Metacognition

Metacognition is being contextually aware of oneself during the learning process. It is often described as, "thinking about thinking". One aspect of metacognition is being able to recognize and distinguish between things you understand and things you do not understand. Further, metacognition asks questions like:

• "What went wrong initially?"
• "Who can I ask about this?"
• "Why don't I understand this?"
• "What questions do I need to ask to lead me to the right answer?"
• "How can I formulate these questions such that my search is fruitful?"

Once you can identify the gaps in your knowledge, you're one step further to filling in those gaps.

Metacognition & Online Discussions

Insights from (Akyol & Garrison, 2011) explore how metacognition manifests in online discussions and within the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework. In this context, metacognition is not just an internal process but a socially situated activity that happens through interaction with peers and instructors.

Metacognition in online learning consists of three interdependent dimensions:

• Knowledge of Cognition: Awareness of one's own learning processes, strengths, and gaps in understanding.
• Monitoring of Cognition: Reflecting on the learning process, assessing task difficulty, and recognizing comprehension issues.
• Regulation of Cognition: Actively managing learning through goal setting, questioning, and adjusting strategies to improve understanding.

Metacognition & the Community of Inquiry

Metacognition plays a key role in cognitive presence within CoI. It enables learners to monitor and regulate their thinking as they engage in reflective discourse. Teaching presence also facilitates metacognitive growth by guiding discussions, prompting self-reflection, and encouraging students to take control of their inquiry process.

Research shows that students develop metacognitive maturity over time in online discussions. Initially, they focus more on knowledge of cognition, but as they progress, monitoring and regulation increase, leading to deeper learning and self-directed inquiry.

Relevance

• Self-Regulated Learning: Understanding and practicing metacognition enhances learners' ability to plan, monitor, and adjust their learning strategies.
• Online Discussions & Feedback: Structured discussions in online courses should prompt metacognitive engagement by encouraging reflection, questioning, and strategy adaptation. However, in practice, I have found that making my students write in forums is like pulling teeth. I would instead like to explore a tool like Perusall.
• Instructional Design: Designing online and blended learning environments should integrate metacognitive scaffolds (e.g., guided reflection prompts, peer review mechanisms) to foster deeper engagement and critical thinking.