How People Learn - Metacognition

    Metacognition is described as the ability for a learner to think about their thinking; the ability to predict their performance; and to be able to monitor their own thought processes. According to current research (Bransford 2009), teachers who utilize metacognitive approaches to learning postively effect a student's ability to transfer to new learning. This is important for novice teachers, since they a more likely to utilize the direct approach to learning more than any other instructional design.  In other words, instead of just telling students, a more effective transfer approach, is to help students become aware of their own learning.