by James Rhem (Executive Editor, National Teaching and Learning Forum)
Some readers may know that The National Teaching and Learning FORUM has undertaken a series of residencies on campuses across the country looking at teaching and learning at a variety of institutions, and all the efforts to support and improve it. Currently I’m at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas where Mary-Ann Winkelmas is coordinator of instructional development and research.
One of the things Mary-Ann brought to Las Vegas from her previous work at the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois is something called the Transparency Project, a project carried out in collaboration with AAC&U. To my mind this approach to increasing students’ connections with and understanding of the assignments they’re given in the courses they take seems to have a lot to do with metacognition. Perhaps it’s a homely version, I’m not sure, but I think it’s something those interested in improving student performance through metacognitive awareness ought to know about. So, that’s my post for the moment. Take a look at the impressive body of research the project has already amassed, and the equally impressive results in improved student performance, and see if you don’t agree there’s a relation to metacognitive approaches, something to take note of.
Here’s a link to a page of information on the project with even more links to the research: