The role of metacognitive skills in learning to solve problems

10
In research concerning reading and writing, many researchers have
identified Comprehension monitoring skills (Osman & Hannafin, 1992;
Pressley & Afflerbach, 1995) (1992). This concerns the ability to recognize
a failure to comprehend, and to know when and how to remediate
this failure.
Veenman (1993) developed an approach to measuring the use of metacognitive
skills that is based on the systematic approach to problem solving
of Mettes and Pilot (1980). This approach consists of a hierarchical
set of problem solving activities that is compiled at the task-level. Their
model is discussed in more detail on page 20. Veenman’s starting points
are the following metacognitive strategies:
Reflecting on the nature of a problem
Comprehension monitoring
Predicting the consequences of an action or event
Planning of activities
Monitoring the ongoing activities
Checking results of one’s actions
Testing for plausibility
Reflecting on one’s learning performances
Based upon these strategies he developed the notion of the Effective
working method which is an organised set of activities for passing
through the problem solving process in an orderly way. It concerns a
decomposition of the eight metacognitive strategies he has taken as a
starting point. The effective working method consists of the following
categories:
Deep orientation: analysing the problem statement, determining independent
and dependent variables, building a mental model of the
task, generating hypotheses and predictions.
Systematic planning: quality of planning activities, systematic execution
of plans, completing an orderly sequence of actions and the
avoidance of unsystematic events.
Accurate execution: precision in calculation, correct usage of units
and quantities, the tidiness and completeness of note taking, avoidance
of negligent mistakes.