Metacognitive judgments and control of study

ABSTRACT—Recent evidence indicates that people’s judg-ments of their own learning are causally related to their study behavior and not epiphenomenal. I argue here that people use these metacognitions in an effort to selectively study material in their own region of proximal learning. First they attempt to eliminate materials that are already well learned. Then they progress successively from study-ing easier to more difficult materials. Successful imple-mentation of this metacognitively guided strategy enhances learning. The necessary components are, first, that the metacognitions be accurate, and second, that the appropriate choices are implemented for study. With these parts in place, the individual is in position to effectively take control of his or her own learning. KEYWORDS—metacognition; judgments of learning; study