Modern society attaches great importance to education and intelligence, viewing them as national wealth. A crucial factor in realizing a country’s potential is the spiritual health of its people, their versatile development, and the breadth and flexibility of their professional training. Additionally, the ability to create and solve non-standard problems is essential.

In modern education, special emphasis placed on cultivating an independent mind that can critically assess its capabilities and develop its potential in accordance with its own life interests and those of society.

The problem of cognitive and metacognitive skills development in education also addressed by domestic researchers (A.A. Karpov, A.A. Pligin, E.U. Savin, M.A. Kholodnaya, and others). This is because for many years, Russian education has focused on transmitting ready-made knowledge to students rather than developing their own thinking and problem-solving abilities. The shift towards a more activity-based and student-centered approach in education has led to a change in educational priorities, with a focus on the development of general academic skills and universal learning skills among pupils.^[1].

«The process of understanding modern pedagogical models of the learning process inevitably leads to reflection on the challenges and opportunities of using opportunities for developing students’ intellectual activity based on metacognitive thinking. We understand mediated intellectual activity as a multi-stage behavioral and cognitive process aimed at overcoming numerous previously unknown obstacles between vague, dynamically changing goals and conditions. This process includes cognitive, emotional, personal, and social abilities and knowledge of the decision-maker. In this context, it seems essential to analyze available research on metacognition in education»^[2].

Currently, the goals of education are focused on the development of students’ ability to set educational goals independently, design their own learning activities, monitor and evaluate their progress. The formation of cognitive and meta-cognitive strategies is a complex and multifaceted process. To understand this process, it is important to identify the characteristics of these learning activities and the factors that influence their development.

Competencies should include both general subject (meta-subject) skills, which will enable a unified educational experience. The learning process will be most effective if students understand why they are learning and how they are learning.In this process, the formation of cognitive and metacognitive strategies plays an important role. The study of these strategies has both scientific and practical value. Scientific value lies in the advancement of our understanding of the nature of creative thinking. Practical value lies in recommendations for use in educational and professional settings.

Each child is unique. In the learning process, they form their own learning experience and individual cognitive strategies based on their individual intellectual inclinations.^[3]

Many teachers, during the period of distance learning, have noticed that the success of such training directly related to the development of students’ metacognitive skills. These skills include the ability to set goals, plan their actions, analyze internal and external factors, and evaluate their progress. These skills are essential for both self-directed learning and traditional teacher-led instruction.

The introduction of new technologies requires careful consideration and further research to ensure their effectiveness in learning environments. Various technical tools used for training, such as computers, tablets, phones, and other digital devices, as well as a variety of digital educational resources, such as online courses on different learning platforms.^[4]

 Digitalization of education helps students optimize and plan the process of learning, performing some of the tasks related to the transformation and processing of information.

Metacognition, or the ability to think about thinking, is an important aspect of cognitive development. American psychologist John Flavell introduced this term in the late 1970s, who defined it as a set of skills that involve monitoring and controlling one’s cognitive processes. Metacognitive abilities include the ability to reflect on one’s thoughts and strategies, as well as to adjust and improve cognitive performance.^[5]

Metacognition consists of three main components. First, it is metacognitive knowledge — knowledge about the learning process and one’s own thinking strategies. This may be knowledge about attention span, preferred type of memory, effective learning methods, etc. Secondly, it is metacognitive regulation — the ability to control your learning process. Finally — metacognitive experience is an experience, when a person acquires in the learning process, which helps him to develop.^[6]

Thus, the development of metacognitive skills plays an important role in the educational process. Understanding these concepts and principles of metacognition can help not only students but also teachers to increase their activity, self-regulation, and learning effectiveness.

It is recommended to incorporate metacognition development strategies into curriculum and training programs, as well as conduct special training and workshops for teachers so they can successfully implement these strategies in their teaching..

Cognitive strategies include actions aimed at obtaining, searching for and fixing information; understanding and transforming information; applying and presenting information; assessing the reliability of the information received:

— Obtaining, searching, and processing information (reading text to satisfy curiosity, understanding and utilizing information presented in different formats such as text, figures, tables, and diagrams);

— Understanding and transforming information (understanding the main idea and topic of a text, dividing a text into sections, creating an outline, locating information explicitly stated in a text, and understanding information implied);

— Applying and presenting information (compiling an oral monologue on a given topic, describing an observed object using a specific algorithm, comparing objects, and searching for rules and patterns based on observations, grouping and systematizing objects).- Assessment of the credibility of information received: Using available knowledge to evaluate the credibility of available information and detecting potentially unreliable sources.

One of the most significant ways to master the aforementioned skills is to promote the autonomy of students and autonomous learning. Autonomous learners are individuals who are prepared to make responsible decisions, engage in equal dialogue, independently acquire knowledge, and actively educate themselves throughout their lives. Educational autonomy entails students’ participation in the educational process and their willingness to accept responsibility for their learning outcomes.

This approach enables us to move away from the aspects that make modern education an ineffective tool for adapting to the conditions of an industrial society, such as excessive regulation, a lack of individualized attention, a rigid system for categorizing students into groups and classes, and standardized assessments of their knowledge.

The central element in the concept of learning autonomy is metacognitive competence, specifically, the mastery of learning strategies, methods, and techniques by students. This serves as a regulatory framework for self-development, including:

— Involuntary intellectual control over information processing processes;

— Knowledge of the stages of metacognitive actions, such as assessing tasks and their solutions, assessing one’s abilities in relation to a task, presenting results;

— Mastering methods and techniques for independent learning activities, including planning tasks, controlling problem-solving stages, assessing solution effectiveness, and quality control;

— Reflection on cognitive processes;

— Justification of chosen methods, techniques, and teaching approaches;

— Inclusion of these skills in a broader understanding of the world and oneself.

The paradigm of education in Russia has changed, necessitating the development of new approaches. In particular, competence-based education has become more popular, replacing the traditional system of knowledge acquisition with a focus on developing students’ skills and abilities. This approach aims to help students become more successful in their social lives.

One of the key aspects of this new approach is the development of personal qualities such as independence, responsibility, confidence, and a fearless attitude towards failure. These qualities developed through the mastery of self-regulatory skills, which help students think and behave more effectively.

The challenge now is to find the most effective way to achieve these goals. Research (J. Kuika, L.N. Lesokhina, T.V. Nazarenko, A.A. Okuneva, and M.A. Kholodnaya) has shown that metacognitive education is one of the most promising approaches. Metacognitive techniques help students to become more aware of their own thinking processes and better control their learning.

Meta-subject (metacognitive) educational technologies and the metacognitive approach in education developed to address the problem of the disunity and isolation of different scientific disciplines, and as a result, the academic subjects.

Metacognitive educational technologies are those that form intellectual skills and enhance reflective mechanisms in learning activities, contributing to the development of meta-cognition and metacognitive abilities. In other words, these are technologies aimed at achieving personal outcomes.

Examples of metacognitive (metasubject) technologies include dialogic interaction, critical thinking development, case studies, design, research, productively reading, and developmental learning.

During their work with these technologies, students learn to:

— Form their own opinions based on their experience and ideas.

— Draw conclusions and build logical chains of reasoning.

— Express their thoughts clearly and confidently.

Educational activities using these technologies can help teachers and students make the learning process more focused and effective. It can also make the study of subjects more creative and interesting.

Experts believe that adults with well-developed metacognitive skills solve problems better and are able to think critically. They are also more motivated to learn new things and better able to manage their emotions, even in difficult situations. This can help them cope better with difficulties and conflicts.These are useful skills for a child’s development. Metacognition can help children of all ages learn more effectively and become active participants in their cognitive process, avoiding falling into the trap of false assumptions. For example, metacognitive skills can show a child that it is difficult for them to solve a geometry problem not because they don’t have the ability to do math, but because they don’t fully understand a specific topic, which is a problem that can be fixed.

Having mastered these skills, a person understands exactly how their cognition works. They are able to notice their own mistakes in thinking and perception of information and change their approach to learning. They can choose the most suitable learning strategies and methods to solve problems in a particular situation. This self-control allows them to learn faster and more efficiently, and to be more adaptable.

For example, let us say students are writing an essay on a challenging topic. It can be difficult for them. Students who do not possess metacognitive skills may become anxious and frustrated, losing confidence in their abilities, or they may even refuse to complete the task altogether. Anyone who has developed metacognition to some extent will wonder why they stuck, what affects their mood, and what they can do to move forward. For instance, a person may realize that their productivity is not sufficient for long-term goals, and decide to take breaks occasionally, or they might analyze what knowledge gaps they have that are preventing them from completing a task. In other words, such a person will not stuck on the negative thought «I can’t do this», but they will focus on «What can I do to make this work?»

Metacognitive strategies — techniques that encourage students to reflect on their own thinking while learning new concepts — can help develop these skills. This teaching method allows teachers not only to help students develop metacognitive abilities, but also to evaluate how the class is learning the material and adjust the lesson plan if necessary. Despite the proven benefits of metacognition, some researchers believe it is important not to overdo it. For example, Elizabeth Norman, a professor of the Department of Psychosocial Sciences at the University of Bergen in Norway, has studied a number of scientific papers on metacognition and drawn attention to three key aspects:

— Firstly, reflection requires time, mental strength, as well as desire and initiative. Therefore, it is advisable to stimulate the metacognitive approach only if students, whether they are children or adults, are prepared and ready for it, and have sufficient time available.

— Secondly, you should carefully select the tasks.

— Thirdly, metacognitive beliefs about one’s abilities can negatively affect psychological well-being. For instance, a person may think that they are not as talented as others, therefore cannot understand the material. This can affect their motivation to study. Similarly, erroneous beliefs and a tendency towards perfectionism can also have a negative impact. These factors should be take into account beforehand. Elizabeth Norman does not recommend giving up on metacognition. Instead, she encourages people to be aware of the potential «side effects» of using this skill. In each specific situation, she suggests asking yourself whether it is appropriate to reflect on your thinking, whether it does not lead to unnecessary comparisons with others, and whether the potential risks outweigh the actual benefits.

Metacognitive thinking is a type of intentional, planned, goal-oriented, and future-focused mental process that focuses on completing cognitive tasks. It involves three main components: knowledge of how the thinking process works, knowledge of the specific task and its requirements, and knowledge of strategies for completing the task. These strategies can include both cognitive strategies designed to help achieve goals, as well as meta-cognitive strategies that help manage the progress of cognitive efforts. The main goal of critical thinking development technology is to enhance students’ intellectual abilities, enabling them to learn independently. This involves the development of critical reflection, reflection training, and high-level cognitive and metacognitive skills. These skills are essential for self-education and allow students to engage in reflexive interaction at various stages of the learning process.

The work organized using this technology promotes reflexive interaction during both the joint goal-setting stage and the joint activities stage. During the reflection stage, students can evaluate their own performance, the methods used by the teacher, and the activities of their peers, reflecting on the learning experience to determine whether they and the teacher have achieved the desired outcomes.

Technology is a system of strategies that combines the techniques of educational work according to the type of educational activity, regardless of the specific subject content. The basic model (challenge – comprehension – reflection) sets not only a certain logic for lesson construction, but also the sequence and ways of combining specific techniques. This allows us to talk about the universal and objective nature of the proposed technology.

The advantage of this technology is its openness to other pedagogical approaches and its focus on the development of students and teachers. It helps students master various skills, such as working with information, reading thoughtfully, structure material, asking questions, posing and solving problems, writing reflectively, mastering group work methods, and conducting reasoned discussions. The technology combines well-known and new methodological techniques in a specific logic of lesson construction.

[1] Фомин, А. Е. Метакогнитивный мониторинг решения учебных задач: психологические механизмы и условия развития в образовательном процессе: дис. … докт. психол. наук. Фомин Андрей Евгеньевич. 19.00.07. – Москва, 2019. – 434 с.

[2] Мусийчук М.В., Гусева Л.Г. Метакогнитивное познание и развитие интеллектуальной активности в современных педагогических моделях // Международный журнал экспериментального образования. – 2016. – № 4-1. – С. 95-98; URL: https://expeducation.ru/ru/article/view?id=9747 (дата обращения: 11.05.2024).

[3] Холодная М.А. Психология интеллекта: парадоксы исследования. 2-е изд., перераб. и доп. – СПб.: Питер, 2002. – 272 с.

[4] Шер М.Л., Миронов Л.В. Информационно — коммуникационные технологии обучения как средство повышения эффективности и качества образования. // Трансформация смыслов образования в условиях цифровизации общества. Сборник статей Всероссийской научно-практической конференции. 2020. С. 229-234.

[5] Flavell J.H. Metacognitive Aspects of Problem Solving // The Nature of Intelligence. Hillsdale / ed. by L.B. Resnick. – N.Y., 1976.

[6] Холодная, М. А. Психология интеллекта: Парадоксы исследования: монография / М. А. Холодная. – М.: Юрайт, 2019. – 334 с.