Metacognition, Self-Perception, and Self-Awareness in Children From 9 to 12 Years Old

Abstract

Metacognition is a fundamental cognitive process for learning and it is related to self-reflection. The objective of this exploratory and qualitative study was to describe children’s perception of their metacognitive strategies based on a metacognition scale. In this way,106 children aged 9 to 12 years old participated, who answered a structured questionnaire. Data analysis followed the semiotic phenomenology criteria. The results revealed five themes: (1) Joy and motivation; (2) Indecision and curiosity; (3) Know more about me; (4) Anxiety; (5) Different from what I do at school. The diversity thematic of children’s perception of their self-reflective process suggests the extent of monitoring their own thoughts, feelings and behaviors and the experience and judgment of internalized contents. It is suggested that self-reflective tasks may be included in school programs, as they allow children to re-signify their role as subjects of their own knowledge process.