What is meta-learning?

Meta-learning, metacognitive learning or ‘learning-to-learn’ refers to the process by which you, as a student, become aware of, and increasingly gain control of your learning process to gradually develop the ability to master your mental progression more effectively. This in turn will allow you to perform various learning tasks and assignments presented to you, and then learning from this experience, to develop new skills to help you make greater sense of your life experiences and achieve your optimal potential.

To become an effective metacognitive learner, it is important that you not only utilise your memory and inner language skills, but you must develop your own way of learning. Your inner language is what enables you to master the skills associated with metacognition. Metacognition involves thinking and reflecting before, during and after you have completed a learning task/assignment. It starts when you think about the strategies you will use to complete a specific task or assignment. Metacognition happens once you choose the most effective strategy and decide for yourself whether the outcome effectively meets the required standards.

Metacognition plays an important role in all learning and life experiences. When you gain awareness of your own mental state, you will begin to answer important questions beyond academic learning. These questions could include:

How do I live a happy life?
How do I become a respected human being?
How do I feel good about myself?

Through these reflections, you will also begin to understand the perspectives of other people. There are different learning strategies and supports for metacognitive learning. These strategies are there to help you, as a student, to think about your thinking. There are two basic processes happening simultaneously which include:

Monitoring your progress as you learn.
Making changes and adapting your strategies if you perceive that you are not performing to the best of your own ability.

The basic metacognitive tools/strategies include:

Connecting new knowledge to existing information.
Intentionally selecting thinking strategies.
Planning, monitoring, and evaluating your thinking processes.

During your time as a student in UCC, you will be presented with multiple opportunities and programmes based on metacognitive thinking and learning to support your development. This is for you to have the chance to reach your fullest potential and to truly enjoy your college experience.

Obtaining a Learning Mindset for growth

Now that you know more about meta-learning, you will begin to understand the concept of obtaining a learning mindset. Obtaining a learning mindset refers to adopting a set of beliefs that are connected to your improved academic performance and growth as a student. There are three main learning mindsets, each of these has its own set of characteristics that are directly related to meta-learning:

1. Obtaining a Growth Mindset suggests that when you, as a student, understand the concept ‘intelligence is flexible and not a fixed trait’ and that intelligence can be developed through scaffolding your learning, you are more probable to persevere through challenges that you might face during your time in UCC.
2. Obtaining a Belonging Mindset suggests that you are more probable to persevere through challenges that you might face during your time in UCC when you, as a student, experience a strong sense of social connection, support and respect in your community and environment.
3. Obtaining Purpose & Relevance suggests that you will be more enthusiastic to learn when you, as a student, believe that the coursework of your qualification has a purpose that is also related to your life outside of UCC.

You can watch the below video for more information on what it means to obtain a growth mindset.

How does a learning mindset benefit my growth?

The illustration below serves as a visual explanation of how fostering a learning mindset will benefit your growth as a student in UCC and, ultimately, you as an individual in your entirety:

Hierarchy of Learner Needs

A quick explanation of the above illustration:

As a student, you have basic needs including food, safety, love and more. When these needs are met, it helps you to learn better and to adopt a learning mindset. This learning mindset creates Student Agency which is defined as the capacity to set a goal, reflect and act responsibly to effect change. It is about acting rather than being acted upon; shaping rather than being shaped; and making responsible decisions and choices rather than accepting those determined by others. When you adopt a learning mindset, it becomes easier to adopt certain learning strategies and healthy habits to support this learning mindset. These learning strategies and healthy habits further develop Student Agency. When all three of the bottom quadrants are in sync with one another, it will improve your readiness to learn and once your Learning Readiness is at a sufficient level, you will be able to successfully receive the quality instruction, mentorship, and experiences that UCC aims to provide you with during your time as a student and beyond.

Examples of Learning Mindsets can include:

i belong in this learning community i can change my abilities through effort i can succeed the work has value and purpose for me

Learning Mindsets and Learning Skills

A big part of developing a learning mindset includes the belief that you are competent and able. Competence in any quest refers to the union of capability and agency. Below is an illustration that explains this definition:

competence - capability to agency to capability

Learning skills consist of the appropriate behaviours, strategies, and approaches that you, as a student must apply to achieve your academic goals. These skills could include time management, independent learning, metacognitive strategies, as well as goal setting. The better your learning skills become, the more you will start engaging in activities like self-quizzing and self-explanation to ensure that you genuinely understand the specific area of knowledge or skill. Learning skills also include the practice of spacing out learning over time, asking metacognitive questions, and looking for relationships within an area of expertise to support better understanding. Learning mindsets and learning skills go hand in hand. When you, as a student start seeing the value in your work and believe that you can succeed, your motivation to improve your performance through productive habits like monitoring your daily time usage increases. Positive learning mindsets drive good learning strategies. Equally, a student who consists of a negative mindset may not adopt the best study and work habits.

Learning skills focus on improving your approach to college and your coursework. As a student, you will learn how to organize your time better, manage your academic responsibilities, and acquire knowledge in specific content areas. Learning skills also provide you with better ways to think about your thinking and find connections across areas of expertise. There are various initiatives and programmes in UCC to assist you in improving your learning mindset that focus on your beliefs about learning. These initiatives and programmes serve as guidance for you in acquiring a positive attitude about your competencies, to see purpose in your work, and to feel that college is a safe and exciting place to learn.

Reflection and Critical Thinking (thinking about your thinking)

Critical thinking refers to the ability to carefully evaluate the information that is relevant and correct to your specific task or assignment. Reflection, in turn, is an active process. It is about having a dynamic engagement with knowledge and experience to construct a new, deeper understanding and to articulate knowledge in a more meaningful manner. Reflection and critical thinking go hand in hand. One of the most essential skills that you will learn during your time as a student in UCC refers to the ability to think critically and independently. It is about becoming a producer of information and not just a consumer of it, to be critical of your learning and deciding for yourself whether the information is applicable. The ability to think critically means that you must consider information in a logical and rational manner, questioning and understanding the source of the evidence provided.

To think critically and independently, a further skill that you will develop during you time as a student in UCC refers to the ability to reflect and becoming a reflective practitioner. There are certain fundamental ideas of reflective practitioners which include:

Step 1: Consider the following:

What am I learning?
How am I learning?
How am I using what I am learning?
What are my strengths and weaknesses?

Step 2 - For a more reflective approach consider the following:

What are my learning priorities?
How can I improve my learning?
How well am I working towards my goals?

Once you become able to combine reflection and critical thinking, you are well on your way meta-learning and fostering a learning mindset.

Tips - Find Your Own Strength in Your Learning

Knowing your strengths and how to effectively utilise these, can have a considerable effect on your success and wellbeing during your time in UCC. Once you are aware of what your strengths are, you can play to them, however, strengths that are used too much become a deficit so be mindful of how you utilise your strengths. Below are some tips to guide you towards finding your own strength in your learning.

Set specific goals for yourself

Achieving your goals depends highly on how effectively you manage your time. This requires a strategic plan for each semester. Once you have planned out your study sessions, it is crucial to stick to the routine and this is where goal setting becomes very helpful. People’s energy levels vary, and you should be mindful of your own energy levels. Study the most difficult material when your energy levels are at their highest – when you’re too tired to tackle difficult material you won’t be able to concentrate on it.

Environment

Having a dedicated learning space is essential for developing a healthy study routine. Your study space should be organised and free from distraction. A cluttered workspace will distract you from your work. Figure out whether you work best from home, in the Library or elsewhere. Wherever you study, make sure you have everything you will need on hand, to save you time looking for it in the middle of your study session.

Prioritise your happiness

Feeling good about what you are doing and why you are doing it is the most optimal way to ensure success. Start figuring this out for yourself because happiness leads to success, but success does not necessarily lead to happiness. Prioritising your own wellbeing is key to reaching your goals so make sure that you have positive emotions, engagement, meaning, and a sense of achievement when you are studying towards your qualification.

Be resilient

Even with a perfect plan, obstacles will come along. How well you are equipped to handle these obstacles depends on your perspective. Having a growth mindset will allow you to see these obstacles as opportunities for positive change.

Make time to recover

Instead of avoiding stress altogether, you need to set aside time for yourself to recover mentally and physically. As a student, you might sometimes fall into a ‘stretch zone’ where you are extending yourself to accommodate for various responsibilities. Periods of stress can be positive and motivating if they expand your perception of possibility. Getting enough sleep, taking regular breaks, setting aside time for meal, and enjoying recreational activities are all ways to fuel you and keep you on course to achieving your goals.

ASPIRE Checklist

Except for the tips above, you can work according to the A.S.P.I.R.E checklist to make your study time more successful:

A: Approach your studies with a positive attitude and arrange your schedule to eliminate distractions.

S: Select a chunk of material to study / Survey headings, graphics get an overview / Study marking any information not understood.

P: Put aside books / Piece together what you’ve studied and summarise what you understand.

I: Inspect what you don’t understand / Investigate alternative sources of information like the web or textbooks / Inquire from professionals (lecturers, librarians, tutors, etc.).

R: Reconsider content, what questions would I ask or what criticism would I offer / Reflect on the material – how can I apply it / Relay understanding – how could I make this information interesting to others?

E: Evaluate your grades / Examine progress and work towards improving it / Explore options with lecturer/tutor to do this.

Looking after your brain power - Everyday Matters

The ‘Everyday Matters – Healthy Habits for University Life’ is a Digital Badge, based on the latest theory and scientific research regarding time usage and positive habits of mind. It was designed by multi award winning occupational therapist and university lecturer Dr. Eithne Hunt, based on her doctoral research and further training in mindfulness, self-compassion and growth mindset and her extensive academic experience teaching students about daily activities and wellbeing. She has been invited to present locally, nationally, and internationally on this work.

This programme was developed to support you, as a student in UCC, to explore some practical everyday things that you can say and do to establish healthy habits and routines, enhancing your successful transition into and through your time in UCC. Everyday Matters explores how you divide your time across study/work, leisure, self-care, and sleep, and how you cultivate positive habits of mind including mindful self-compassion, a growth mindset and joy & gratitude. You will learn about brain and body health, and how to develop and maintain daily habits and routines, supporting your physical as well as emotional wellbeing for learning and general life.

The Everyday Matters programme has four main learning outcomes which include:

Apply the knowledge from published research to your own life.
Analyse your own patterns of time use including study/work, play/leisure, self-care, and sleep.
Develop positive habits of mind (growth mindset, self-compassion, joy & gratitude).
Use a strategy for creating and maintaining healthy time use habits and habits of mind for yourself.

This Digital Badge is delivered over 8 weeks. The weekly themes are:

Brain development and habit formation
Sleep
Self-care
Play & Leisure
Study & Work
Growth Mindset
Self-compassion
Joy & Gratitude

Below is a short video you can watch to find out more about the Everyday Matters Digital Badge.

Growth Mindset Exercise - Goal Action Plan (asking for help)

Now that you are aware of meta-learning and the different learning mindsets, you can complete the Action Plan for achieving your goals, based on your Growth Mindset worksheet below. This will serve as a next step in guiding you towards developing your learning mindset that for your improved academic performance and growth as a student during your time in UCC.

Use this template to guide you, if you wish Developing a Growth Mindset - Goal Action Plan Worksheet.pdf.

Meta-learning