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Building Metacognition into graded assignments

Strategies for enhancing self-awareness in students by incorporating metacognition, emphasizing the learning process alongside final assessments

Description

Metacognition can be described as the awareness and ability to reflect upon, manage, and improve how we learn (Stanton et al., 2021; Rivas et al., 2022). Incorporating metacognitive elements into graded assignments encourages students to become more self-aware learners. This approach expands assessment from just evaluating the final product to also valuing the learning process, helping students to deepen their learning while providing instructors valuable insight into student thinking.

UCalgary Assessment Principle B

"Assessments actively engage students by offering multiple opportunities for practice; timely, clear, and meaningful feedback; and structured reflection on their learning to continuously improve and enhance future learning."

Incorporating metacognitive elements in assignments allow students to reflect, receive feedback, and demonstrate growth on a regular basis.

Also consider Principle A.

Benefits

  • Encourages students to identify areas of strength and points of confusion 
  • Fosters student autonomy in their learning, including goal setting (Malone, 2025)
  • Supports strong metacognitive skills that enhance complex problem solving (Malone, 2025)
  • Provides potential for improved academic achievement (Stanton et al., 2021)

Ways to use this strategy

*Those marked with an asterisk are readily adaptable for large enrolment classes.

Creating a concept map

Concept maps can serve as powerful metacognitive assessment tools by making students' thinking visible and showing how they organize and connect knowledge (Joshi et al. 2022). Concept maps can help students uncover gaps in knowledge and enhance their critical thinking abilities (Daley et.al 2010). 

Graphic of a location pin over a map

Case study analysis with metacognitive prompts

A case-study based assignment can be enhanced by scaffolding metacognition through prompts which encourage students to monitor their thinking throughout the problem-solving process (Harkrider et al. 2013). Students can be asked to solve the case study while documenting their reasoning processes. In addition, specific prompts can help students approach problem-solving in the way it is approached by experts in the field (Ohtani et al. 2018).  

Example prompts that can be added to case studies: 

  • What prior knowledge, experiences, or course concepts come to mind as relevant?
  • How will you approach analyzing this case? What's your strategy?
  • Which concepts from class did you find most useful in analyzing this case? Were there any concepts you thought would be relevant but weren't?
  • What specific concepts or skills did you learn or strengthen through this case?
  • What questions do you still have after completing this analysis? 
Graphic of a message prompt

*Integrating metacognitive questions into assignments and exams

Integrating metacognitive reflection into any course can be achieved by tweaking of existing course assignments and exams. These questions can be simple and for large enrolment courses can take the form of multiple-choice questions.   

Example questions to integrate within existing assignments: 

What was most challenging to you about this assignment?   

What questions arose during your work on this assignment that you had not considered before? 

*The goal of this assignment is to give you practice calculating excitation energies and visualizing the process of energy level change. Before you try to solve the problem, rate each of the following statements according to how true it is for you on a scale of 1 (not at all true) to 7 (very true).  

  1. Before I began this assignment, the idea of quantized energy levels was familiar to me. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
  2. Before I began this assignment, I felt confident I could accurately calculate energy levels. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
  3. Before I began this assignment, I felt confident I could draw an energy level diagram? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 
Graphic of question and statement bubbles

*Approximately how much time did you spend preparing for this test? 

*What percentage of your test-preparation time was spent in each of these activities?  

  1. Re-reading textbook section(s) covered so far and highlighting key concepts ____
  2. Using the resources shared at the start of the course ____
  3. Reviewing the concepts maps created by my peers ____
  4. Creating your own glossaries/concept maps with key vocabulary/concepts ____
  5. Reviewing homework solutions ____
  6. Reviewing your own notes ____
  7. Reviewing grammar points you may find challenging ____
  8. Other (Please specify: __________________________________________) 

Adapted from Exam Wrappers: Eberly Center 

Additional example: Exam wrapper for an English Composition class  

Consider adding prompts like the example below to your mid-terms/assignments for bonus points. These prompts not only help students reflect on their learning but also help you receive feedback on how best you can support your students. 

  • Based on this exam, what will you do differently when preparing for the next exam?
  • What specific study strategies will you add, continue, or stop?
  • Add: _________________________________
  • Continue: _________________________________
  • Stop: _________________________________
  • What resources could help you improve? (e.g., office hours, writing center, study groups) 

 

Reflection questions for instructors: 

  • Where do students typically struggle most in your course, e.g., understanding concepts, applying knowledge, making connections between ideas?
  • Which existing assignments could benefit from asking students to explain their thinking process?
  • How will you model metacognitive thinking in your teaching?
  • How will you help students see connections between metacognitive reflection and their academic success? 

References and further reading

Daley, B. J., & Torre, D. M. (2010). Concept maps in medical education: An analytical literature review. Medical Education, 44(5), 440–448. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2923.2010.03628.x 

Dennis, J. L., & Somerville, M. P. (2023). Supporting thinking about thinking: Examining the metacognition theory-practice gap in higher education. Higher Education, 86(1), 99–117. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-022-00904-x 

Harkrider, L. N., MacDougall, A. E., Bagdasarov, Z., Johnson, J. F., Thiel, C. E., & Mumford, M. D. (2013). Structuring case-based ethics training: How comparing cases and structured prompts influence training effectiveness. Ethics & Behavior, 23(3), 179–198. https://doi.org/10.1080/10508422.2012.758122 

Joshi, R., Hadley, D., Nuthikattu, S., Fok, S., Goldbloom-Helzner, L., & Curtis, M. (2022). Concept mapping as a metacognition tool in a problem-solving-based BME course during in-person and online instruction. Biomedical Engineering Education, 2(2), 281–303. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43683-022-00066-3 

Kaw, A., Lim, G. T., & Clark, R. M. (2024). Reflective questions: Promoting metacognition through discussion board prompts. Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, 28(4), 161–171. https://doi.org/10.33423/jhetp.v24i8.7238 

Malone, P. (2025). Metacognition as a bridge for diverse learners: Scaffolding success in K-12, higher education, and workforce development. In P. R. Cook & J. McConnell Mikkelson (Eds.), New ways to think and learn with metacognition (pp. 272–294). Cambridge Scholars Publishing. 

Ohtani, K., & Hisasaka, T. (2018). Beyond intelligence: A meta-analytic review of the relationship among metacognition, intelligence, and academic performance. Metacognition and Learning, 13(2), 179–212. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11409-018-9183-8 

Rivas, S. F., Saiz, C., & Ossa, C. (2022). Metacognitive strategies and development of critical thinking in higher education. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 913219. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.913219 

Stanton, J. D., Sebesta, A. J., & Dunlosky, J. (2021). Fostering metacognition to support student learning and performance. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 20(2), Article fe3. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.20-12-0289