Enhancing metacognitive reinforcement learning using reward structures and feedback

One of the most remarkable aspects of the human mind is its ability to improve itself based on experience. Such learning occurs in a range of domains, from simple stimulus-response mappings, motor skills, and perceptual abilities, to problem-solving, cognitive control, and learning itself. Demonstrations of cognitive and brain plasticity have inspired cognitive training programs. The success of cognitive training has been mixed and the underlying learning mechanisms are not well understood. Feedback is an important component of many effective cognitive training programs, but it remains unclear what makes some feedback structures more effective than others. To address these problems, we model cognitive plasticity as metacognitive reinforcement learning. Here, we develop a metacognitive reinforcement learning model of how people learn how many steps to plan ahead in sequential decision problems, and test its predictions experimentally.The results of our first experiment suggested that our model can discern which reward structures are more conducive to metacognitive learning. This suggests that our model could be used to design feedback structures that make existing environments more conducive to cognitive growth. A follow-up experiment confirmed that feedback structures designed according to our model can indeed accelerate learning to plan. These results suggest that modeling metacognitive learning is a promising step towards building a theoretical foundation for promoting cognitive growth through cognitive training and other interventions.

Improvement of Learning Skills in Geometry Incorporating a Metacognitive Learning Model in Boys Compared to Girls

“We learn by doing and by thinking about what we are doing.” (John Dewey) In this article, we shall present findings that describe the degree to which metacognitive orientation contributes to the study of the geometry the plan in boys compared to girls in 9th grade of middle school. The geometry study process does not only involve knowledge but also high thinking abilities. Beyond the knowledge of definitions and sentences, the students are required to write a full, precise, and logically constructed proof, as well as to show the validity and its correctness. In this article, we shall present a model of metacognitive orientation aiming to develop higher-order thinking skills in geometry. We built and applied the model to 9th-grade students. Since students experience difficulties in the study of geometry, the development of a structured study process is required. Numerous studies clearly show that the study process involving metacognitive orientation improves their study ability and deepens their understanding of the topic in question. The question that we addressed was to what extent the metacognitive orientation in geometry impacted boys in comparison to girls? In this study, we shall present data according to which metacognitive learning explicitly benefits girls more than boys. Nevertheless, as a modular model, it allowed every student of both sexes to strengthen the weak aspect and to overcome blockades inhibiting the learning process.

Metacognitive Learning Strategies: Their Effects on the Reading Comprehension Performance of Grade Five Pupils

This study aimed at examining the effects of metacognitive learning strategies on the reading comprehension performance of 80 Grade Five pupils in the MSU-Integrated Laboratory School for SY 2011-2012. The researcher used quasi-experimental design, which entailed using two intact, randomly selected groups: one served as the control group and the other as the experimental group. The descriptive-quantitative research was used to describe and analyse the respondents' performance in their reading comprehension test. The data were treated using Statistical Program for Social Sciences (SPSS) with a significance level set at .05. This research work involved four phases: In the first phase, a self-constructed Personal Background Questionnaire and the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) by Oxford (1990) were administered both to the experimental and control groups before the strategy instruction. In the second phase, the experimental group received six sessions of instruction on metacognitive strategies. On the other hand, the control group received six sessions of instruction using the traditional method of teaching reading based on the Basal Readers Approach. Both experimental and control groups worked on authentic and inauthentic texts (some articles from the Newspaper and the World of Reading textbook). In the third phase, after completion of instruction, the teacher-made reading comprehension test was administered to both groups to determine the reading comprehension performance of the respondents. In the fourth phase, the SILL was administered to both groups again to determine if the metacognitive strategies instruction has an effect on the reading comprehension performance of the respondents. The data analysis yielded the following findings: First, a slightly greater outcome was manifested in the reading comprehension test of the experimental group compared to the control group. Second, there was no significant difference between the mean scores of the reading comprehension test of the control and experimental groups. Both the experimental and control groups performed well in the authentic section of the reading comprehension test. Lastly, the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) by Oxford, 1990 shows a positive effect on the reading comprehension performance of the experimental group. Therefore, the respondents performed better in the part of the reading comprehension test using authentic texts and the experimental group’s metacognitive awareness increased notably after the instruction.

Examining the Relationship Between Turkish Teacher Candidates’ Metacognitive Learning Strategies and Critical Listening Attitudes

This study aims at examining the relationship between Turkish teacher candidates’ metacognitive learning strategies and critical listening attitudes as well as determining whether theircritical listening attitudes and the use of metacognitive learning strategies vary with gender, age, year in college, and grade point average (GPA). Accordingly, a correlational survey design was used. The sample of the study consists of 191 Turkish teacher candidates studying at the Turkish teacher education program of Amasya University, Faculty of Education. The Metacognitive Learning Strategies Determining Scale developed by Gündoğan Çöğenli & Güven (Bilişüstü…) and the Critical Listening Attitude Scale developed by Taşkın were used as data collection tools. The data were analyzed using statistical package software SPSS 22.0. T-test, ANOVA, and correlation analysis were performed. A positive correlation was determined between Turkish teacher candidates’ critical listening behaviors and the use of metacognitive learning strategies.We believe that the findings of this study will contribute to determining critical listening attitudes.

E-book of metacognitive learning strategies: design and implementation to activate student’s self-regulation

ICT-based learning provides opportunities for teachers and students to learn digitally, as well as letting the students become autonomous learners. One of the efforts to actualize such typical learning mode is to provide digitalized learning media, such as e-Books. An e-Book of metacognitive learning strategies aimed to train students’ metacognitive skills that emphasized self-regulated learning in order to make them become autonomous learners. This study was objected to describe the e-Book of metacognitive learning strategies in designing, implementing, and evaluating students’ metacognitive skills in a learning process. The e-Book was designed using ADDIE development model and used during the innovative learning I course for 84 biology students at Universitas Negeri Surabaya. The data were analyzed using descriptive-qualitative approach. The results showed that the e-Book’s validity was in a very good category. It also conveyed level 15 of readability according to the students and was responded very well with a positive response of 96%. Other findings depicted that the students’ metacognitive learning outcomes and students’ self-regulation were in a good category. Hence, the e-Books had the potential to be used in a digital learning mode as well as training students’ metacognitive skills and self-regulation.

Psychometric Properties of Cognitive and Metacognitive Learning Strategies Scale Among Chinese Senior Secondary School Students

This study aimed to investigate the validity of the Cognitive and Metacognitive Learning Strategies Scale (CMLSC) for mathematics learning in Chinese context. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, reliability analysis, measurement invariance across gender groups, and criterion-related validity were conducted on 698 Chinese senior secondary school students. Results supported that the adapted CMLSC was reliable and valid. A bifactor model with one general and four specific factors (i.e., rehearsal, elaboration and organization, critical thinking, and metacognitive self-regulation) was found. Residual invariance across gender groups was also achieved. This adapted CMLSC is expected better to understand students’ mathematics learning strategies in Chinese culture.

Metacognitive Learning Strategies For The Acquisition Of Cognitive And Methodological Competencies Of The Arabic Language/ استراتيجيات التعلم ماوراء المعرفية وأثرها في اكتساب الكفاءات المعرفية والمنهجية لمادة اللغة العربية

The study aimed to uncover the effect of using metacognitive learning strategies on the acquisition of cognitive and methodological competencies for the Arabic language subject for the high school learner, which is a field study in a group of Algerian high schools, and this by addressing the theoretical heritage, relying on the descriptive approach, and applying study tools, which are two measures of strategies Learning beyond cognitive and Arabic language competencies. On the study sample (300) learners. And it was a simple random sample, the information obtained was collected and statistically treated using statistical techniques (applying the spss program and the T-test), and it was analyzed and a set of results were extracted represented in: The presence of a statistically significant difference between the mean of the group of students with low use and high use of the strategies: learning Metacognitive (all), the monitoring strategy, and the evaluation strategy on the scale of Arabic language competencies for the benefit of those with high use.

Learning Self-regulated L2 Writing Under a Cognitive Model

This research study has been conducted to experiment an innovative teaching approach believing that when less use of self-regulated learning strategy leads to lower metacognitive learning attitude which results in low proficiency. This study has investigated the consequences of instructionally aroused cognitive involvement load for self-monitoring and self-assessment through facilitation of metacognitive learning strategy use for improving L2 writing skills of Thai undergraduate students. This innovative instructional model for teaching self-regulated L2 writing has been named as Strategic Self-Regulated Metacognitive Activities or S2RMCA. The approach of this model has been developed to promote self-regulated learning management. For stimulating the use of learning strategies, a set of self-monitoring and self-evaluating assessment rubric named Strategy Inventories for Learning L2 Writing (SILL2W) has also been devised. A set of questionnaire, pre-post-tests, checklist, and interviews were employed for collecting and analyzing the data. Results of data analyses have shown effectiveness and feasibility of the S2RMCA model for teaching self-regulated L2 writing. Satisfactory results have also been shown by participants in their L2 writing skills. So far, research studies conducted on cognitive involvement load, a continuing challenge has always been there regarding the accurate measurement of load via self-reporting and this study has also faced that challenge.