Metacognitive Awareness and Problem-Solving

• In Event: Self-Regulation Across Contexts

Abstract

Research on cognitive load suggests that novice learners should be confronted with worked examples instead of problem solving activities. Nevertheless, learning approaches like the desirable difficulties framework or productive failure show that effortful processing can lead to improved long-term learning outcomes. As metacognitive strategies are central for scheme construction, this study examined the significance of metacognition in effortful learning. In an experiment, we investigated the impact of metacognitive awareness activation and learners’ motivation on long-term learning outcomes. Therefore, ninety-eight university students completed the Tower-of-Hanoi problem solving task with variating difficulty levels (constantly high vs. gradually increasing). After each subtask metacognitive awareness activation was assessed. Results support the central role of metacognitive awareness activation for deep cognitive processing.

Authors

• Ines Zeitlhofer, University of Salzburg
  Presenting Author

• Joerg Zumbach, Paris Lodron University Salzburg
  Non-Presenting Author

• Judith Schweppe, Universität Passau
  Non-Presenting Author