The Taxonomy of Metacognition

Book excerpt: Metacognition is a complex construct which is fundamental to learning. Its complex, fuzzy and multifaceted nature has often led to its colloquial application in research, resulting in studies that fail to identify its theoretical foundation or elements. In response to this, the research community continues to call for a comprehensive understanding of the construct of metacognition. This book is a response to this call for clarity. Pina Tarricone provides a theoretical study of the construct of metacognition in terms of psychological theory. The first part of the book analyses the relationship between reflection and metacognition, and the second part goes on to analyse the construct of metamemory as the foundation of metacognition. The third and final part of the book analyses the construct of metacognition to present the final conceptual framework of metacognition and the taxonomy of metacognition. This framework builds a picture and a nexus of the construct through visual links to the related concepts that contribute to what is known as metacognition. The Taxonomy of Metacognition provides a comprehensive representation and categorisation of all of the terms, concepts, categories, supercategories, subcategories and elements of metacognition. It clarifies the construct so that researchers and teachers can develop a better understanding of it. This important and broad ranging contribution can be applied to many related areas, by researchers, psychologists, teachers and any profession interested in psychological learning processes.