Using Small-Group Discussion to Facilitate Metacognition and Reasoning

Using Small-Group Discussion to Facilitate Metacognition and Reasoning 

What is this Research About?

Group work is often utilized within classrooms to encourage student discussion and collaboration. This group work can influence students’ social metacognition, i.e. the sharing and influencing of ideas and thinking processes among individuals. Social metacognition has been linked to improved individual problem-solving skills and performance, therefore demonstrating that social metacognition has the ability to improve a student’s reasoning (the ability to provide and support an explanation for an observed phenomenon). In this study, the researchers examined undergraduate students’ group discussions to identify instances in which social metacognition and higher-quality reasoning are stimulated. 

What did the Researchers Do?

The researchers examined an upper-year cell biology course hosted at a public university in the United States. This course facilitated one breakout session weekly, which involved in-person work in groups of three. Students were tasked to solve a question problem set that included both concept and analysis questions. Out of the four groups registered for this study, only two group discussions were analyzed due to the one group missing a group member and another group having a lack of discussion throughout the session. Audio transcripts were analyzed using MaxQDA 2020 and self-verified coding schemes. 

What did the Researchers Find?

Students displayed metacognitive skills such as planning, monitoring and evaluating throughout their group discussions. Researchers noted that there was increased scientific reasoning when discussions involved students clarifying their own understanding and querying the group’s response to the problem sets. Instances such as students requesting explanations of course content or asking a fellow student to elaborate on their argument were also associated with higher reasoning. This means that students were able to better identify patterns and construct arguments when questions related to evaluation and elaboration of discussion points were posed. 
 
The reseachers identified four instances in which social metacognition and higher-quality reasoning were both stimulated. These instances are: (1) evaluative questioning – queries that determined whether the information being provided was relevant or correct, (2, 3) requesting and receiving evaluations or explanations – queries on one’s own understanding or clarification, respectively, that received explanations from peers and (4) elaborating on another’s reasoning – re-explanation or elaboration of a peer’s reasoning. In all identified situations of metacognition, it was found that reasoning was motivated when peer responses go beyond simple utterances such as “yeah”. 

→ How to Implement this Research in Your Classroom

This study examined student group discussions to determine instances in which social metacognition was supported and students displayed scientific reasoning. The researchers identified four instances in which social reasoning was displayed and prompted through metacognitive phrases that students used in their discussions. These instances involved students evaluating and elaborating on not just their own arguments, but those of their fellow students. To incorporate these instances into one’s own course group work, instructors can provide suggested targeted questions or prompts for students to follow within their discussion. By doing so, students would create opportunities for evaluation and elaboration within their group, thus promoting higher-quality reasoning. 

→  Citation

Halmo, S.M.M, Bremers, E.K., Fuller, S., & Dangremond Stanton, J. (2022). “Oh, that makes sense”: Social Metacognition in Small-Group Problem Solving. CBE – Life Sciences Education, 21(58), https:doi.org/10.1187/cbe.22-01-0009

→  Keywords

  • Group discussion
  • Metacognition
  • Social metacognition
  • Reasoning 

Creative Commons by logo This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Canada License

Snapshot Writer: Arielle Ramnath

Snapshot Publication Date: 2025

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