Metacognition
Metacognition is often referred to as active learning. Using metacognition, the student learns to take control of his own learning. He sets goals and monitors his progress along the way. Much attention is given to the process that he uses to gain new knowledge and skills. Assessing for prior knowledge is a form of metacognition; students should receive feedback about their current status in regard to future learning goals. Teachers who encourage metacognition often use peer editing and reciprocal teaching. Initially, the teacher will structure the activities and monitor the feedback, but eventually the students should take more control of the process. Students achieve more when they reflect upon their work and the work of others.
Teachers should pose questions to students such as, "How did you reach that conclusion?" "Which advance organizer works best for you?" "What emotions caused you to react to the story the way you did?" Assessment for learning involves both the student and the teacher in knowing where the student is at the moment, how she got there, and what she needs to do to move forward successfully.
Predicting is also a form of metacognition - the student decides what information she has and she can use it to develop a hypothesis. Teachers should encourage their students to predict by asking questions: "What do you think will happen next and why?" The key to making this work is to allow the students to analyze their predictions at the end of the event. Whether they were correct or mistaken is not as important as the process they used to make the predictions and the reflection that follows.
Transfer
One of the best ways to promote transfer of knowledge to other subjects and to the real world is to present information in multiple contexts: “You have learned how to find the area of a rectangle. How would you decide how much paint is needed to cover the back wall of this classroom?” “How would you decide how much wrapping paper is needed to cover this box?” Another way is to allow students to use “tools of the trade”: This plum bob is what the carpenter uses to align a board properly. What other uses of this device can you think of?” “A doctor uses a stethoscope like this one to listen tot he heart. How do you think it works?”
In order for students to learn to transfer, information should be presented in small chunks followed by some activity that allows the students to internalize it. The processes of acquiring new information and internalizing that information can’t occur at the same time, so practice sessions should follow short periods of input. Students must receive frequent feedback so that misconceptions don’t block future learning. Many teachers who try to rush through the content to get it covered find that they must reteach it the next day because the students didn’t get it the first time. In some cases, they get negative results when they give the test a few days later; by then, it’s too late to go back, so they move on in order to have enough time to cover the next topic.
Students are enriched when they receive periodic feedback about their progress with challenging activities. Teachers who don’t check for prior knowledge don’t know if the planned will be challenging. Students who plod along through class with no ideas how they’re doing aren’t likely to adjust along the way when headed in the wrong direction. One of the best ways to address this issue is through the use of varied assessment techniques.
Teachers often plan for higher level of learning, but assess lower levels, such as knowledge and comprehension. . .The practice on calling on the first hand that goes up raises the concern that if a student is able to respond immediately, then thinking was not required, only recall. In addition, how does calling on the first person challenge the rest of the class? Many students don’t respond because the same one or two students will do it for them, and if not, then the teacher will answer the question herself.
Assessments must challenge students to go beyond the who, what, and where. Teachers should pose questions to the class that require thinking, which requires time to process: “Think about how you would resolve this conflict if you were the president of the company. We will list your ideas on the board after you have had time to reach a conclusion.” “If you have already determined why the chemicals reacted the way they did, predict what would happen if we lowered the temperature.” Changing the conditions is an excellent way for students to be challenged while increasing the likelihood for transfer.
In order for students to learn to transfer, information should be presented in small chunks followed by some activity that allows the students to internalize it. The processes of acquiring new information and internalizing that information can’t occur at the same time, so practice sessions should follow short periods of input. Students must receive frequent feedback so that misconceptions don’t block future learning. Many teachers who try to rush through the content to get it covered find that they must reteach it the next day because the students didn’t get it the first time. In some cases, they get negative results when they give the test a few days later; by then, it’s too late to go back, so they move on in order to have enough time to cover the next topic.
Students are enriched when they receive periodic feedback about their progress with challenging activities. Teachers who don’t check for prior knowledge don’t know if the planned will be challenging. Students who plod along through class with no ideas how they’re doing aren’t likely to adjust along the way when headed in the wrong direction. One of the best ways to address this issue is through the use of varied assessment techniques.
Teachers often plan for higher level of learning, but assess lower levels, such as knowledge and comprehension. . .The practice on calling on the first hand that goes up raises the concern that if a student is able to respond immediately, then thinking was not required, only recall. In addition, how does calling on the first person challenge the rest of the class? Many students don’t respond because the same one or two students will do it for them, and if not, then the teacher will answer the question herself.
Assessments must challenge students to go beyond the who, what, and where. Teachers should pose questions to the class that require thinking, which requires time to process: “Think about how you would resolve this conflict if you were the president of the company. We will list your ideas on the board after you have had time to reach a conclusion.” “If you have already determined why the chemicals reacted the way they did, predict what would happen if we lowered the temperature.” Changing the conditions is an excellent way for students to be challenged while increasing the likelihood for transfer.
Processing and Reflection
Journal writing exercises can help students reflect after new information is presented. (“We have just watched a video clip of pearl Harbor. Take out your journals, and write a short paragraph describing how you feel after seeing what happened.”) Alternatively, students can satisfy their need to talk by reflecting along with their neighbors. “As your partner shows a word on the flash card, tell him what that word means to you. Then switch roles.” The effective teacher realizes that students are social beings and structures time during the class period for them to talk to their classmates in a meaningful manner.
The amount of time needed for reflection depends on the difficulty of the material and the skills of the student. As Jensen (!998) wrote, “Teaching ‘heavy, new’ content to novice learners may require a processing time of 2-5 minutes” (p.47).
A critical ingredient for the successful completion of processing time is choice. Students process in different ways depending on their learning styles and personal preferences. Some may want to draw pictures that capture essential information; others may prefer to create an outline, table, or chart that helps them organize the important details.
Journal writing exercises can help students reflect after new information is presented. (“We have just watched a video clip of pearl Harbor. Take out your journals, and write a short paragraph describing how you feel after seeing what happened.”) Alternatively, students can satisfy their need to talk by reflecting along with their neighbors. “As your partner shows a word on the flash card, tell him what that word means to you. Then switch roles.” The effective teacher realizes that students are social beings and structures time during the class period for them to talk to their classmates in a meaningful manner.
The amount of time needed for reflection depends on the difficulty of the material and the skills of the student. As Jensen (!998) wrote, “Teaching ‘heavy, new’ content to novice learners may require a processing time of 2-5 minutes” (p.47).
A critical ingredient for the successful completion of processing time is choice. Students process in different ways depending on their learning styles and personal preferences. Some may want to draw pictures that capture essential information; others may prefer to create an outline, table, or chart that helps them organize the important details.
Meaning
Teachers can increase the probability that students will draw connections to material by providing choice whenever possible. For instance, a student who dislikes reading novels may prefer to read extensively about skateboards; it’s often not the act of reading that students dislike but rather the topic. This doesn’t mean that students should be exposed only to topics that interest them, but that a mixture of what they want and what they need can produce positive results. The use of current events, family trees, and personal narratives in lessons helps make learning meaningful for students.
Student-to-student conversation is too often discouraged rather than encouraged using certain guidelines. Meaning is added when students talk together to share stories or react to information that has been presented by the teacher. Often, students can help each other learn new information because they share the same perspective. Teachers should never assume that students are using the same lenses that they are using.
Teachers can increase the probability that students will draw connections to material by providing choice whenever possible. For instance, a student who dislikes reading novels may prefer to read extensively about skateboards; it’s often not the act of reading that students dislike but rather the topic. This doesn’t mean that students should be exposed only to topics that interest them, but that a mixture of what they want and what they need can produce positive results. The use of current events, family trees, and personal narratives in lessons helps make learning meaningful for students.
Student-to-student conversation is too often discouraged rather than encouraged using certain guidelines. Meaning is added when students talk together to share stories or react to information that has been presented by the teacher. Often, students can help each other learn new information because they share the same perspective. Teachers should never assume that students are using the same lenses that they are using.
