• Metacognitive

    Date: 2009.09.07 | Category: Glossary, Unit SSK12 | Tags:

    Glossary
    Unit: SSK12
    Week: 2 (updated in Week 6)
    Date: 07 October 2009 (Updated: 09 October 2009)

    Word: metacognitive adj.
    Context: Metacognitive is mentioned by Lorraine Marshall in the ‘Read this first’ introduction of A Guide to learning independently.
    Definition: The Australian Oxford Dictionary simply defines metacognition as “awareness and understanding of one’s own thought processes”. This might be more simply put as thinking about your own thinking and recognising what factors might influence our thinking (Encarta, 2009). A Dictionary of Psychology informs us that “Writings on metacognition can be traced back at least as far as De Anima and the Parva Naturalia of the Greek philosopher Aristotle (384–322 BC), and the phenomenon was brought to prominence during the 1970s largely by the US psychologist John H(urley) Flavell (born 1928)…” In an influential article presented by psychologists, R.E. Nisbett and T.D. Wilson they “summarized a range of evidence suggesting that people are often unaware of the factors influencing their own choices, evaluations, and behaviour….” (A Dictionary of Psychology, 2009).
    Word in Use: As she became more metacognitive in her approach to her choices, she became more aware of what was influencing her behaviour.

    Marshall, L., and F. Rowland. 2006. A Guide To Learning Independently. 4th ed. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Pearson Education Australia.

    The Australian Oxford Dictionary. 2004. 2nd ed. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press.

    Encarta® World English Dictionary. 2009. Metacognition.
    http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?search=metacognitive
    (accessed September 07, 2009)

    “metacognition n.” A Dictionary of Psychology. Edited by Andrew M. Colman. Oxford University Press 2009. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Murdoch University. <http://0-www.oxfordreference.com.prospero.murdoch.edu.au/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t87.e5014>
    (accessed September 07, 2009)