Research School Network: Metacognition: 5 Blogs from the Research Schools Network

Our newest course on Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning starts in Bradford on the 29^th January. Here are five of our favourite blogs from across the network on this topic, taking inspiration from the EEF’s guidance report on Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning.

The recommendations from the guidance report have particular implications for study and revision, so our first three posts focus on that.

1 Huntington Research School: Metacognition Assisting Revision

Julie Watson, Memory and Metacognition lead at Huntington Research School tackles ​‘the overconfidence effect’ in this post and looks at how we can use ​‘exam wrappers’ with students.

“Students who are highly metacognitive are able to more accurately determine ​‘when they know something’ and when ​‘knowledge and understanding is secure’. This enables them to determine how long they should spend on different topics when revising.”

2 Kingsbridge Research School: Revision Cards – Process not Product

This post from Lorwyn Randall, Director of Kingsbridge Research School, focuses on those revision favourites: flashcards. He looks at how these should be considered a ​‘strategy’ rather than simply a resource, and how the evidence supports their use.

“And so it is on us as teachers to challenge the illusion that creating a beautiful, colour coded card is somehow ​‘job done’ and help our pupils understand the theory behind flashcards as well as their most effective uses.”

3 Sandringham Research School: Graphic Organisers

Sandringham Research School have produced some useful materials to support the ideas from the guidance report. In this post, Karen Roskilly, Sandringham Research School Lead, explains how Graphic Organisers ​“provide a really clear method of supporting students to develop, organise and summarise their learning.” The post is supported with links to sites that further support the use of graphic organisers.

Some posts take the guidance and apply to a subject specific context:

4 Blackpool Research School: Physics Exam on Wednesday? We’ll be ok, we’re Self-regulating Sir!

Assistant Director of Blackpool Research School, Phil Naylor, discusses self-regulated learning and its components of cognition, metacognition and motivation. He shares his opinions based on the available research and shares how this looks in his Science classroom.

“There are studies including ​‘Inquiry, Modeling and metacognition’ (White & Frederickson) that show low prior attainers benefit most from the development of metacognitive skills.”

5 Unity Research School: Developing Metacognitive Strategies in my Teaching of English Language

Amanda Simpkins, Head of English at Samuel Ward Academy shares how they have helped students to think through an approach to English Language reading questions, using a flowchart.

Finally, our own posts on the topic:

Metacognition: It’s Good to Talk

Metacognition in Primary

Structured Reflectio: the Key to Self-Regulation