**6. Academic achievement and metacognition**

Metacognition effects on the academic accomplishment of learners have been discovered, which is why metacognition is the topic of numerous studies [37–42]. Cognition and metacognition were identified as crucial variables for efficient

learning [43]. Students' academic progress has been influenced by their metacognition since learning is an easier and less arduous process for them; they utilize strategies smartly and learn through big thinking [44]. Researchers [45–47] have constructed models and taxonomies for describing metacognition [48, 49]. Flavell [29] classified cognition monitoring into four components: (i) metacognitive information, (ii) metacognitive experiences, (iii) aims or tasks, and (iv) actions or tactics.

In the literature, knowledge about cognition and cognition regulation are also two domains of metacognition [34, 50]. Kuhn [45] further categorizes knowing as metacognitive and meta-strategically knowing. The components that are grouped include metacognitive knowledge, metacognitive judgments, monitoring, control, and regulation of cognition [30]. The Metacognitive Awareness Inventory is divided into three categories for measuring metacognition: metacognitive knowledge, metacognitive abilities, and metacognitive attitude. These dimensions are also available in the inventories as sub-dimensions.

### **7. Metacognition development over time**

Metacognition develops over time; through experiences, one replaces inefficient mental techniques with optimum cognitive methods [45]. Many researchers believe that metacognitive abilities are polished, improve, and evolve with an increase in age [21, 51]. Metacognitive development progresses as follows: the knowledge component occurs first, children as young as six years old are aware and capable of reflecting on their mental processes, and these skills are used by the age of eight to ten. Following that is the regulation of mental processes, which can be seen in the form of planning in children aged ten to fourteen. Two remaining steps (monitoring and assessment) were established gradually and remained unfinished until adolescence.

According to Schneider and Locki [21], there is a link between metacognition development and declarative meta-memory development, and the first evidence is children's knowledge of mental verbs such as "remember," "think" terms are familiar to pre-schoolers but they have limited memory. Four-year-old children can use and explain mental processes through memory verbs. Before six years of age, children believe that performance is more closely related to effort than it is, and they overestimate the performance of their memory. Between the ages of six and eleven, children gain an understanding of procedural meta-memory. Task features and the application of techniques are considered key tools by children aged 9–10 years to make remembering easier. Students aged 12 years gain the capacity to efficiently govern themselves; they can plan their time and attention, and comprehend the effectiveness of tactics. Although age does not a significant role in general metacognition, it does not improve with age. Sperling et al. [52] created and administered a self-report test to assess general metacognitive knowledge and regulation in youngsters.

### **8. Academic achievement**

Academic achievement is a wide term that refers to the amount to which a person has achieved specific goals. Indicators are used to quantify academic performance and define academic achievements. Mostly, general indicators such as procedural and declarative knowledge are gained. Curriculum-based criteria include grades and educational degrees. Academic accomplishment, as evaluated by the GPA (grade

point average), is used for a variety of purposes. In the study [2], cumulative GPA was utilized to assess students' academic achievements. In a brief summary of academic achievements, many views for individuals and society, as well as psychological and educational studies, have been highlighted. Academic successes determine whether or not a person can pursue higher education, and degrees obtained through academic achievements can also influence one's professional future following education [53]. According to Woolfolk [44], textbooks on the determinants and measurement of academic achievement have contributed theoretical and empirical knowledge. Individual, home, and scholastic factors of academic accomplishment were identified by Hattie [54]. Individual correlates of university students' performance, according to Richardson et al. [55].

### **9. Discussion**

This chapter on metacognition discusses the transformation of academic and social life through metacognition by introducing, defining, and explaining the components of metacognition. Metacognition was introduced by Flavell [56]. He did research on the metamemory of children and updated the literature of education psychology with a new concept of metacognition. Metacognition has a great impact on the academic achievements of the students of English literature [1]. The same is found by other researchers as well [38, 52, 57, 58].

Metacognition had a strong and good impact on children's reading awareness and comprehension. Independent language learning necessitated the acquisition of metacognitive knowledge [59]. Building learners' autonomy at various phases of language learning is vital for improving their good points in second language learning and controlling their weak points in activities. Ayaz et al., [2] conducted a research study in Pakistan on awareness of metacognition and its effects on students' academic achievements in English and Mathematics subjects at Abdul Wali Khan University of Pakistan because these both subjects are effective for conducting this study [60–63]. Metacognition is an innovative, effective, and interesting term in Education to be acknowledged and implemented. Our study was conducted on students of the Mathematics and English departments through multistage stratified random sampling. Data was collected through a metacognitive awareness inventory [34, 52] and self-structured objective-type tests. CGPA/GPA of the students was considered academic achievement of the students. Both the factors of the students mentioned earlier were linked. Findings of the study showed a significant effect of metacognition on the academic achievement of English subject students. Similar results were found in other studies [38, 52, 57, 58]. The results also showed an insignificant association between MAI and gender in both Department of English and Department of Mathematics. Ayaz et al. [2] conducted an action research consisting of four cycles to improve the classroom learning environment through the use of metacognitive strategies in classrooms. The findings of this study showed improvement in students' learning and classroom environment. The confidence and interest of students were developed.

In the early 1980s, scientists became interested in the notion of metacognition in order to increase student's abilities to solve problems in mathematics. At the time, studies elicited that challenges are found mostly in mathematics classrooms to develop student's problem-solving skills. The concept of metacognition was thought to be advantageous in such a case. For example, awareness of one's cognitive processes involved in problem-solving and the skill of self-monitoring and self-regulation

play a significant part in resolving the obstacles found in the solution of problems. Metacognitive rather than cognitive study of mathematics ability is preferred. They came to the conclusion that both metacognitive self-regulation and metacognitive knowledge are important for best mathematical performance.

Students with metacognitively skills outperformed in solving mathematical problems, and their mathematics anxiety was alleviated [64].

Kramarski and Mevarech [64] conducted a study on 384 students to elucidate the effects of awareness of metacognition on mathematical reasoning.

Finally, understanding and applying metacognition would reduce individual disparities in learning, and correct metacognitive tactics employed by teachers and students could have a major impact on students' academic progress.

### **10. Conclusion**

"Thinking about thinking" requires a multidimensional set of skills called metacognition. It is divided into two sections: metacognitive knowledge and self-regulation. The knowledge component of metacognition is critical. It can be defined as knowledge or awareness of oneself as a learner and understanding of those aspects that affect learner performance (declarative), strategy knowledge (procedural), and implementation of techniques when and why appropriate (conditional). Self-regulation of one's own cognition is a component of metacognitive. It consists of three tasks: planning, monitoring, and evaluating. The establishment of self-regulation components has improved and developed metacognitive understanding. Knowledge about cognition, in turn, serves as a facilitator for cognition regulation. Metacognitive theories (formal and informal frameworks) organize and express information about beliefs, and these theories, regulation, and knowledge components are empirically related. In short, metacognition and its components development are not only important for learning but also improve the classroom learning environment. Metacognition helps in understanding of learning process and polishing the cognitive abilities of the learners. It not only gives awareness of the potentialities but also gives knowledge of how to utilize these potentialities for best learning. In short, metacognition can transform learners and the learning environment effectively.

This chapter recommends research studies on metacognition that discuss awareness and application of metacognition in education as it enables the learners to think big. Moreover, in order to meet the student's needs for metacognitive support in learning, this chapter also recommends an interdisciplinary course on educational psychology at different levels of Education.

### **Acknowledgements**

I am thankful to Dr. Amjid Reba, Dr. Amir Zaman (Late), Dr. Syed Uzair Ali Shah, Dr. Abdul Ghaffar and Dr. Idrees (Chairperson of Education Department) for their intellectual guidance and support. They played an important role in my academic journey. They taught me great lessons of hard work, positivity, and never ever give up.

*Transformation through Metacognition DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.113947*
