According to Art Costa, what does metacognition involve?

Metacognition involves "thinking about thinking" and reflects on strategies, making it a critical component of self-awareness in the learning process. It encompasses a learner's ability to monitor their own cognitive processes, evaluate their understanding and performance, and adjust their approach based on this reflection. This level of awareness allows students to become more effective learners, as they can identify successful strategies and areas needing improvement.

Memorization of information focuses solely on retention without the reflective aspect that metacognition requires. Understanding facts and principles is vital, but it does not address the evaluative thinking aspect intrinsic to metacognition. Planning without execution neglects the reflective component involved in assessing the effectiveness of one's learning strategy, which is key to metacognitive processes. Therefore, the emphasis on reflecting on strategies is what distinctly characterizes metacognition.