Using Metacognition to Effect an Extreme Academic Makeover

Different Strokes for Different Folks

Saundra Y. McGuire, Ph.D.Director, Center for Academic SuccessAdj. Professor, Department of ChemistryLouisiana State University

"The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be ignited." -Plutarch

2004 National College Learning Center AssociationFrank L. Christ Outstanding Learning Center Award 

NCLCA Award

The General Approach

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Providing Data on the Impact of Using Metacognitive Strategies Reflecting on the “gap” Defining metacognition Discussing Levels of Learning

(Bloom’s Taxonomy) Presenting Metacognitive Strategies Discussing Motivational Strategies

Before and After

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Travis, junior psychology student 47, 52, 82, 86

Robert, freshman chemistry student 42, 100, 100, 100Michael, senior pre-med organic student

30, 28, 80, 91Miriam, freshman calculus student

37.5, 83, 93 Charles, junior mathematics major GPA 1.8 cum, 4.0 (S 08)

Class Average Student 1 Student 2 Student 3 Student 4

Test 1 76 65 67 70 83Test 2 52 67 65 46 55Test 3 72 61 68 68 65

Final 78 107 88 88 90

Chemistry 2001

Date of Final Exam: December 14, 2005

Meeting with Student No. 1: December 12, 2005

Meeting with Student Nos. 2 & 4: December 2, 2005

Meeting with Student No. 3: December 8, 2005

The final was worth 100 points with a 10 bonus question.

More Before and After

Al’s Cumulative Exam Record Pursuing Ph.D. in Chemistry

2004 – 2005

9/04 Failed

10/04 Failed

11/04 Failed

12/04 Failed

1/05 Passed

2/05 Failed

3/05 Failed

4/05 Failed

2005 – 2006

10/05 Passed

11/05 Failed

12/05 Passed best in group

1/06 Passed

2/06 Passed

3/06 Failed

4/06 Passed last one!

5/06 N/A

Began work with CAS in October 2005

Presidential Recognition White House Oval Office

November 16, 2007

Reflection

What is the difference between…

studying and learning?

Which is more enjoyable?

Work FunShort-term Long-termHave to… Want to…Difficult EnjoyableWhat Why? How? What if?

Metacognition

The ability to:think about thinkingbe consciously aware of oneself as a problem solverto monitor and control one’s mental processing

Metacognition

Evaluation

Analysis

Application

Comprehension

Knowledge

Synthesis

Making decisions and supporting views; requires understanding of values and judging the validity of ideas or quality of work based on a set of criteria and profound understanding of the discipline. Key Ideas: Judge, Critique, Justify, Recommend, Criticize, Assess, Disprove, Rate, Resolve

Combining information to form a unique product, requires creativity and originality. Key Ideas: Create, new thesis or concept, Design, Hypothesize, Invent, Develop, Compose, Estimate, Theorize, Elaborate, Test Improve, Invent, Originate

Identifying components; determining arrangement, logic, and semantics. Key Ideas: Analyze, Categorize, Compare, Contrast, Separate, Dissect, Simplify, Theme, Motive, Inference

Using information to solve problems; transferring abstract or theoretical ideas to practical situations. Identifying connections and relationships and how they apply. Key Ideas: What if? Use, Compute, Solve, Demonstrate, Apply, Construct, Build, Experiment with, Solve

Restating in your own words; paraphrasing, summarizing, translating. Key Ideas: Why, How, Explain, Summarize, Paraphrase, Describe, Illustrate, Compare, Contrast, Interpret, Classify, Outline, Map, Rephrase, Infer

Memorizing information verbatim, but not necessarily understanding the material. Key Ideas: What, Remember, List, Label, State, Define, Choose, Find, Label, Select, Match

Learning Levels: Bloom’s Taxonomy

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Creating

Evaluating

Analyzing

Applying

Understanding

Remembering

Putting elements together to form a coherent or functional whole; reorganizing elements into a new pattern or structure through generating,planning, or producing.

Making judgments based on criteria and standards through checking and

critiquing.

Carrying out or using a procedure through executing,

or implementing.

Constructing meaning from oral, written, and

graphic messages through interpreting, exemplifying, classifying, summarizing, inferring, comparing, and

explaining.Retrieving, recognizing,

and recalling relevant knowledge from

long-term memory.

Bloom’s Taxonomy

http://www.odu.edu/educ/llschult/blooms_taxonomy.htm

Breaking material into constituent parts,

determining how the parts relate to one another and to an overall structure .

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This pyramid depicts the different levels of thinking we use when learning. Notice how each level builds on the foundation that

precedes it. It is required that we learn the lower levels before we can effectively use the skills above.

Example

~ Bloom’s Levels of Learning ~ Applied to Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Evaluation JudgeJudge whether Goldilocks was good or bad. Defend your opinion.

Synthesis ProposePropose how the story would be different if it were Goldilocks and the Three Fish.

Analysis CompareCompare this story to reality. What events could not really happen.

Application DemonstrateDemonstrate what Goldilocks would use if she came to your house.

Comprehension

ExplainExplain why Goldilocks liked Baby Bear’s chair the best.

Knowledge ListList the items used by Goldilocks while she was in the Bears’ house.

Courtesy of http://www.kyrene.k12.az.us/schools/brisas/sunda/litpack/BloomsCriticalThinking_files/v3_document.htm

How ACCURATE are you? 

Counting Vowels

The Study Cycle (Part I-III)

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Preview

Attend & Participate

Review

10 min

ClassTime

10 min

Intense Study Sessions 20-75 minutes

Weekly Review

II

III

I

A “Work-Out System” for your Brain

(The “Power Hour” )

2 minutes Set a goal for the next 60 minutes

50 minutes Study with ACTION and FOCUS

10 minutes Take a break

5 minutes Review what you have just studied

Now begin your next study session with another goal!

Read your text, highlight, fill in your notes with more detail, create mnemonics, create maps, predict test questions, practice recall…

(Part II)

Work in 2-4 sessions each day. (Make them shorter if necessary)

Intense Study Session

Time and Big Rocks*

The question is this:

What is the “moral of the story” when it comes to time management?

Is this jar full? What if we fill it to the top with small rocks…

would it be full?

What if we fill it to the top with water…would it be full?

What if we fill it to the top with sand…would it be full?

*from Stephen Covey

Semester Calendar

Weekly Planning

Master To Do List

Time Tools

Approaches for Different Groups*

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Underrepresented Minority and Women StudentsMore emphasis on confidence and self-efficacy Added emphasis on higher level learning skills

High Performing Students (including minority students)More emphasis on need to reflect and change

behaviors

Graduate and Professional StudentsEmphasis on higher levels of Bloom’s taxonomy and critical reading and thinking

*Many exceptions to these generalizations!

Final Note Please visit our website at www.cas.lsu.edu

We have on-line workshops and information that teach more effective learning strategies. We wish your students an enjoyable learning journey!

Dr. Saundra McGuire

Resources

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Bruer, John T. , 2000. Schools For Thought: A Science of Learning in the Classroom. MIT Press.

Bransford, J.D., Brown, A.L., Cocking, R.R. (Eds.), 2000. How people learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

Cromley, Jennifer, 2000. Learning to Think, Learning to Learn: What the Science of Thinking and Learning Has to Offer Adult Education. Washington, DC: National Institute for Literacy.

Ellis, David, 2006. Becoming a Master Student*. New York: Houghton-Mifflin.

Taylor, S. (1999). Better learning through better thinking: Developing students’ metacognitive abilities. Journal of College Reading and Learning, 30(1), 34ff. Retrieved November 9, 2002, from Expanded Academic Index ASAP. http://academic.pg.cc.md.us/~wpeirce/MCCCTR/metacognition.htm

Zull, James (2004). The Art of Changing the Brain. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.