Composition instructors have a wide variety of writing strategies at their disposal, but do they decide which strategy is appropriate for a given situation? This session explores some ways metacognition can aid in the selection and application of teaching and learning strategies, especially writing strategies. Metacognition requires that faculty become explicitly aware of student learning needs and engage in an ongoing process of intentionally planning, monitoring, and evaluating whether those needs are being met. We will consider several building blocks for metacognitive instruction, including awareness of learning processes, consideration of particular student need, choice of instructional strategy, and acquisition of feedback on student learning (Scharff & Draeger 2015). Through a series of guided prompts, we will explore how we can use metacognition to promote better writing.
Scharff, L., & Draeger, J. (2015, September). Thinking about Metacognitive Instruction. In The National Teaching & Learning Forum (Vol. 24, No. 5, pp. 4-6).
