**3. Metacognition and self-regulated learning**

Metacognition is defined as "thinking about thinking" or "awareness and management of one's own thoughts." This encompasses two main components: knowledge about cognition and regulation of cognition [13]. This involves an understanding of one's cognitive processes and the ability to control and manage these processes effectively (**Figure 2**). Empirical studies suggest a strong correlation between metacognition and self-regulated learning [14]. Self-regulated learners employ metacognitive strategies to plan, monitor, and evaluate their learning. They are aware of their cognitive strengths and weaknesses, set realistic goals, select appropriate learning strategies, and reflect on their learning outcomes [9].

Recent developments in cognitive neuroscience have provided further insights into the neural basis of metacognition. Studies using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) have revealed that metacognitive tasks activate the prefrontal cortex, a region associated with higher-order cognitive functions such as planning and decision-making [15]. This underscores the critical role of metacognition in selfregulated learning and decision-making processes.

Metacognitive abilities include things like thinking and studying techniques [16]. The capacity to apply such information to control one's learning is known as metacognition [17]. It involves three different types of knowledge:

**Figure 2.** *Different types of metacognition.*

*Perspective Chapter: Metacognitive Strategies – Preparing Self-Regulated Learners… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.114093*


### **4. Metacognitive strategies**

Metacognition refers to the ability to think about and have awareness of one's cognitive processes. Metacognitive strategies are techniques or approaches that learners use to plan, monitor, and evaluate their thinking and learning [21]. So, the common metacognitive strategies include:

Planning: This consists of setting clear goals, identifying appropriate learning strategies, and organizing information. This is the selection of appropriate strategies and the allocation of cognitive resources before the task. It includes asking questions like.

"How much time should I give to this particular task?",

"What are the strategies that I need to use"?

How should I start, and what resources should I gather?"

"What order should I follow while considering the task?"

"What should be skimmed, and what should be paid maximum attention to?

B. Monitoring: This comprises checking understanding during learning activities, identifying areas of confusion, and seeking clarification. Monitoring is the real-time awareness of how a person is doing in the relevant tasks by asking the following questions himself.

"how I am doing?"

"is this making sense"?

"Am I trying to go too fast?"

"Have I studied enough?"

"Do I need to study more and in a different manner?"

Evaluation: This involves making judgments about the processes and outcomes of thinking and learning by assessing performance after completing the task. This includes reflecting on the effectiveness of the strategies employed, checking the progress, and making appropriate adjustments. The questions normally asked are.

"Should I change strategies?

Should I get help?

Should I give up for now or should I continue?" [20].

These strategies make the learners more aware of their thinking processes, enabling them to effectively regulate their learning. By monitoring their understanding and evaluating their learning strategies, they can identify areas of weakness and eventually take steps to improve their learning outcomes.

## **5. How to teach students metacognitive skills to promote their learning abilities?**

The twenty-first century offers learners an ever-changing learning landscape that appears to be rapidly evolving, which demands that students be able to regulate their learning processes. In the context of twenty-first century skills, metacognition plays a pivotal role in critical thinking and problem-solving. By understanding and

regulating their cognitive processes, learners can approach problems more effectively and make informed decisions. Furthermore, metacognition is integral to lifelong learning, a key twenty-first century skill [22–24].

Another crucial area where metacognition plays a significant role is creativity. Successful creativity involves metacognitive skills such as recognizing the novelty and value of one's ideas and being able to persuade others of their worth. Metacognitive strategies can help learners refine their creative process by encouraging them to reflect on their ideas, evaluate their originality and effectiveness, and make necessary adjustments. In a study by Veenman et al. [25], a strong correlation was found between metacognitive skills and creativity amongst students. This finding further underscores the importance of metacognitive strategies in fostering not only selfregulated learning but also creative thinking, a key competency in the twenty-first century learning paradigm.

Metacognitive strategies help learners optimize their learning experiences. By employing techniques such as self-explanation, elaboration, and metacognitive questioning, learners actively engage with the material, improve comprehension, and consolidate knowledge. These strategies also aid in memory, consolidation, and longterm retention of information (**Table 1**).

Metacognition is monitoring and controlling what's in your head, while selfregulation is monitoring and controlling how you interact with your environment. Thus, self-regulated learning is the application of metacognition and self-regulation in learning.


### **Table 1.**

*The following table highlights some of the strategies.*

*Perspective Chapter: Metacognitive Strategies – Preparing Self-Regulated Learners… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.114093*
