Metacognition and Self-regulated Learning

Abstract

Much of the individual differences among adolescents with regard to the quality and effectiveness of their academic and social behavior can be explained by their competencies of self-control and self-regulation. Research on metacognition and self-regulated learning provides deeper insight into the processes and mechanisms underlying those competencies. This article provides an overview of the theoretical background and the empirical usefulness of metacognition as well as of self-regulated learning. In particular, the relevance of both concepts for academic achievement and skill acquisition in different areas of daily life is stressed and the most important developmental changes and individual differences (among them gender differences) are outlined. Especially individual differences in self-regulated learning that are responsible for the quality and effectiveness of a number of cognitive and social activities in adolescence are sketched. In addition, successful social-cognitive approaches to promote skill development by training self-regulated learning are described in greater detail. To complement the predominant social-cognitive perspective of self-regulation as a state-dependent characteristic, a more trait-like view of the component competencies of self-regulation in adolescence is provided where a distinction is made between metacognitive and motivational as well as volitional competencies. This view is especially helpful since these different competencies are important for becoming successful not only in academic learning, but also in social adjustment.