Metacognition is the awareness of ones thought processes and an understanding of the patterns behind them. It is a concept that has been steadily gaining traction in education and psychology. Metacognition includes a critical awareness of ones thinking and learning and oneself as a thinker and learner. It is a learners ability to reflect on their thought process and choose an effective strategy. Metacognition is not just thinking about thinking, but it is actively monitoring ones own learning and making changes to ones own learning behaviors and strategies based on this monitoring.

Metacognition can help students become aware of their strengths and weaknesses as learners, writers, readers, test-takers, group members, etc. It can help them recognize the limit of their knowledge or ability and then figure out how to expand that knowledge or extend the ability. Metacognitive practices help learners to monitor their own progress and take control of their learning as they read, write, and solve problems in the classroom.

Metacognition instruction should be embedded with the content and activities about which students are thinking. It is most effective when it is adapted to reflect the specific learning contexts of a specific topic, course, or discipline. Metacognitive knowledge encompasses knowledge of oneself as a learner and how the human brain encodes, stores, organizes, and retrieves information. It also includes knowledge of the task to be completed and effective strategies to complete the task.

Metacognition is a general term encompassing the study of memory-monitoring and self-regulation, meta-reasoning, consciousness/awareness, and autonoetic consciousness/self-awareness. It is a goal that helps kids become more independent learners and bolsters self-advocacy skills. Metacognition is a concept much too broad to be entirely summarized in one blog, and the research around it is ongoing.