About Metacognition and How to Support It
College students are often expected to learn how to learn on their own, without much guidance on how to do that. They may be juggling competing deadlines, unclear academic expectations, and unfamiliar content. Many may struggle not because they lack motivation or ability, but because they haven’t had the chance or space to develop ways of approaching learning that work for them.
Metacognition, or “thinking about thinking,” is a concept introduced by John H. Flavell (1976). It’s the practice of being aware of your own learning process: noticing what you’re doing, identifying what works or not, and making choices about how to move forward. Dr. Saundra McGuire (2018) describes metacognition as “having a big brain outside of your brain watching what your brain is doing.”
Another way to picture metacognition is like using a GPS in a new city. You still have to do the driving, but the GPS helps you check where you are and adjust your route. Without it, you might still get to your destination, but it may involve more stress, backtracking, or missed turns. Metacognition strategies can offer students a way to pause, notice where they are in their learning, and consider next steps – even when the road is still hard.
Instructors can help by offering regular opportunities for students to pause, reflect, and adjust. At the same time, it's important to consider your own instructor workload and capacity! Supporting metacognition doesn’t have to mean adding entirely new assignments or overextending your time. Many strategies are small shifts that can be folded into what you’re doing. Choose what feels doable in your teaching context.
Here are a few ways to begin:
1. Start with Clear Learning Goals
Having a sense of direction clarifies your expectations and can help students recognize what they’re working towards and reflect on how they’re getting there.
- Begin each class or module by sharing the learning goals out loud or in writing. Here are some tips for writing learning objectives.
- Revisit those goals as students work through a task to make the connection between activity and purpose more visible.
- Invite students to ask questions like: What am I trying to learn here? How will I know if I'm getting closer?
- Before a project or reading, ask students to outline how they plan to approach it or what steps they’ll take to stay on track.
2. Offer Space for Planning Before a Task
Students may jump into assignments without time to consider how they’ll approach them. A short planning pause can help surface strategy.
- Before a reading, paper, or project, invite students to jot down how they plan to begin or what steps they’ll try.
- Ask: What’s my first step? What do I already know about how I learn best in this kind of situation?
3. Use Check-ins During Learning
Brief, in-the-moment prompts can help students track their own understanding while learning is still unfolding.
- Start class with a “What do I already know about this?” prompt.
- Use a one-question exit slip like: What’s one thing I understand better now? One thing I’m still unsure about?
- Try a weekly prompt like “What was the muddiest (or most confusing) point for me this week?”
4. Support Reflection Around Major Assignments
High-stakes assignments can sometimes pass by without a moment to reflect on what just happened. A little structure can help students learn from the process.
- Use an “exam wrapper” or short reflection prompt before and after an exam or paper.
- Before: What’s my preparation plan? After: What helped? What would I change next time?
Note: These reflections can be ungraded or included as a small completion-based activity. Stanford’s webpage, Promoting Student Metacognition, offers examples of how to include and grade reflection assignments in ways that are low-stakes, voluntary, yet still meaningful.
5. Help Students Track Their Progress Over Time
Organization tools, such as the ones in our LMS, can support metacognition by helping students see where they are in the course and what’s coming next.
- Point students to Brightspace tools like Checklists or Completion Tracking.
- Break up larger assignments with suggested milestone dates or reminder nudges.
- Encourage students to reflect: What’s coming up? Where do I feel behind or ahead?
6. Model and Support Strategic Thinking
Students may not see the trial-and-error, revision, or uncertainty behind academic work. Making that visible can normalize the process of learning.
“Think aloud” during a demo or example: Here’s how I’d approach this… or If I got stuck, I’d try…
Ask students to share what strategies they used and why, with a partner, in a post, or through a shared class document. Maybe they can use Padlet to share ideas.