METACOGNITIVE STRATEGIES AND POSSIBILITIES FOR FUTURE RESEARCH

Basically, metacognition is composed of two central aspects, “knowledge of cognition and regulation of cognition” (Schraw, 1998, p.113), being the last characteristic, fundamental in the teaching and learning of Sciences, since it is desirable that, from the previous knowledge of the students, the possibility of rethinking it, regulating it and, thus, approaching the scientific concepts. Usually, teachers use metacognitive principles in their classes, but they often do so in an unintentional way, which precisely distinguishes a common metacognitive strategy in which, intentionally, moments for reflection and reconstruction are offered to students. Regarding the regulatory aspect, the metacognitive strategies are promising in assisting learning in science. Schraw (1998) adds that the regulation provided by metacognitive activity may be a skill to be improved with these strategies in a conscious and intentional way by the student.