Mastering Metacognition: The What, Why, and How
Good article. I would add one more item to the list of important elements of metacognition: awareness of one’s own motivation to study and learn. In school contexts, motivation often comes from outside the learner: tests, grades, encouragement and inspiration from teachers, competition and cooperation with peers. If you want to learn something on your own, though, then it really helps to be able to monitor what motivates you to study and to be able to control those motivations.<p>I work in the field of second-language education. While the motivation provided by teachers and schools is useful, most adults need to dedicate years of study outside the classroom to become really proficient in a second language—especially if it is a foreign language that they do not use in daily life. Probably the biggest reason most people do not become as proficient as they would like in foreign languages is that they are unable to keep themselves motivated enough to continue studying. Better awareness of own’s own motivations can help.