LOEX 2016 MAY 6, 2016 LOEX Making the Invisible Visible: Metacognition and the Research Process

SUSAN ARIEW ACADEMIC SERVICES LIBRARIAN FOR EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA BLOG: ORT / ORT / LOEX Contact Information

Objectives LOEX Defining the concept of metacognition Identifying some metacognitive teaching strategies that enhance teaching information literacy Defining “cognitive apprenticeship” as a form of metacognition Offering resources for future learning

Think, Pair, Share LOEX Turn to your neighbor, introduce yourself, and for three minutes brainstorm about what you think is the definition of “metacognition.” Think about where you might have heard this term and it might relate to ideas about information literacy.

What is Metacognition? LOEX Consciously reflecting about one’s thinking Self-knowledge about tasks demands or goals Self-monitoring of cognitive processes (Flavell) Cognition about one’s own cognition (Nelson)

Metacognition and Information Literacy LOEX Early drafts of the Framework talk about the importance of metacognitive strategies and critical reflection (p. 4, Feb. 2014). The Framework indicates metacognition is critical to the idea of metaliteracy. “Learners must engage in metacognition to be successful.” (p. 7). Adopting a process approach to research & learning.

Misconceptions LOEX What might be some misconceptions students (and even some faculty) have about the research process? How their do misconceptions affect their success?

Misconceptions LOEX Underestimating the complexity of the research process: 1) Lack of time creating meaningful research assignments for students 2) Lack of time devoted to students selecting topics or creating manageable research questions 3) Expecting that one-shot library sessions will teach them all they need to know in the research process 4) Expecting that the process is quick, easy, and not as labor intensive as it is. 5) Expectations that learning transfer takes place easily.

Teaching Research as a Process LOEX Getting students to view research tasks as a process and then teaching various parts of that process is the start of using metacognitive strategies.

The Research Process Identifying & selecting manageable topics Creating research questions Setting up a search plan Matching questions/search terms to resources Identifying & evaluating your sources Citing sources appropriately LOEX

Embedded-ness to Teach Process Over Product LOEX “Flipping” instruction using tutorials, webcasts, or videos in course management systems to teach the basics. Using valuable class time devoted to the more complex aspects of the research process. Using course management systems follow up with students after face-to-face instruction is conducted.

Strategy One: Cognitive Apprenticeship—Making Thinking Visible LOEX Involves the following elements: Identifying process of the task and making them visible to students Teacher models strategies in a shared problem context of knowing they will soon undertake the same task. Students try out the strategies in a reciprocal teaching context. (Collins, Brown, Holum) p.3.

Spending More Class Time with Students Using Metacognitive Strategies LOEX Using role-playing exercises to teach students how to identify topics that are too narrow, too broad, and “just right” for their assignments. Helping students set up a search plan/concept mapping based on their topics before searching the literature (pre-searching similar to prewriting)

Results from Our Study LOEX We studied two groups of students in their efforts to create research-guiding questions for their research, one in which the role-playing intervention was used and one in which it was not used. Results showed that the intervention group had more research guiding questions classified as manageable (71%) than did the comparison group (42%). (see van Ingen & Ariew, 2015).

Student Research Logs—Fostering Metacognition LOEX Collaborating with academic faculty to: Have students self-assess their process along the way Have students reflect on the research experience at the end.

What We Learned as a Result of Student Logs LOEX Student confidence varies depending on where in the process they are. Students have difficulty articulating and managing research questions Students have difficulty with compromising their initial questions with what they find in the research literature. Students vary in their ability to reflect on their own research processes meaningfully.

Looking to the Future LOEX Stressing the “process” over a limited “product” approach to conducting research is more meaningful and relevant to students. Metacognitive teaching strategies and student reflection offers more opportunities for learning transference to occur.

Thank you! Questions? LOEX