
Metacognition refers to a learner’s ability
to be aware of and monitor their own
learning processes.

Usually defined by it’s component parts.

Knowledge of
cognition

Regulation of
cognition

Refers to what
individuals know
about their own
cognition or
cognition in general.

Refers to
metacognitive
activities that help
control one’s
thinking and
learning.
Includes three types of metacognitive
awareness:
 Declarative Knowledge
 Procedural Knowledge
 Conditional Knowledge

Declarative
Procedural
Conditional
knowing about oneself
as a learner and about
what factors influence
one’s performance.
Refers to knowledge
how to execute
procedural skills.
Refers to knowing when
and why to apply
various cognitive
actions.
Example: capacity
limitations, rehearsal,
and integration of info
into LTM.
Example: heuristics
and strategies such as
how to “chunk”
information.
Example: knowing when
and what information to
rehearse.
Individuals use
knowledge and select
skills more
automatically.
Allows
 Effective learners
appear to use these
aspects.

students to
allocate resources and
use strategies
effectively.

Three essential skills are included in the
process of controlling one’s thinking or
learning:
Planning
 Monitoring
 Evaluation

Regulation of Cognition
Planning
Selection of
appropriate
strategies and
the allocation of
resources that
effect performance.
Example: making
predictions before
reading, selection
of strategies and
allocation of
resources before
beginning a task.
Monitoring
Refers to one’s
on-line
awareness of
comprehension
and task
performance.
Evaluation
Refers to
appraising
the products
and
regulatory
processes of
learning.
Example: Such
as self-testing
while learning.
Example:
Such as reevaluating
goals and
conclusions.

“Is a relatively systematic structure of
knowledge that can be used to explain
and predict a broad range of cognitive
and metacognitive phenomena”
(Schraw & Moshman, 1995.)
› These theories are personally derived.
› And integrate knowledge of cognition and
regulation of cognition.

Characteristics
› Allows an individual to integrate varied
aspects of metacognition into a single
framework.
For example, children have difficulty using
knowledge of memory to regulate cognition,
because they have not yet integrated
metacognitive knowledge and regulatory
skills.
 Characteristics continued:
Coordinate beliefs that allow individuals to
predict, control and explain their cognition,
the cognition of others, or cognition in general.
For example, a good strategy user, knows effective
learning depends on activating relevant knowledge
from memory, selectively using strategies, and motivates
oneself to learn material at a deeper level. This guides
ands coordinates one’s learning constituting a theory of
what it means to be an effective learner.

There are three different types of
metacognitive theories:
Tacit Theories
 Informal Theories
 Formal Theories


Are unconcious frameworks that
systematize metacognitive knowledge.

for example, children’s beliefs about
intelligence affects behavior in a
classroom.

Individuals are aware of some of their
beliefs and assumptions regarding a
phenomena, but have not yet
constructed a theoretical structure that
integrates and justifies beliefs.
› Informal theories start as domain specific,
and gradually are generalized to other
domains.

A systemized approach to learn
something that has a specific form or
structure (e g. physics, music, or statistics)
that needs to be known, used, or
remembered.
› Allows individuals to make informed choices
about self-regulatory behaviors.
Cultural Learning
Peer interaction
Individual Construction

When students lack a theory of
metacognitive knowledge, they are unable
to explain their cognitive performance or plan
effectively.
› For example, students have difficulty in scientific
reasoning due to lack of knowledge of a theory of
metacognition.
› Students do not differentiate between formal
hypotheses and the data used to test these
hypothesis, because they lack the skills to think
strategically.

Many programs do not help students
understand the structure of
metacognitive theory and use the theory
to organize knowledge.

Thus, Instructional programs should
include:
› Ways to help construct metacognitive
awareness aiding theoretical formalization.
› To accomplish this…

Educators need to promote general
awareness of the importance of
metacognition:
› Improve regulation of cognition.
› And foster environments promoting
metacognitive awareness.
Planning
Monitoring
 What is the nature of
the task?
Do I have a clear
understanding ?
What is my goal?
Am I reaching my
goals?
What kind of
information and
strategies do I need?
Do I need to make
changes?
How much time will I
need?
Evaluating
Have I reached my
goals?
What worked?
What didn’t work?
What would I do
differently next time?

Promoting goal orientations in the
classroom Vs. performance orientations.
› Students with mastery orientations seek to
improve their competence, whereas,
students with a performance orientation
seek to prove competence.