The Shared Metacognition construct was developed in the context of research on metacognition and specifically the CoI framework. The CoI theoretical framework provided the “context to conceptually and operationally define and operationalize metacognition in a socially shared environment” (Garrison, 2017, p. 62). Shared metacognition (MC) exists at the intersection of the cognitive and teaching presence constructs and goes to the heart of a deep and meaningful educational learning experience.
Metacognition is generally accepted as consisting of two components: awareness of the inquiry process and implementation strategies (regulation). Awareness allows the learner to monitor and actively manage/regulate the inquiry process. Most importantly, in a collaborative learning environment, awareness and implementation strategies are developed through critical discourse and the requirement of participants to explain and justify one's thinking to self and others.
The approach to developing a viable metacognition construct for collaborative learning environments is to subsume self and shared regulatory functions within a single construct. The Shared Metacognition construct (Garrison & Akyol, 2015a, 2015b) reflects the dynamic dimensions of self and co-regulation each exhibiting a monitoring (awareness) and a managing (strategic action) function (see figure below).
An invaluable tool in the study and practice of shared metacognition in a community of inquiry is the Shared Metacognition Questionnaire (SMQ). The SMQ has been validated (see Garrison & Akyol, 2015a, 2015b as well as Kilis & Yildirim, 2018).
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Garrison, D. R. (2017). E-Learning in the 21st Century: A Community of Inquiry Framework for Research and Practice (3rd Edition). London: Routledge/Taylor and Francis.
Garrison, D. R., & Akyol, Z. (2015a). Toward the development of a metacognition construct for the community of inquiry framework. (Developing a shared metacognition construct and instrument: Conceptualizing and assessing metacognition in a community of inquiry.) Internet and Higher Education, 24, 66-71. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2014.10.001
Garrison, D. R., & Akyol, Z. (2015b). Corrigendum to 'Toward the development of a metacognition construct for communities of inquiry.' The Internet and Higher Education, 26, 56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2015.03.001
Kilis, S., & Yildirim, Z. (2018). Metacognition within a communities of inquiry questionnaire: Validity and reliability study of Turkish adaptation. KEFAD, 19(1), 680-690. http://kefad.ahievran.edu.tr
