Metacognitive reflection: definition and issues
Metacognitive reflection is an essential element of pedagogy which significantly enriches the learning process. It awakens in learners a heightened awareness of their study methods and their approach to tasks, allowing them to adjust their strategies to optimize their effectiveness. This introspection not only reveals areas requiring additional reinforcement or support but also initiates a proactive approach to filling gaps, resulting in a significant improvement in long-term knowledge retention. By cultivating a better understanding of their learning process, learners gain autonomy, which stimulates their motivation and strengthens their commitment to their training journey.
Additionally, by encouraging a critical approach to problem solving, metacognition paves the way for the development of more effective and adaptive strategies. It plays a determining role in the ability to apply skills and knowledge acquired in one context to another, thus facilitating the transfer of learning. This ability to adapt and transfer highlights the importance of metacognition not only for academic success but also for practical and flexible application of knowledge in various real-life situations.
Application strategies
With the exponential growth of online learning, metacognition presents real opportunities to maximize its effectiveness. Some strategies can be put in place to apply metacognitive reflection in elearning.
Regular self-assessment via formative quizzes allows learners to test their understanding and zoom in on areas requiring more attention. By using reflection questions, we can go further and encourage critical thinking. It is possible, for example, to regularly integrate a case study applying recent knowledge.
Let’s imagine learners having discovered the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility. Once the concept is presented, they are asked to advise a fictitious company, “EcoTech”, which develops clean technologies but faces economic and social challenges. Learners are faced with several decisions that EcoTech must make regarding CSR. For each decision, they must choose an option and they discover the immediate consequences of their choice on the pillars of CSR.
After each decision, metacognitive reflection is encouraged. This involves answering a series of questions about why they chose this option and how it is aligned with the principles of CSR: What factors did you consider when making your decision? How does your choice reflect a balance between economic, social and environmental considerations? What are the short and long term implications of your decision for the relevant stakeholders? How could you have improved your decision with more information or resources?
Incorporating dedicated reflection breaks into learning content, inviting learners to stop and reflect on what they have just learned through guided questions, is also particularly educational. So, to help learners organize their thoughts and track their progress, it may be a good idea to encourage them to keep a digital journal to reflect on what they have learned, challenges encountered, and strategies used. It is possible to use self-reflective learning applications that support metacognitive reflection such as Evernote, Reflectly, Notion, Quizlet, MindMeister, Google Keep, or Socrative.
This reflection can also be done via reflective videos or recordings. Learners are then invited to orally express their learning process and the strategies they find effective.
Finally, another powerful strategy is self-generated feedback which involves encouraging learners to ask themselves critical questions about their understanding and actively seeking answers through additional bold resources or by delving deeper into difficult topics. To illustrate this strategy, let’s imagine self-generated feedback in a python programming course. Before beginning the module, learners complete a quick quiz to assess their prior knowledge. They receive results immediately with explanations for each answer, allowing them to understand their gaps before they even begin. The course continues with a series of videos. After each video lesson, learners are asked to write down in a digital journal what they understood, areas of confusion, and how they plan to use this new knowledge Learners then work on programming exercises, then self-evaluate their code based on criteria given by the trainer such as cleanliness of the code, efficiency and correct use of the concepts learned. Self-generated feedback: By comparing their work to the criteria, learners specifically identify where they excel and where they need to improve. After self-assessing themselves, they receive a “research mission” which consists of finding additional information to resolve code problems that they were unable to correct on their own. At the end of the module, learners answer metacognitive thinking questions, such as “How has your information search strategy influenced your learning?”, “What obstacles did you encounter while searching and how did you overcome them?”, “How can you apply information search strategies?” ‘learning that you have developed in this module to new topics or challenges?’.
In conclusion
Metacognitive thinking is an essential skill in the educational armamentarium but also a powerful catalyst for deep and lasting learning. Through strategies such as self-assessment, use of digital journals, implementation of reflective breaks, employment of self-reflective apps, and self-generated feedback, trainers can effectively equip learners with the necessary tools to navigate the complex landscape of information and knowledge.
The incorporation of these practices into elearning shows that technology is not only a means of disseminating information but can also be a partner in the development of critical thinking and self-reflection. By encouraging learners to actively engage with the learning material, reflect on their own understanding, and independently seek avenues for improvement, e-learning transcends its perceived limitations and reveals its full potential by providing a rich and transformative learning experience.
