Metacognitive Education: Going beyond critical thinking

Abstract

Metacognition is a matter of having knowledge about cognitive processes and being able to monitor and control these processes. This paper argues that the teaching of critical thinking should be expanded and re-conceptualized as part of a broader program for enhancing metacognition, especially at the university level. Metacognitive competence is necessary for coping with rapid changes in the modern world, and provides the foundation for improving thinking and learning. It is proposed that metacognitive competence includes four components: meta-conceptions, general knowledge about cognitive processes, meta self-knowledge, and self-regulation. The paper examines recent research to show how these components contribute to improvements in thinking and learning. It ends with a discussion of two potential reservations about metacognitive education.