Spheres of Influence: Ventures and Visions in Educational Development*

3-6 July, 2002
The University of Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia

Abstract

Metacognition and the autonomous learner: Student reflections on cognitive profiles and learning environment development

Ray Webster, Edith Cowan University, Australia

This paper considers the role of metacognitive skills in the development of autonomous learners. This is done by considering the use of student cognitive profiles for constructing interfaces for interacting with learning environments. For the purposes of this study, a cognitive profile is considered to consist of measures of an individual's cognitive style, learning style and personality. The use of cognitive profiles to enhance student awareness of the learning process is an issue which has become increasingly relevant with the shift of emphasis towards active learning. The need for students to become more actively involved in the management of their own learning implies an associated need for each student to be more aware of and to increasingly draw on his or her personal resources. It is suggested that each student has a cognitive profile which, if identified early in the university career of the student, could help the individual develop his or her learning skills and strategies in the light of useful self knowledge. In the study considered here, elements of student cognitive profiles were used to inform the design of web-based interfaces to learning resources. Computer-based and self report tests for each of the above measures were administered to a group of 64 Human Computer Interaction students. The results of the study are considered and conclusions drawn on their relevance to individual approaches to learning and the design of interfaces for learning environments.

Key words:
Metacognition; Autonomous learners; Learning environments

Objectives, outcomes and activities:
Dissemination and discussion of paper and research results

Ray Webster has been involved in various forms of education for many years primarily in the field of information systems. In addition, he has worked and taught in countries such as Turkey, Israel and Malaysia. He is interested in educational information systems and human-computer interaction. His doctoral research is based in the Centre for Advanced Learning Technologies (CSALT) in the Department of Educational Research at the University of Lancaster, UK.

Contact: Ray Webster, email: r.webster@ecu.edu.au