About Metacognition

by Prof Dr. Bilal Semih Bozdemir

Research studies carried out about metacognition The first studies on metacognition were more descriptive works. In this study attention was focusing on developmental characteristics and data about the memory processes of the memory in children. As descriptive researches shifting to experimental researches (empirical), research studies about information on children's memory and memory processes and the number of varieties has quite increased in parallel to that.

As a rough indicator of the previous statement about that interest in the subject of metacognition, from 1979 to 1995 503 journal articles were written and 169 book chapters were reserved to demonstrate the separation of issues related to the issue of metacognition (Hacker, Dunlosky and Graessner, 1998, p. XIII). A scheme was required to classify the increasingly and more and more complex metacognition literature. To evaluate the work, several classification schemes have been used to analyze and group. Although there are some differences between these classifications, it shows three general categories: 1. Cognitive monitoring 2. Cognitive regulation 3. Cognitive monitoring and regulation 1. Cognitive monitoring: the totality of researches studies carried out about people’s knowledge and thought processes on which information tracks their current status and how much they can observe a certain consistency are grouped under category of "cognitive monitoring". People's ability to follow their own information and information processes is an important issue. In education the learning of "self-control" (self-regulation) is said to have recently become a topic in which educators are more and more interested in.

The key to an effective self-control can be determined by the person himself in trying to be aware of what is known and what is unknown, and on his ability of being consistent. If students are aware of what kind of knowledge they have this can lead to learn to be aware of the status of the information or something unknown to them. Here is an experiment conducted on cognitive monitoring: Hart, made a trial about the “feeling-of-knowing, judgments". First, a series of questions consisting of general knowledge questions were asked to some university students. In this way, students gave incorrect answers to some questions. Then Hart, wants to check whether or not they could find the right answer in a multiple choice questions exam in order to question their judgment. So it will be checked in those students for consistency between jurisdictions with recognition performance (with their awareness of the memory). As a result there were a high correlation between performances of the students their awareness of results.

The same research has been done on younger children as well. As a result, the feeling of knowing the result was found to be less consistent. According to a study conducted on cognitive imaging a- Even kindergarten students can view the information they have in a consistent way. b. The amount of information people keep in their memory is also increasing with age. c. The ratio to follow information in a consistent manner is also increasing with age. d. If memory picture depiction is simple and does not overloads working memory (working memory = short-term memory), it was discovered a very little difference between the pre-school children and the elementary school children. 2. Cognitive regulation: The second category which is the cognitive regulation (regulation) expresses the fact that "in order to cope with changing environmental conditions, people reorganize their thought processes". The first studies on this subject is usually performed on children with mental retardation and educable mental retardation. But recent studies are performed on all children. In these studies, teaching strategies used in different fields of both teaching strategies (transfer) are taught. 3. Cognitive viewing and editing:

Cognitive viewing and editing refers to "people that can view with their own knowledge and ideas to use this information in order to edit later memory processes". 4. The research studies in education related to metacognition: Recently, it is observed that a focus of research in the field of education metacognition as a 4th category in education is taking place. The concept of metacognition entered training/education with a little bit delay. Now scientists’ attention is focused on the theoretical field of laboratory applications that are turned to the class. Borkousk and Muthukrishna (1992) stated that the metacognitive theory "can help teachers who want to create that focus on both flexible and creative strategic learning in the classroom". Paris and Minograd (1990) declared that "students reading, writing, and problem solving can improve their success by learning to be aware of their own thinking". Teachers could increase this awareness in students directly by informing them about effective problem-solving strategies.

They also discussed that the cognitive and motivational characteristics of cognitive thinking can be increased too. This leads to ask the following general questions about studies in the field of education: "Can metacognitive processes facilitate or not learning?"

The answer found to that research question so far is a "yes," as they replied. The following research fields were presented in examining the effects of metacognition: - Verbal Expression of Cognitive Processes - General Problem Solving - Science - Math - Writing - Reading - Dual Language Education - Testing Forecast - Study - Academic Coping - Rehabilitation - Aging and Problem Solving (Metcalfe, 1996, p. 11-20) Metacognitive strategies 1. Merge the new information with previous ones. 2. Selecting strategies of thought 3. Planning the thought processes, doing an evaluation of the monitoring and observation. Strategies to Improve Metacognitive behaviours a) Determining what we know and what we do not know b) Talking about one’s thoughts or ideas c) Keeping a diary of thoughts d) Planning and self-control e) Questioning the thought process f) Self-assessment g) Building a metacognitive environment (Hacker, 1998, pp. 277-304).