teachers develop their own metacognitive skills and learn how to teach metacognitive strategies to their students. It can also involve providing teachers with resources, such as lesson plans and activities, to help them incorporate metacognition into their teaching.
   

4. Teacher training can help to create a culture of metacognition Finally, teacher training can help to create a culture of metacognition within a school. When teachers are trained in metacognition strategies, they are more likely to model these strategies themselves and incorporate them into their teaching. This can create a ripple effect, as students are exposed to metacognition strategies in multiple contexts throughout the school day.

In order to effectively implement whole-school teacher-training focused on metacognition and self-regulated learning you can either use our in-house teacher training resources or our online course; if you register a Whole-School Plan with us you can download all of the in-house teacher training resources as a part of your package and you will be given a special link to give to your teachers so that they can all use our online training course!

Provide Your Teachers With Access to a Suite of Teaching Resources That Develop Metacognition & Self-Regulated Learning

In order to support students in developing these skills, it is essential for senior leaders in education to provide teaching resources and instructional materials focused on metacognition and self-regulated learning.

Here are some reasons why providing such resources is important:

1. They can help teachers understand and implement metacognition and self-regulated learning strategies. Not all teachers may have a background in metacognition and self-regulated learning, and may need support in order to effectively implement these strategies in their classrooms. By providing instructional materials and teaching resources, senior leaders can ensure that teachers have the knowledge and tools necessary to support student learning in this area.
   

2. They can ensure consistency across classrooms and grade levels. Providing resources and materials focused on metacognition and self-regulated learning can help ensure that there is consistency in the approach taken across different classrooms and grade levels. This can be especially important in larger schools, where it may be difficult for all teachers to attend the same professional development sessions or training.
   

3. They can save teachers time and effort. Developing instructional materials and resources from scratch can be time-consuming and difficult for individual teachers. By providing these materials, senior leaders can save teachers time and effort, allowing them to focus on implementing the strategies with their students.
   

4. They can support differentiation and personalization. Providing a range of instructional materials and resources can help teachers differentiate instruction and personalize learning for their students. Different students may require different strategies or resources in order to effectively engage in metacognition and self-regulated learning, and having a range of materials available can help teachers meet the needs of all students.
   

5. They can help build a culture of metacognition and self-regulated learning. Providing instructional materials and resources focused on metacognition and self-regulated learning can help build a culture of these skills within the school. When all teachers are using similar approaches and strategies, students are more likely to see the value in these skills and be motivated to engage in them themselves.
   

In conclusion, providing teaching resources and instructional materials focused on metacognition and self-regulated learning is essential for senior leaders in education who wish to boost levels of metacognition and self-regulation in their schools. These resources can help teachers understand and implement these strategies, ensure consistency across classrooms and grade levels, save teachers time and effort, support differentiation and personalization, and help build a culture of metacognition and self-regulated learning. By investing in these resources, schools can better support their students in developing the skills they need to succeed in school and beyond.

We've made a suite of over forty teaching resources for use with students aged 11-16 that can be used by teachers of all subjects; the most affordable way to provide this suite of teaching resources to all the teachers in your school is by registering a Whole-School Plan that will allow you to download everything to your school's Local Area Network!

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References

Ayersman, D. J. (1995). Effects of Knowledge Representation Format and Hypermedia Instruction on Metacognitive Accuracy. Computers in Human Behavior, 11(3-4), 533-555.

Flavell, J. H. (1976). “Metacognitive Aspects of Problem Solving”. In L. Resnick (Ed.). The Nature of Intelligence (pp.231-236). Hillsdale, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Hattie, J. (2015). The applicability of Visible Learning to higher education. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 1(1), 79-91.