Thinking About Thinking: Why Metacognitive Strategies Matter for Student Success

Dr. Janine Bower
May 28, 2025
4 min read

Updated: Jan 19

Metacognition—simply put, thinking about your thinking—is one of the most powerful, underutilized strategies for academic and professional success.

(Meta = about the thing itself) + (Cognitive = thinking and reasoning) = Metacognitive = thinking about your thinking

While the term might sound abstract or even intimidating to students, the truth is: they’re already using it (or trying to). And with the right coaching and tools, we can help them use it more effectively.

This article breaks down the concept, explains why it matters, and explores what faculty and academic coaches can do to help students unlock its potential.

At its core, metacognition is your brain’s way of checking in on itself. It's facilitated by asking self-reflective questions that prompt us to take inventory of...

where we currently are (thinking about what we already know);
how we learn (what's working- and what is not); and
where we want to be (accurately assessing if we've mastered the material).

Students don’t always know these are learnable strategies—but they are.

That’s why we created our Metacognitive Explainer Tool (shown below), a simple guide to help students recognize and strengthen the four key phases of metacognitive practice:

Phase	Guiding Questions	Example Strategies
Planning how you’ll study for an exam or tackle assignments	What am I trying to learn? What is this question asking? What resources and information do I have?	Outline steps and a schedule for studying for an exam or completing an assignment List out your roles for a group project Account for your resources and what you already know how to do for an assignment
Monitoring your progress, checking on and evaluating your progress and work, and recognizing when you’re confused. This is an ongoing process.	How well do I understand it? Is my work in line with the requirements?	Self-talk: e.g. “Did I understand what I just read? No, I didn’t. I need to reread the problem.” Checking your knowledge of a concept by explaining it to a peer in your own words Using assignment instructions and rubrics to ensure you are staying on track Checking for errors
Evaluating your own ways of learning by looking back at the work you’ve done and the strategies, tools, resources, and/or steps that you used to recognize which ones served you well, and which ones did not.	What’s working for me? What's not working?	Recognizing the rubric provided by the professor helped you stay on track Deciding that for you, mornings - rather than evenings - are a better time to write. Considering how studying for an exam as a group helped in some ways, but not in others.
Reflecting on Future Action to explore ways you might “transfer” what worked to future assignments, exams, etc. and which strategies you should adjust.	What should I adjust? What could be useful to me in the future?	Scheduling bi-weekly tutoring appointments to help you stay on course for a future paper Applying a study strategy that worked (e.g. practice writing answers to essay questions) to future exams Leaving more time to plan how you’ll study

Why Metacognition Improves Student Outcomes

Research shows that students who consistently use metacognitive strategies are more successful.

Multiple studies show:

A 5–15% boost in academic performance (e.g. exam scores) when students receive metacognitive strategy training;
Strong correlations between self-monitoring, planning, and academic achievement; and
Greater gains for first-generation, underprepared students who may not have internalized these strategies in earlier schooling.

Even modest improvements in metacognitive behavior can lead to meaningful gains in performance and confidence. And because metacognitive habits build over time, they play an important role in long-term retention and degree completion.

Why It Matters Beyond the Classroom

Metacognitive thinkers make better learners—and better leaders. In the workplace, these strategies help professionals:

Reflect on what’s working in their role and adapt accordingly
Learn from mistakes rather than repeat them
Set goals and assess progress toward them

In short: students who learn to think about how they learn are more likely to thrive in a complex, ever-changing world.

🧠 Metacognition is our brain’s way of checking in on itself. We have to train it to do that.

What Educators, Coaches, and Learning Support Professionals Can Do

Helping students develop metacognitive strategies doesn’t require redesigning an entire course or program. It starts with intentional, well-timed moves that make learning processes visible and discussable.

Effective practices include:

Using brief reflection prompts to help students plan, monitor, and evaluate their learning.
Making your own thinking explicit during problem-solving, studying, or revision.
Supporting students in naming what worked, what didn’t, and what they’ll try next.
Creating shared language around learning strategies that students can carry across contexts.

These small moments—when structured well—add up to meaningful gains in learning awareness, confidence, and follow-through.

Move Beyond Isolated Strategies

While individual prompts and activities are helpful, students benefit most when metacognitive support is consistent, transferable, and embedded across learning experiences.

The Metacognitive Moves Toolkit (linked) was designed for this purpose.

It provides educators, tutors, coaches, and advisors with a shared, flexible framework for supporting students’ thinking in the moment—without scripts, extra platforms, or extensive training or certifications.

The toolkit helps learners:

Plan intentionally
Monitor progress
Adjust strategies
Reflect on outcomes
Carry learning forward into future academic, professional, and civic contexts

Explore the Metacognitive Moves Toolkit

Learn how B Optimal’s Metacognitive Moves Toolkit supports learning awareness, persistence, and transfer—while fitting naturally into the real work of teaching, tutoring, coaching, and advising.

→ Explore the Metacognitive Moves Toolkit (linked)