Empowering Learners through Metcognitive Thinking, Instruction, and Design.

A perspective is presented for designing instruction in metacognition, drawing on how human beings acquire metacognitive skills and how these skills are interwoven with other thinking skills. An instructional designer must consider the dynamic and integrative nature of metacognition. Traditionally, learning theories, instructional theories, and instructional design theories are treated as distinct entities. Recent exploration of constructivism has made it seem possible to integrate learning and instructional theories. Learners, teachers, and instructional designers all need to engage themselves fully in the roles they play. Teachers need to guide, rather than control, student learning. Instructional designers must reflect on the complex relationship between learning and instruction. Learners need to be given the responsibility to direct, manage, or even design their own learning. The metacognition of teachers will enable them to perceive their instruction in a more reflective and dynamic way. Empowering teachers will empower learners. In a learning-centered environment, learners and teachers become the main actors of the learning drama. (Contains 26 references.) (SLD)