Education: Metacognition

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If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.
Derek Bok

There is nothing more important to the long-term success of a society than the quality of its education. No matter how many natural resources or other endowments a nation has, they cannot compensate for a lack of effective human resources.

Of course, we all know this, and no one objects to a significant amount of society’s resources going to ensure the next generation is prepared to flourish both in meeting their responsibilities and in enjoying their lives.

But where should the resources go? We don’t know what works before the fact, no matter how elegant our theory. In a 2015 study, the What Works Network in the UK investigated carefully what interventions in education make the most difference: Uniform policy – NO. Setting and streaming – NO. Teaching Assistants – NO.1)Learning the Facts About Learning: BBC News. Accessed July 20, 2020. While each of these policies sounds sensible to some people (it does seem common sense that adding a lower cost teaching assistant in the classroom should help), the benefits are not there.

What does make a difference is investing in meta-cognition – teaching learners to be self-aware of their learning process and to recognize what they have not yet mastered. Meta-cognition is also effectively applied to thinking not just about one’s own learning but about one’s thinking and beliefs in areas beyond the learning process. This kind of learning is achieved through a variety of learning activities, some of which must take place outside the traditional classroom.

Science shows that education focused on meta-cognition creates more effective learners who become more autonomous citizens2)See Marilyn Price-Mitchell, “8 Pathways to Every Student’s Success,” at Edutopia, January 7, 2015: 8 Pathways: Edutopia. Accessed July 20, 2020.: it fosters integrity, resourcefulness, creativity, empathy, curiosity and – two of the foundational capabilities required as a part of autonomy – sociability (connection) and resilience3)We would note here, as elsewhere, that resilience is a capability that comes both from within and from one’s social context; although there are insurmountable obstacles to personal resilience for some, it is the responsibility of a nation that supports human dignity to provide the net of resilience that catches even the most vulnerable in this regard..

Finding ways to foster meta-cognition is requisite to becoming a flourishing nation of flourishing individuals because self-awareness and life-long learning are important components of personal autonomy. And personal autonomy is the foundation of flourishing.

Footnotes   [ + ]

1. Learning the Facts About Learning: BBC News. Accessed July 20, 2020.
2. See Marilyn Price-Mitchell, “8 Pathways to Every Student’s Success,” at Edutopia, January 7, 2015: 8 Pathways: Edutopia. Accessed July 20, 2020.
3. We would note here, as elsewhere, that resilience is a capability that comes both from within and from one’s social context; although there are insurmountable obstacles to personal resilience for some, it is the responsibility of a nation that supports human dignity to provide the net of resilience that catches even the most vulnerable in this regard.

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