Metacognitive Control of Learning and Remembering

The study of learning and memory has a long and veritable history in psychological research. One recent and important development is the growth of research in metamemory—the study of what people understand about their memory and how they use that knowledge to direct their own learning experiences in service of their goals. Metamemory research has been guided in part by the framework proposed by Nelson and Narens (1994), which differentiates between metacognitive monitoring of one’s states of learning and metacognitive control over the processes by which one achieves desired levels of skill and memory. These processes are guided by learners’ knowledge and beliefs about how memory works, about what aspects of performance are reliable indicators of durable learning, and about what actions are effective for advancing learning (cf. Dunlosky & Hertzog, 2000; Hertzog, Dunlosky, & Robinson, 2007). This chapter will discuss the role of metacognition in the learning of simple verbal materials, with a particular emphasis on metacognitive control. Learners can regulate their study experience to enhance learning in a myriad of ways (cf. Benjamin, 2008; Dunlosky, Serra, & Baker, 2007; Serra & Metcalfe, 2009). Here we consider forms of control that have been studied in simple laboratory tasks and that generalize in a straightforward way to options available to students studying for tests: self-pacing study effectively, devising efficient study schedules, judiciously selecting items for study and re-study, strategically making use of selftesting strategies, accommodating study to anticipated test conditions, and using successful retrieval strategies. We will review research that reveals how learners use these strategies in simple laboratory tasks and that suggests how such metacognitive skills can be improved through instruction or experience. We will end by addressing the supportive role that information technology can play in the processes by which metacognition influences learning and memory.