Technology from a metacognitive perspective in studio settings in the higher education sector

Equipping students with lifelong learning skills should be an important aim of higher education as demands in the work place are rapidly changing. Reports by the Australian government indicate that adaptability and flexibility will be new skills sought after by employers. Therefore, graduates not only need to learn, but needed to learn how to learn efficiently and effectively so that they can adapt quickly. The authors suggest a combination of metacognition and the appropriate use of information technology in units adopting a studio learning model may be one solution for addressing this issue. The study examined the current use of metacognitive strategies in a studio based multimedia unit at Monash University and how these strategies could be adopted to increase learning effectiveness. The unit provides a flexible learning curriculum with students working in teams in conjunction with real clients on a range of projects which span the entire gamut of multimedia work. Every student´s learning experience is unique due to the project they are involved with and the role they play in their team. The study investigates the metacognitive aspects of learning in the unit from the perspective of staff and students. This paper suggests how information technology can support the metacognitive aspects of learning. It will also outline results from a study conducted in 2005-06, which indicated that staff and students were not sufficiently aware of the benefits of metacognitive learning. It concludes by suggesting staff and students should be informed of the benefits of metacognitive learning and that adequate practices must be employed so that metacognitive skills can be developed