Western Governors University (WGU) EDUC5266 D665 Learner Development and the Science of Learning Practice Exam

Metacognition is awareness of one’s own thinking and the ability to regulate it to support learning. When someone is metacognitive, they know what they understand and what they don’t, plan strategies before tackling a task, monitor their understanding as they study, and adjust approaches if progress stalls. This self-regulation—planning, monitoring, and evaluating how to learn—directly guides the learning process, helping choose effective methods (like retrieval practice, self-testing, spaced study) and decide when to review or change tactics.

Retrieval and encoding describe memory processes (pulling information from memory and getting new information into memory, respectively), while feedback refers to information about performance. These concepts are important, but they don’t capture the learner’s active awareness and regulation of thinking that drives how learning happens.