CRCRTH 655: METACOGNITION

Nina L. Greenwald, Ph.D (Educational Psychologist)

Spring Semester 2013: office hours by appointment

I. Description

The primary goal of education is to stretch the mind, to

increase the ability to keep learning on our own. Central to this is an understanding of the nature and development of our

capacity to think, learn and problem solve effectively, and how

to translate this into life and work.

To accomplish this we need to learn and to practice applying

metacognitive (thinking about thinking) strategies as part of

the process of recognizing that 1) metacognition is essential to

ongoing intellectual development 2) intelligence is dynamic,

opposed to fixed and 3) we can learn, metacognitively, HOW to improve our abilities to think better, across the lifespan.

This course engages students, dynamically, in understanding and

applying fundamental principles and practices of metacognition

to various domains of work and life, including areas of special

interest. Educational psychology, an applied science dedicated

to systematic use of theoretical models to improve teaching,

learning and thinking is a framework for the course, through

which wide-ranging metacognitive approaches are explored, for

example:

• Barrell: Teaching for Thoughtfulness

• DeBono: Lateral Thinking; Six Hats Thinking; PMI assessment

• Gardner: Frames of Mind (Theory of Multiple Intelligences)

• Greenwald: Science in Progress: challenges in problem-based

learning (PBL)

• Guilford: Structure of the Intellect (SOI learning and

assessment)

• Perkins: The Mind’s Best Work

• Piaget: Theory of Cognitive Development

• Sternberg: Triarchic Theory of Intelligence; Successful

Intelligence

• Tishman: The Thinking Classroom

• Thorndike: Association, Connectivity, Transfer of training

• Treffinger: Creative Problem Solving and Thinking Styles

A special guest presentation will be given by Dr. David Martin,

international trainer in cognitive psychologist Reuven

Feuerstein’s Instrumental Enrichment: Cognitive Modifiability,

2006. Feuerstein proposes that all individuals can learn, and

that people who have “learned how to learn” and can

systematically solve problems, are more flexible and adapt more

easily to change. (refer to separate bibliography for this

presentation)

II. Requirements: Participation in class discussions and

exercises, written work and oral presentations, are expected to

demonstrate a high level of integration and reflection.

1. All readings done on time – this permits informed, active

participation in class exercises group and whole class

discussion of readings (15%) –key parts of each class (note:

readings will posted in the CCT wiki site and/ or sent by email)

2. Notebook of the Mind: (metacognitive journaling): weekly

entries that reflect on course content and personal experience

and demonstrate application of metacognitive principles and

practices. The goal is to document the unfolding of your own

metacognitive development throughout the course. It should offer

you a record of the changes in your thinking, actions, and

attitudes as influenced by the readings, class events and

personal experience. (15%) (first part due March 11; second part

due April 29)

3. Read, summarize, and present a review (engage us in creative,

thoughtful discussion!) of a book or three articles from the

bibliography. (You can also present a reading not included on

the bibliography, but please check with me first.) (15%) (due:

March 4)

4. Prepare (written) and present (oral) a metacognitive lesson

to try out with the class. Incorporate class feedback and

include this lesson as part of a professional portfolio. (25%)

(due: April 29 or May 6)

5. Final project: Take creative license! For example, as an

educator you might design a series of lessons focusing on

developing metacognitive skills and strategies through multiple

intelligences. Or, you could document the thinking processes

involved in a short story, piece of music or art you create.

We’ll talk more about this. (30%) (due: May 13)

III. Objectives

• Understand theories of intelligence and cognitive development

• Read/discuss research on metacognitive development

• Apply metacognitive strategies to class discussion, exercises,

and special interests

• Identify/modify one's own mental processes to promote better

thinking and problem solving

• Create and peer-teach model lessons/learning experiences that

promote metacognition

• Learn more about your own metacognitive abilities and expect

surprises in the process!

IV. Class sessions

Jan. 28 What is Metacognition?

• small group exercises and discussion to discover what is meant

by metacognition

• course overview: syllabus, readings, assignments

readings: Feb 4 class

Baker, Linda. Metacognition (education.com) (E-mail)

Costa, A. Mediating the metacognitive, (in Developing Minds, ASCD

3rd Edit, 2001 (wiki site)

Fogarty, Robin. Our changing perspective of intelligence: master

architects of the intellect (in Costa: Developing Minds, 3rd

edition, 2001, 144-149. (E-xmail)

Flavell, John. Metacognition theory (email) Schraw, Gregory. Promoting general metacognitive awareness.

Instructional Science 26:

113–125. (E-mail) Sternberg, R.J. & O’Hara L.A. Creativity and intelligence (in

Handbook, 1999) (wiki site)

Sternberg, R. The three keys to successful intelligence,

Successful Intelligence, 1996,

124-154. (E-mail)

Feb 4 What is intelligence?

• dynamic (vs. fixed) intelligence

• promoting and inhibiting intelligence: becoming smarter – or

not!

• early vs. contemporary theories of intelligence (overlaps;

differences)

• intelligence and thinking effectiveness - how related?

• key findings on the creativity/intelligence relationship • small group exercises: contemporary theories of intelligence

in practice

readings: Feb 11 class

Bailin, Sharon. Critical and creative thinking, Informal Logic,

University of Manitoba Vol. IX.1, Winter 1987. (E-mail)

Hartman, Hope & Sternberg, R. A broad BACEIS for improving

thinking. Instructional Science 21: 401-425. Kluwer Academic

Publishers, Dordrecht Netherlands, 1993. (wiki site)

Maripodi, J. Critical thinking and creativity: An overview and

comparison of the theories (Paper Presented in Partial

Fulfillment Of the Requirements of ED7590 Critical Thinking and

Adult Education, ), December 2003. (E-mail)

Tishman, S. The Thinking Classroom, Allyn and Bacon, 1995. 65-

70; 73-93; 97-104; 105-121 (wiki site)

Feb. 11 Critical and Creative Thinking and Metacognition

• CCT – the mind’s best work; the interdependent relationship of

CCT

• identifying kinds of critical thinking for a given task:

application and evaluation

• cultivating strategic spirit and mental management

• critical thinking: creative thinking aspects (and vice-versa)

• small group exercises: strategic spirit and mental management

readings: Feb. 25 class

Cunliffe, L. Using assessment in knowledge-rich forms of

learning and creativity to nurture self-regulated strategic

intelligence. University of Exeter, 2007. (E-mail)

DeBono, E. Six Thinking Hats (E-mail)

Eberle, R. SCAMPER (E-mail)

Hartman, H. Developing students’ metacognitive knowledge and

skills, Instructional Science, Kluwer Academic publishers,

Netherlands, 1999. (wiki site)

Nickerson, R. Enhancing creativity, Handbook of Creativity,

1999. (wiki site)

Feb 18 President’s day (no class)

Feb 25 Critical and Creative Thinking and Metacognition

• small group exercises: innovative and inventive thinking

readings: March 4

Dunlosky, J. and Metcalfe, J. Childhood development (in

Metacognition, Sage, 2009, p. 235-263) (E-mail)

March 4 Childhood Development and Metacognition

• thinking, back in time (examples of your own early

metacognitive development)

• implications of early developmental research on metacognition

for teaching and learning

readings: March 11: please choose a minimum of TWO readings from

the special bibliography for Dr. Martin’s presentation

March 11 Feuerstein Model of Instrumental Enrichment

Dr. David Martin engages us in learning strategic components

comprising this ground-breaking model of cognitive development.

Metacognition is a critical aspect in which the learner is led

to consciously reflect on mental processes being used to solve

problems.

Spring Break (March 17- March 24)

readings for Mar 25 - April 1

White, B. and Frederiksen, J.R. Inquiry, modeling, and

metacognition: Making Science accessible to all students.

Cognition and Instruction, Vol. 16, No. 1 (1998), 3-118. (email)

Gallagher, S. Problem-based learning (E-mail)

Greenwald, N. Science in Progress: Challenges in Problem-Based

Learning Based on Conversations with Six Leading Biomedical

Researchers, PA. Society for Biomedical Research, 1999. (E-mail)

March 25 and April 1 Problem-Based Learning (PBL):

Metacognitive Jxourney

PBL is a powerful learning process that simultaneously develops

problem solving strategies and disciplinary knowledge bases and

skills by placing students in the active role of problem solvers

confronted with an ill-structured real world problem. This

robust CCT process is shaped and directed by students with the

instructor as metacognitive coach. Students, not the instructor,

take primary responsibility for what is learned and how. In two

class sessions, students practice aspects of PBL, using a model

developed by Nina Greenwald, to tackle a real world messy

problem. In the process, students are led to consciously to

reflect on mental processes being used to identify and solve

problems.

readings, April 8-15

Greenwald, N. Creative problem solving: A means and goals

perspective. Beyond Divergent Thinking: Another Facet of

Creativity, 1981.

Puccio, J. Creative Leadership. Ph.D. International Center for

Studies in Creativity Buffalo State - State Unversity of New

York. (email)

Stevens, V. Imagination, creativity, empathy and metacognition

(email)

April 8 and 15 Creative Problem Solving (CPS) and

Metacognition

CPS is about balancing the processes of generating and focusing

options, requiring application of basic tools to organize

critical and creative thinking and problem solving. Tools,

strategies, and techniques are key to CPS, to accomplish

operations involved in identifying and solving problems

resistant to typical solutions. Understanding when /how to

employ these aids requires ongoing metacognitive consideration,

essential to the process of finding unique, effective solutions.

Get set to take an exciting CPS journey that will give your

metacognitive gears a rigorous but enjoyable, workout!

readings, April 22

TBA

supplementary materials (email)

please read two articles on humor and thinking (your choice)

April 22 Humor and Metacognition

Something is likely to be funny when it is at some moderate

level of cognitive difficulty to “get”. We’ll explore the

essential relationship between metacognition and humor, not the

least of which is that laughter and humor allow us to stand back

from rules by which we live and inspect them. (And what fun

we’ll have in the process!)

April 29 Sharing Metacognitive Lessons

Engage us in a lesson you create that embodies models and

strategies for metacognition learned in the course. Specify

target audience, topic, learning objectives, critical and

creative thinking skills and dispositional emphases, procedure

and materials, and how you would assess the outcomes. (Include a

bibliography, minimum 3 readings) After class feedback, modify

the lesson and include it as part of your professional

portfolio.

readings, May 6

TBA

May 6 Assessing Metacognitive Thinking Development

• In what ways has your metacognitive thinking ability been

changed, modified or improved as a result of this course? What

evidence can you share to illustrate this?

• formal and non-formal measures for assessing metacognitive

development

May 15 Final projects due: please share!

then let’s celebrate!....