Incorporating structured metacognitive training into an undergraduate anatomy classroom

Metacognition includes the processes that learners use to plan, monitor, and assess their learning and is tied to academic performance and growth-oriented attitudes toward learning. Learning anatomy presents challenges to learners at all levels, and for many, necessitates a change in learning strategies and metacognitive awareness. We sought to examine whether structured metacognitive training situated in an undergraduate anatomy course could improve these skills. At the beginning and end of the course, students completed the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) and several short free response questions. Individually matched pre-and post-course MAI scores were compared using paired-sample t-tests. The authors conducted a directed content analysis for the free response questions using the "knowledge of cognition" (KC) and "regulation of cognition" (RC) domains and their associated subcategories. All three KC subcategories showed statistically significant increases from pre- to post-course questionnaires. Effect sizes were small to moderate. Only two of five RC subcategories showed significant differences between pre- and post-course questionnaires: Information Management strategies and Evaluation. Directed content analysis revealed that students displayed an increase in metacognitive knowledge, particularly in the KC domain. Although RC developed for some learners, others also had insightful comments about challenges in this area-particularly regarding planning, motivation, and focus while learning independently. These results show that metacognitive training in an undergraduate anatomy course can improve students' metacognitive awareness. However, more targeted, specific strategies may be useful to develop students' metacognitive regulation.