Hope College Department of Physics and Engineering
Research Experiences for Undergraduates
Summer 2005
Project Summary

 

Project Title:

Incorporating Metacognition Into A GenEd Science Class To Improve Student Learning

Student Name: Annie Otto
Student's Home Institution: Hope College
Research Advisor: Dr. John Krupczak and Dr. Leslie Wessman
Source of Support: NSF
Metacognition is defined as thinking about thinking. The use of metacognition has been shown to enhance learning. Students assess their personal learning in an academic setting, making it more efficient, and they can self-direct their learning after formal education. As science and technology changes, it is important that students have the skills to be lifelong learners and conduct their learning in the future. A metaguide was created that informs the student reader about four cortexes of the brain (sensory, temporal integrative, frontal integrative, and motor) and the four steps of the learning cycle (concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract hypothesis, and active testing). The Metaguide is a reader-friendly text that is not overwhelming to the non-science audience. To ensure that the reader completes the learning cycle as he/she reads the content, there are several assessment questions to check for understanding. The questions climb Bloom's ladder of higher-level thinking, starting with the easiest level and working to the most difficult