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The Development of Metacognitive Competences

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Towards a Theory of Thinking

Part of the book series: On Thinking ((ONTHINKING))

Abstract

This paper describes historical and current trends in research on the development of metacognitive competencies. Stimulated by classic theoretical analyses of the concept of metacognition initiated by Ann Brown, John Flavell and their colleagues, contemporary extensions of the concept emphasize the important roles of both procedural and declarative metacognition for successful information processes. Major research findings on the development of these two components of metacognition are reviewed, and links between children’s early “theory of mind” and subsequent verbalizable metamemory are described. Next, new evidence on children’s metacognitive development in childhood and adolescence is summarized, indicating major shifts in children’s declarative metacognitive knowledge, in particular, their strategy knowledge, between the end of kindergarten and the end of elementary school. Although similarly fast developments could not be demonstrated for procedural metacognitive knowledge, several empirical studies suggest developmental changes in the relationship between monitoring and self-regulatory abilities, with older (but not younger) children being able to regulate their ­achievement-related behavior based on the outcome of their monitoring attempts. Finally, the paper reviews classic and contemporary applications of ­metacognitive theory to various educational settings, generally illustrating the importance of metacognition for various aspects of academic performance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Würzburg, Wittelsbacherplatz 1, 97074, Würzburg, Germany

    Wolfgang Schneider

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  1. Wolfgang Schneider
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Correspondence to Wolfgang Schneider .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Parmenides Foundation, Kardinal Faulhaber Str. 14 a, Munich, 80333, Germany

    Britt Glatzeder

  2. Dept. Psychology, York University, Keele Street 4700, Toronto, M3J 1P3, Canada

    Vinod Goel

  3. Parmenides Foundation, Kardinal Faulhaber Str. 14 a, Munich, 80333, Germany

    Albrecht Müller

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Schneider, W. (2010). The Development of Metacognitive Competences. In: Glatzeder, B., Goel, V., Müller, A. (eds) Towards a Theory of Thinking. On Thinking. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-03129-8_14

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