Acing Undergraduate and
Graduate School:
Metacognition is the Key!
Saundra Yancy McGuire, Ph.D.
Asst. Vice Chancellor for Learning & Teaching
Professor, Department of Chemistry
Past Director, Center for Academic Success
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, LA
2004 National College Learning Center Association
Frank L. Christ Outstanding Learning Center Award
The Story of Four LSU Students
Travis, junior psychology student
47, 52, 82, 86
B in course
Robert, first year chemistry student
42, 100, 100, 100
A in course
Maryam, first year art student
57, 87
B in course
Dana, first year physics student
80, 54, 91, 97, 90 (final) A in course
Dana’s Spring 2010 Grades
Courses
Dept Course
BIOL
1201
CSC
1253
MATH 2090
MEDP 2051
PHYS 2221
Grade Hrs Carried Hrs Earned
A
3.00
3.00
A
3.00
3.00
A
4.00
4.00
A
3.00
3.00
A
3.00
3.00
Quality Pts
12.00
12.00
16.00
12.00
12.00
Current Cumulative GPA: 3.88
Final Examination Improvement
C h e m is try 2 0 0 1
C la s s
Av e ra g e
T est 1
T est 2
T est 3
F in a l
S tu d e n t 1 S tu d e n t 2 S tu d e n t 3 S tu d e n t 4
76
52
72
78
65
67
61
107
67
65
68
88
70
46
68
88
Date of Final Exam:
December 14, 2005
Meeting with Student No. 1:
December 12, 2005
Meeting with Student Nos. 2 & 4:
December 2, 2005
Meeting with Student No. 3:
December 8, 2005
The final was worth 100 points with a 10 bonus question.
83
55
65
90
How’d They Do It?
They became expert, strategic learners
by using metacognition!
They studied to LEARN,
not just to make the grade!
What we will cover today
Why university students may be
inefficient learners
Metacognitive learning strategies that
work, and why they work
Barriers to using these strategies and
how to overcome them
Reflection Questions
Does your current GPA reflect your academic
ability or the effort/time you have put into
your courses to date?
What’s the difference, if any, between
studying and learning? Which, if either, is
more enjoyable? Why?
Approximately how many hours per week
do you study at UW
Use Metacognition to
Become an Expert Learner
Metacognition
The ability to:
think about thinking
be consciously aware of oneself as a
problem solver
to monitor and control one’s mental
processing
to be aware of the type of learning
that you are doing
Travis, junior psychology student
47, 52, 82, 86
Problem: Reading Comprehension
Solution: Preview text before reading
Develop questions
Read one paragraph at a time
and paraphrase information
Robert, freshman chemistry student
42, 100, 100, 100
Problem: Using examples to do
homework problems
Solution: Study information before trying
homework problem
Use example to test skill
Do homework problems as if
doing a test or quiz (no looking at
solution manual or examples!)
Maryam, freshman art student
57, 87
Problem: Not seeing the underlying
structure of different types of art
Solution: Focus on characteristics of different
artists’ work in order to indentify the
painter of an unfamiliar piece of art
Dana, first year physics student
80, 54, 91, 97, 90 (final)
Problem: Memorizing formulas and using
www. cramster.com
Solution: Solve problems with no external
aids and test mastery of concepts
Dana’s Spring 2010 Grades
Course Grade Hrs Carried Hrs Earned
Biology
A
3.00
3.00
Comp Sci
A
3.00
3.00
Math
A
4.00
4.00
Med. Phys A
3.00
3.00
Mechanics A
3.00
3.00
Quality Pts
12.00
12.00
16.00
12.00
12.00
Current Cumulative GPA: 3.88
Counting Vowels
in 45 seconds:
Let’s test our speed and accuracy
For the words on the next slide,
count all of the vowels
Dollar Bill
Dice
Tricycle
Four-leaf Clover
Hand
Six-Pack
Seven-Up
Octopus
Cat Lives
Bowling Pins
Football Team
Dozen Eggs
Unlucky Friday
Valentine’s Day
Quarter Hour
18
Write down all the words or
phrases you remember
Dollar Bill
Cat Lives
Dice
Bowling Pins
Tricycle
Football Team
Four-leaf Clover Dozen Eggs
Hand
Unlucky Friday
Six-Pack
Valentine’s Day
Seven-Up
Quarter Hour
Octopus
What are the words arranged according to?
20
NOW, how many words or
phrases do you remember?
Turning Yourself into an
Efficient, Expert Learner
Do “think aloud” exercises
Constantly ask yourself “why” and “what if” questions
Always test your understanding by verbalizing or
writing about concepts; practice retrieval of
information
Move your activities higher on the Bloom’s taxonomy
scale by comparing and contrasting, thinking of
analogies, thinking of new pathways, etc.
Combining information to
form a unique product;
requires creativity and
originality.
Evaluation
Synthesis
Using information to solve
problems; transferring
abstract or theoretical ideas
to practical situations.
Identifying connections and
relationships and how they
apply.
Application
Comprehension
Restating in
your own words;
paraphrasing,
summarizing,
translating.
Knowledge
Louisiana State University  Center for Academic Success  B-31 Coates Hall  225-578-2872  www.cas.lsu.edu
High School
Memorizing verbatim
information. Being able to
remember, but not
necessarily fully
understanding the
material.
Identifying
components;
determining
arrangement, logic,
and semantics.
Undergraduate
Analysis
Making decisions and
supporting views;
requires
understanding of
values.
Graduate School
Bloom’s
Taxonomy
This pyramid depicts the different levels of thinking we use when learning.
Notice how each level builds on the foundation that precedes it. It is
required that we learn the lower levels before we can effectively use the
skills above.
At what level of Bloom’s did you have to
operate to make A’s or B’s in high school?
35%
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Knowledge
Comprehension
Application
Analysis
Synthesis
Evaluation
25%
21%
13%
1
2
3
4
3%
3%
5
6
At what level of Bloom’s do you think you’ll
need to be to make A’s at the university level?
35%
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Knowledge
Comprehension
Application
Analysis
Synthesis
Evaluation
23%
15%
14%
7%
6%
1
2
3
4
5
6
Study Strategies Gold Nugget
The Study Cycle with
Intense Study Sessions
How do you move yourself higher
on Bloom’s Taxonomy?
Use the Study Cycle!
4
3
Reflec
Review
t
Preview
4
Reflect
Review
Assess
Preview before class – Skim the chapter, note headings and boldface words,
review summaries and chapter objectives, and come up with questions you’d
like the lecture to answer for you.
Attend class – GO TO CLASS! Answer and ask questions and take
meaningful notes.
Attend
Study
The Study Cycle
Review after class – As soon after class as possible, read notes, fill in gaps
and note any questions.
Study – Repetition is the key. Ask questions such as ‘why’, ‘how’, and ‘what
if’.
• Intense Study Sessions* - 3-5 short study sessions per day
• Weekend Review – Read notes and material from the week to make
connections
Assess your Learning – Periodically perform reality checks
• Am I using study methods that are effective?
• Do I understand the material enough to teach it to others?
*Intense Study Sessions
1
Set a Goal
2
Study with Focus
(30-50 min)
3
Reward Yourself
(10-15 min)
4
Review
(1-2 min)
(5 min)
Decide what you want to accomplish in your study session
Interact with material- organize, concept map, summarize, process, re-read, fill-in
notes, reflect, etc.
Take a break– call a friend, play a short game, get a snack
Go over what you just studied
Center for Academic Success
B-31 Coates Hall ▪ 225.578.2872 ▪www.cas.lsu.edu
Time Management is
Life Management
Tools for organizing your life:
Fixed Schedules
“Semester-at-a-Peek”
“Week-at-a-Peek”
Planners
To Do Lists
Today
This Week
Sticky Notes
The Semester Schedule
M
A ug. 1
8
15
C lasses
Begin!
22
29
6
13
20
T
2
9
16
23
M ath Q uiz
30
7
M ath Q uiz
14
21
W
3
10
17
24
O ct. 1
8
15
Spanish
Exam
22
Th
4
11
18
25
2
9
16
23
M athExam
F
5
12
19
26
3
Science
Q uiz
10
17
24
Eng lish
Paper d ue
S
6
13
20
27
4
11
G oin g to
G am e
18
G oing
H om e
25
S
7
14
21
28
5
12
19
H om e
26
con tinued

The “Week at a Peek” Schedule
M
T
W
TH
F
SA
SU
7-8
8-9
M ath
M ath
M ath
9-10
E nglish
E nglish
E nglish
10-11
C hem istry
Service
C hem istry
11-12
12-1
Tennis
1-2
French
2-3
Biology
Tennis
Biology
Tennis
3-4
W ork
W ork
W ork
W ork
4-5
W ork
W ork
W ork
W ork
5-6
Dinner
Dinner
Dinner
Dinner
French
French
Biology
Dinner
Tennis
Tips to remember...
Use daylight hours
wisely!
1 day light hour =
about 1 1/2 evening
hours.
ABC’s of Excellence
Adopt the right ATTITUDE
Begin appropriate BEHAVIOR
Consistently make a COMMITMENT
Attitude
“It’s your attitude, not your aptitude,
that determines your altitude.”
Zig Ziglar
Behavior
It’s the difference between knowing
and doing that determines success.
Anonymous
Don’t let other folks hijack your future!
Commitment
It’s not over ‘til it’s over, and YOU
determine when it’s over!
Change strategies when necessary, but
never give up your goals. If you can
dream it, you can achieve it!
So, What Can You Do, Starting Now, to Ensure
that Your GPA will reflect your ability?
Spend more time studying
(at least 2 hours/week for every hour in class)
Aim for higher learning levels and 100%
mastery
Use office hours and study groups productively
Use the Study Cycle
with Intense Study Sessions
Use Metacognition to Study Smarter!!!
Writing Exercise
What two strategies will you
commit to using until the end of
the semester?
If you don’t try it in within
the next 48 hours...
… you probably never will.
Final Note
Please visit our website at www.cas.lsu.edu.
We have on-line workshops and information
that will teach you additional effective study
strategies. I wish you a fantastically successful
future!
Dr. Saundra McGuire