STUDENTS LEARNING ABOUT THEIR OWN LEARNING: WHY NOT IN YOUR COURSE?

Recent studies in cognitive science, neuroscience, and instructional design provide us with new insights into teaching and learning, and we are gaining a new appreciation for the activities that are more effective in producing significant learning. As an example, intentional thought about one’s own thinking and learning (metacognition) was identified by Bransford et al. (2001) in How People Learn as one of three principles of learning. Research by Carol Dweck and others has emphasized the impact of growth versus fixed views of intelligence on student learning. Other studies, including the NSF-funded Geoscience Affective Research NETwork (GARNET), seek to understand the role of affect (e.g., motivation, values, beliefs) in learning. Early findings of the GARNET study suggest that several affective components play an important role in student learning introductory geoscience courses, including one’s belief in being able to succeed (self-efficacy in learning and performance), rehearsal, and effort regulation. Clearly, students have much to gain from a deeper understanding of their own learning. Given the pressures of content coverage typical of most courses, many faculty may be skeptical that they could provide significant opportunities for students to devote explicit effort to thinking about their learning in their courses or major curriculum.

We have implemented a learning co-curriculum in all of our courses to help students develop a better understanding of their own learning. Students read a document that we developed on “Learning to Learn” that provides a basis for other learning activities throughout the semester. This document includes a brief overview of current educational practices and trends, a discussion of learning and significant learning, the importance of critical thinking, new evidence from research on the brain, cognitive development, metacognition, the affective domain, learning styles, and the behavioral dimensions of grades. Other activities in our courses, including reflective writing, exam wrappers, and portfolios, are designed to support deep content learning and at the same time encourage students to reflect on the goals for their learning, the effectiveness of their learning strategies, and the value of the their new knowledge.