Think

Students learn best when they think about what they are doing. More beneficial than just “doing” alone, getting feedback, learning with others, and reflecting on the process of learning helps students succeed. This category of principles refers to the input students must receive throughout the process of learning—whether from the instructor, their peers, or themselves—in order to grow and improve. 

The Principles

• Formative Feedback: Students learn better when they receive input that helps them gauge and improve their performance. Formative feedback helps students understand their own progress and what they need to do in order to successfully achieve the intended learning objectives.

• Social Learning: Students learn better when they are exposed to different perspectives by working with others. Social learning provides a forum for cognitive processing, receiving feedback, and building community.

• Metacognition: Students learn better when they are aware of their own knowledge, thinking, and learning processes. This “thinking about thinking” helps students understand their own learning, choose strategies that will lead to success, and transfer learning to new contexts with greater confidence and control.

Application in Learning Design

• Use text or video to proactively provide explanations about common misconceptions and why the correct answer is different. 

• Provide students with clear guidelines and criteria for how they should evaluate peers so that peer-to-peer review activities are constructive and positive experiences. 

• Use discussions and informal chats as a way to increase a sense of belonging in the student learning experience. 

• Provide formative feedback early and often to help students evaluate their own knowledge and skills and understand their own strengths and weaknesses.

• Use reflective journals and “exam wrappers” (quick questionnaires students must complete when they receive their graded exam) to prompt students to reflect on the success of their study habits and evaluate their progress in learning.