Learning's "Metacognition"

This year's Meiji Gakuin University Management Special Lecture "Innovation and Creativity" has begun. It's hard to believe it's already the eighth year. Happily, past students still drop by the classroom, join us for meals, and keep the connections alive.

Just the other day, a group of students from two years ago gathered for a lively chat. Of course, we talked about the movie "Sound of Dreams" featuring Ms. Yamazaki, a fourth-year student. But what truly delighted me—and was hugely inspiring—was seeing everyone, both working professionals and students, looking so vibrant and full of life.

Incidentally, the university now requires instructors to write detailed syllabi (detailed course plans for each subject). This year's "Writing Guide" clearly explained the rationale behind this.

Meiji Gakuin University sets its "Educational Goals" based on its founding spirit of "Christian Character Education" and its educational philosophy of "Do for Others." These goals are: "1. The ability to understand others 2. Analytical and conceptual thinking skills 3. Communication skills 4. The ability to design one's career 5. The ability to become a contributor to a coexisting society." Furthermore, my assigned subject requires students to develop four core competencies centered on "integrated learning experiences and creative thinking skills."

In the syllabus, it is essential to clearly explain how the course connects to enhancing these competencies and why it contributes to achieving the "goals." Each individual class session, as a "means," is explicitly organized under the "purpose" of the educational objectives.

I suspect universities at least 30 years ago weren't this meticulous. It was probably an era where the mindset was "It's enough if only those who get it, get it." While the burden on professors handling numerous lectures is immeasurable, detailing lesson plans and their objectives is immensely valuable, at least for the students.

Another recent trend is the promotion of "active learning" – meaning "any form of active learning that transcends passive learning, such as listening to one-way knowledge-transfer lectures."

The idea is to get students who think they understand just by listening to explain or write about what they learned in class, thereby making them realize "what they don't understand" (i.e., learning "metacognition").

Hmm, this is quite a difficult thing to do.

Since I started teaching university courses, I've consistently aimed for "interactive lectures." I memorize the faces and names of over 100 students in my classes, go out for meals together when possible, set evaluation criteria where simply attending without participating won't earn credits, and employ every other means to encourage "active participation."

But in reality, while I can share with students the state of "understanding that they don't understand," I rarely manage to guide them to the point where they "understand what they don't understand."

That makes sense. Dr. Shigeo Yamatori, a medical doctor, states: "The most crucial aspect of the psychological experience of 'understanding' lies here. It's not just about understanding; it's about understanding something specific. To understand, there must be 'something unknown.' It is precisely because 'something unknown' emerges within oneself that the mental drive to 'understand' arises" (What Does "Understanding" Mean? - The Neuroscience of Cognition, Chikuma Shinsho).

"Knowing what you don't know" is fundamentally necessary for "understanding." In other words, it is the ultimate step that all education ultimately aims for. While interactive exchanges are certainly effective, this shouldn't be something that can't be achieved even in a large lecture hall setting with a "one-way knowledge transfer lecture."

Whether in university lectures or consulting settings, the process of conveying the "image" in my mind to others, gaining their understanding, and guiding them to take action themselves is always challenging.

One thing is certain: through this experience, I myself engage in "metacognition of learning." Often, points I thought I understood become clear only when I speak about them.
May this year also be a place of good mutual learning for us all.

Please, help yourselves!