#45 Metacognition: the First Step to Lifelong Learning with Kayla Morehead and Emily Murphy

In this episode of Make It Mindful, Seth Fleischauer welcomes two experts in metacognition: Kayla Morehead, a researcher at Denver Public Schools, and Emily Murphy, the Senior Professional Development Lead at Nord Anglia Education. Together, they discuss the role of metacognition in education and how it can empower both students and educators to take control of their learning process.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Understanding Metacognition: Kayla explains metacognition as thinking about one’s thinking, reflecting on cognitive processes, and taking actionable steps based on that reflection. She emphasizes how this skill allows students to evaluate their learning accurately and adjust their strategies.
• Cultural Perspectives on Metacognition: Emily shares insights from her work with international schools, noting that students in different cultures, such as in the East versus the West, often exhibit varied levels of confidence in their learning abilities. She highlights how these cultural differences impact their use of metacognitive skills.
• Metacognition and Lifelong Learning: Both guests explore how metacognition supports students in becoming lifelong learners by fostering curiosity, creativity, and self-awareness. Emily explains Nord Anglia’s learner portfolio tool, which encourages students to document their reflective thinking and growth over time.

Call to Action:

Metacognition is a powerful, high-impact approach that equips students with the tools to assess their own learning and become independent, motivated learners. Explore how you can integrate metacognitive practices into your teaching, and visit the Nord Anglia and Learning Design Principles resources to dive deeper into the science behind learning.

Guest Bios:

• Kayla Morehead: A researcher specializing in metacognition and self-regulated learning, Kayla works for Denver Public Schools and contributes to learning science through publications and collaborations.
• Emily Murphy: As the Senior Professional Development Lead at Nord Anglia Education, Emily focuses on metacognitive projects to enhance 21st-century skills and learner autonomy across international schools.

Episode Links:

1. Nord Anglia Education: For more information about the work Emily Murphy and Nord Anglia are doing with metacognition and the learner portfolio tool.
   • https://www.nordangliaeducation.com
2. Learning Explorations Podcast: Emily Murphy's podcast discussing innovations in education and metacognition.
   • Available on major podcast platforms.
3. The Learning Design Principles: A free resource that includes chapters on metacognition and self-regulated learning, co-authored by Kayla Morehead.
   • https://www.pearson.com/content/dam/global-store/global/resources/efficacy/evidence-about-learning/Pearson-Learning-Design-Principles-Authentic-Learning-summary.pdf 
4. Harvard Project Zero's Thinking Routines Toolbox: https://pz.harvard.edu/thinking-routines

Host Bio:

Seth Fleischauer, founder of Banyan Global Learning, brings decades of experience in educational innovation to the Make It Mindful podcast. His work focuses on providing educational solutions for digital and cultural competencies through a global lens.