**2. Institutional metacognition as a strategy for the promotion of individual and organizational learning**

We can consider learning as one of the relevant processes in the current educational policies; however, it is still a phenomenon little understood and therefore perhaps underused, due to which it presents itself as a complex and dynamic concept but insists on being treated as a rigid and simplistic concept [1, 9]. Since the 1970s, learning has been considered a process of thinking which allows us to use reasoning in an effective manner; for this the use of cognitive strategies to learn effectively and meaningfully is not enough, but reflective strategies that evaluate the same process of using those strategies to learn, that is, metacognition, also should be used.

The metacognition is defined as a set of knowledge generated by the individual, both the knowledge they achieve and the way in which they carry out an activity [10]; it is relevant to decision-making and the evaluation of the results of this, which turns the metacognitive process into a tool so that people learn better, expressing themselves in individual, group, and organizational situations. In this sense, the IM is an evaluative methodology, of a reflective and participatory character, in an educational community, to face the difficulties present in the institution and to evaluate their effects, applying techniques that generate a conscious, dialogic, and collaborative learning in the educational organizations [6, 8].

On the one hand, it can be used as a strategy to evaluate the academic development of the students, as well as the teaching methodologies of the teachers, which allows generating improvement plans to remedy difficulties that arise in these areas. On the other hand, it can be used as a diagnostic mechanism for the school coexistence, determining the existence of poorly resolved situations of conflict, as well as teaching the culture of peace, necessary for the good life of the members of the educational community [5, 6].

Furthermore, the IM is a tool that can orient the organizational development, based on the promotion and evaluation of collaborative processes in the educational management This permits, on the one hand, fostering collaborative work between teachers and professionals of the institution and, on the other, generating a process of evaluation that is reflective and oriented toward action that permits improvement of the difficulties found.

#### **2.1. Metacognition and learning in community**

implementation of social policies, etc. This, thus, leads to a complex conception of what education implies, which implies not only generating effective and significant learning but also effectively integrating the influence of factors related with the social interaction and of socio-

Therefore, the importance of the individual learning, at a social and organizational level, should be considered for the development of the educational institution, for the strengthening of the organizational culture and the learning goals in students [2, 3], and for the implementation of educational inclusion processes and complete formative development of people [4]. While these different levels of learning that occur in the school (individual level and organizational level) are usually worked separately, obeying different logics, it is possible to generate

One of these processes is called institutional metacognition (IM) originally discussed by [5], as a reflection and dialog process to deal with situations of conflict; however, it can be posed as an innovative methodology to elicit and evaluate processes of improvement and change, at

This methodology has consequences on the learning and organizational culture and is relevant to the field of educational management, since it implies the need to build a new vision of the school as an organization that not only teaches but also learns and, thus, contributes a participatory methodology to the actual social needs that currently stand out in educational

In this way, the student learning in the community, the operation of the school organization, the processes of school coexistence and the procedures for education inclusion can be understood as processes of change that require systems of participatory and reflective information management that can lead to a more effective and democratic development of the educational institution. It is therefore a relevant factor for the educational management and can be established as a systemic process of diagnosis and intervention to generate organizational change. This thus allows IM to be understood as a mechanism for continuous improvement of school

In this chapter, an analysis of the different levels of learning and how they benefit from the metacognition process will be presented; likewise how the institutional metacognition is a methodology for the learning of the organization itself, as well as a mechanism of organizational change, considering it as an adaptive tool of the educational institution. Finally, it will be shown how the IM supports the educational management, so that it can be used by school

We can consider learning as one of the relevant processes in the current educational policies; however, it is still a phenomenon little understood and therefore perhaps underused, due to

managers within the perspective of the organizational improvement cycle.

**individual and organizational learning**

**2. Institutional metacognition as a strategy for the promotion of** 

political factors related with the classroom and the school [1].

4 Open and Equal Access for Learning in School Management

both the individual level and institutional level [6].

organizations [7, 8].

management [8].

them in an articulated way, through collaborative and reflective processes.

Knowledge and the metacognitive strategies help in the learning process, allowing it to be achieved effectively; this implies not only a dimension of knowledge but also a dimension of regulation over the decisions made by the person [10, 11], which becomes especially relevant to the learning process. The ability to self-regulate is important for the achievement of better learning [12], providing the student a tool for reflection on their specific knowledge. All this will allow them to guide their own formation with better results [13].

Working the metacognition processes with the students, helping them to become conscious of their knowledge and of their conceptual structures, improves both the involvement with the learning and the methodological and conceptual results. In this sense, the student's metacognitive abilities influence their learning, also serving as indicators of academic performance and problem-solving processes [14, 15].

The development of metacognition achieves, in this sense, profound and meaningful learning, since the ability to know one's own knowledge and to determine how it is achieved is related to the ability to recognize and memorize relevant information [16] and to understand and apply it, for this reason it is argued that there would be a strong relationship between metacognition, profound learning, and self-regulation [17, 18].

In this area, the IM can be used as a tool both for the students, who can support them in their group course to assess the relevance and functionality of collaboration in their collaborative/ cooperative learning processes, and for teachers, who can use this tool to achieve professional learning based on the development of collaborative work teams in which they can improve their teaching practices [28]. In relation to the latter, IM is also useful in overcoming the difficulties that are present among teachers in assessing collaborative work and putting it into practice, since some teachers discredit the need to work collaboratively for biased reasons or

Institutional Metacognition as an Improvement Tool for Educational Management

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7

The traditional perspective of educational management sets that the achievement of the institution's objectives is reached through a series of standardized procedures that oblige one to respond in a univocal and homogenous manner and in the majority of cases "blind" to changing situations of the environment [30]. Contrary to this, decades ago, a perspective, called strategic, was implemented in the administrative and educational management processes that has considered that the response of the institution should be based on safe but flexible, reasoned and reflective procedures that allow for the minimization of negative consequences but give a more pertinent response to the dynamic environments of the institutions, and in this

This ability to achieve a guided and planned change that allows for the adaptation of the organization's members is one of the greatest objectives of organizational learning, bringing as benefits the ability to face the processes of change in an efficient manner and to identify the effective aspects to maintain them [6]. It can be understood also as a set of accumulated knowledge by people that the organization is composed of, synergistically organized to foster innovation in the organization [32]. Thus, an institution learns in an effective manner by allowing support to achieve a significant and transcendent change in its patterns and actions

As it is noted [34], the metacognition could serve as a tool to promote the organizational improvement through training based on metacognitive reflection and to allow bringing the members of the organization to a state of high consciousness of their actions and needs. The reflective collaborative work would demonstrate the various benefits, on the one hand, to allow organizing responsibilities in a clear and balanced form, increasing the achievement of the metacognitive processes of the individuals, and, on the other hand, to encourage development of support strategies between the group and community members, through the identification of limitations in the development tasks and coordination of efforts, increasing the

On the other hand, it is discussed [36] that the concept of organization metacognition refers to the knowledge that the members of the institution should have about the networks of the existing knowledge in the same, noting that, many times, the institutions are not able to realize what they do not know with respect to their own institutional process. In this way, the metacognition is a process related to the management of knowledge, in which the organization generates learning starting from the pertinent and effective information that is used. The

for lack of knowledge [29].

**2.2. Metacognition and organizational learning**

the process of metacognition is fundamental [31].

achievement of goals and of motivation [35].

in response to the dynamic needs of its educational community [33].

Applying IM in processes of evaluation of learning by the teachers with the students can help generate knowledge of the positive and negative aspects of learning assessments and lead to a search for actions that can enhance them.

On the other hand, the constructivist and sociocultural vision of teaching and learning conceptualize the latter as a process of construction of meanings, as well as of attribution of meaning to contents and tasks; although this is done individually in educational processes, under certain conditions, collaborative work between students allows for the implementation of inter-psychological processes of knowledge construction that favors the meaning of learning and the attribution of meaning to it, which would form a type of learning called collaborative, as opposed to individual [19].

Collaborative work is one of the fundamental pillars of education and community life, since social participation and democracy are fundamental values of the modern societies; furthermore, it is crucial for the achievement of quality learning that permits the establishment, through dialog, of a construction of profound and meaningful learning, finding higher abilities of learning and abilities of metacognition than when developed in individual work [20–24]. The dialog and discussion processes between people allow us to consider thinking as a social construction, which must include participation and dynamic and interactive collaboration [22]. In this way, the importance of collaborative interaction and learning for the development of learning processes is evident, not only in terms of cognitive achievement but also metacognitive achievement.

The proposal of collaborative learning (sometimes called cooperative), based on the proposals of Johnson and Johnson, as well as Kagan and Slavin [24, 25], points out the importance of generating a process of integrating the work of different students toward a common learning goal. Although it is expressed from [20] that there are differences of meaning and organization between what is denominated as cooperative learning and collaborative learning, other authors suggest that there are different nuances of a similar process, oriented to valuing the conscious and motivating union of the students for a better learning [26]. As it is not the subject of this chapter to delve into these distinctions, it is valued that cooperative and collaborative work generates learning situations that foster the development of metacognition and critical thinking, which emphasizes the importance of interaction and communication for the development of thinking skills and regulation of tasks.

Learning is especially effective when it is done by sharing with others, like say Marqués [27]; the group builds their learning creating collaborative cultures in which contents and meanings are shared. Encouraging cultures of collaboration and collective agency involves continually learning at multiple levels, which gives it an undeniable weight in professional teacher development [27].

In this way, the institutional metacognition can be a relevant factor as part of the evaluation that requires self-regulation of the team, principally based on the positive interdependence and co-responsibility characteristics that are indicated as those that must be present in this culture of collaboration for learning [25].

In this area, the IM can be used as a tool both for the students, who can support them in their group course to assess the relevance and functionality of collaboration in their collaborative/ cooperative learning processes, and for teachers, who can use this tool to achieve professional learning based on the development of collaborative work teams in which they can improve their teaching practices [28]. In relation to the latter, IM is also useful in overcoming the difficulties that are present among teachers in assessing collaborative work and putting it into practice, since some teachers discredit the need to work collaboratively for biased reasons or for lack of knowledge [29].

#### **2.2. Metacognition and organizational learning**

and apply it, for this reason it is argued that there would be a strong relationship between

Applying IM in processes of evaluation of learning by the teachers with the students can help generate knowledge of the positive and negative aspects of learning assessments and lead to

On the other hand, the constructivist and sociocultural vision of teaching and learning conceptualize the latter as a process of construction of meanings, as well as of attribution of meaning to contents and tasks; although this is done individually in educational processes, under certain conditions, collaborative work between students allows for the implementation of inter-psychological processes of knowledge construction that favors the meaning of learning and the attribution of meaning to it, which would form a type of learning called collaborative,

Collaborative work is one of the fundamental pillars of education and community life, since social participation and democracy are fundamental values of the modern societies; furthermore, it is crucial for the achievement of quality learning that permits the establishment, through dialog, of a construction of profound and meaningful learning, finding higher abilities of learning and abilities of metacognition than when developed in individual work [20–24]. The dialog and discussion processes between people allow us to consider thinking as a social construction, which must include participation and dynamic and interactive collaboration [22]. In this way, the importance of collaborative interaction and learning for the development of learning processes is evident, not only in terms of cognitive achievement but also metacognitive achievement.

The proposal of collaborative learning (sometimes called cooperative), based on the proposals of Johnson and Johnson, as well as Kagan and Slavin [24, 25], points out the importance of generating a process of integrating the work of different students toward a common learning goal. Although it is expressed from [20] that there are differences of meaning and organization between what is denominated as cooperative learning and collaborative learning, other authors suggest that there are different nuances of a similar process, oriented to valuing the conscious and motivating union of the students for a better learning [26]. As it is not the subject of this chapter to delve into these distinctions, it is valued that cooperative and collaborative work generates learning situations that foster the development of metacognition and critical thinking, which emphasizes the importance of interaction and communication for the

Learning is especially effective when it is done by sharing with others, like say Marqués [27]; the group builds their learning creating collaborative cultures in which contents and meanings are shared. Encouraging cultures of collaboration and collective agency involves continually learning at multiple levels, which gives it an undeniable weight in professional teacher

In this way, the institutional metacognition can be a relevant factor as part of the evaluation that requires self-regulation of the team, principally based on the positive interdependence and co-responsibility characteristics that are indicated as those that must be present in this

metacognition, profound learning, and self-regulation [17, 18].

a search for actions that can enhance them.

6 Open and Equal Access for Learning in School Management

development of thinking skills and regulation of tasks.

culture of collaboration for learning [25].

development [27].

as opposed to individual [19].

The traditional perspective of educational management sets that the achievement of the institution's objectives is reached through a series of standardized procedures that oblige one to respond in a univocal and homogenous manner and in the majority of cases "blind" to changing situations of the environment [30]. Contrary to this, decades ago, a perspective, called strategic, was implemented in the administrative and educational management processes that has considered that the response of the institution should be based on safe but flexible, reasoned and reflective procedures that allow for the minimization of negative consequences but give a more pertinent response to the dynamic environments of the institutions, and in this the process of metacognition is fundamental [31].

This ability to achieve a guided and planned change that allows for the adaptation of the organization's members is one of the greatest objectives of organizational learning, bringing as benefits the ability to face the processes of change in an efficient manner and to identify the effective aspects to maintain them [6]. It can be understood also as a set of accumulated knowledge by people that the organization is composed of, synergistically organized to foster innovation in the organization [32]. Thus, an institution learns in an effective manner by allowing support to achieve a significant and transcendent change in its patterns and actions in response to the dynamic needs of its educational community [33].

As it is noted [34], the metacognition could serve as a tool to promote the organizational improvement through training based on metacognitive reflection and to allow bringing the members of the organization to a state of high consciousness of their actions and needs. The reflective collaborative work would demonstrate the various benefits, on the one hand, to allow organizing responsibilities in a clear and balanced form, increasing the achievement of the metacognitive processes of the individuals, and, on the other hand, to encourage development of support strategies between the group and community members, through the identification of limitations in the development tasks and coordination of efforts, increasing the achievement of goals and of motivation [35].

On the other hand, it is discussed [36] that the concept of organization metacognition refers to the knowledge that the members of the institution should have about the networks of the existing knowledge in the same, noting that, many times, the institutions are not able to realize what they do not know with respect to their own institutional process. In this way, the metacognition is a process related to the management of knowledge, in which the organization generates learning starting from the pertinent and effective information that is used. The management of knowledge uses the information produced by the members of the organization, converting the said information into an active capital that permits decision-making and the resolution of problems [4].

and improvement of metacognitive knowledge in the educational institution. At the same time, the knowledge seems to facilitate the ability to regulate cognition. The two are empirically related and can be integrated in the form of metacognitive theories, as representational

Institutional Metacognition as an Improvement Tool for Educational Management

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The construction of an educational project or institutional development project implies necessarily the active fostering of a series of attributes in the educational community that implies the self-exploration and critical analysis of the school. The institutional metacognition understood as a shared cognitive act is extremely important in the understanding of the progressive complexity that the institutional management has acquired in the educational establishments. This is especially relevant if we view this process of educational development from the critical perspective, in which the study of the correspondence of the actions with transcendental

The metacognition is an attribute that involves cognitive aspects as well as interpersonal, that is, to the person and their social environment, being necessary to establish effective interactive guidelines both for the community within the educational establishment and for its link with the external environment. It is a process of systemic approach in terms of its purpose to rescue

This ability of institutional self-consciousness must sustain itself, furthermore, in a participatory dialog that permits cooperative exchange of information about the critical topics of development of the institution. The cooperation between people from this perspective of the situated cognition sets that the aspects of human cognition are inherent to the work contexts

From a situational strategic logic, it is recommendable to enhance the self-consciousness in management of educational institutions. In this sense, the formulation of plans and associated projects implies commitments of action that emerge from a particular view at what the

As [27] point out, the learning potential "is maximized in contact with others, which makes it necessary to be nourished by reflective processes that return cyclically to the practice (…) It is also essential not to restrict the knowledge of traditional processes of inquiry, but to promote knowledge that arises from the experience of subjects as the central axis of their history" (p.7). In this sense, the educational change must necessarily imply a cognitive change, in the way that we must inquire about the development of our educational institution [45]. The vigilance and analysis about this school learning potential imply an inquiry and reflection of diverse aspects; which we want to improve our particular forms of conflict processing

Also, according to [46], there are subprocesses associated with organizational learning that are worth mentioning in this section. The systematic resolution of problems, experimentation of new approaches, critical memory of past experiences and transfer of knowledge are processes that management must actively and deliberately foster, thus encouraging the reflective

frameworks of knowledge, in this case institutional.

principle and values becomes relevant [43].

in which various people participate [44].

[6] and organizational learning [8].

and conscious action of the institution.

the visions of all the members of the educational community [6].

institution does, from a proactive and transformational direction.

The IM is a relevant factor for the organizational learning, being that it promotes conscious and shared processes of knowledge between the members of the educational community and necessarily relates to the management of the knowledge, given that it allows determining information that can orient the processes of organizational change and clarifying unknown aspects of the functioning of the organization to strengthen its effectiveness.
