What is the MetaCOG Surveys & Toolkit?
The MetaCOG Surveys & Toolkit is an interactive executive function survey tool that features two surveys:
- STRATUS (Strategy Use Survey), which highlights students’ perceptions of their use of planning, organizing, memorizing, shifting, and self-checking strategies
- ME (Motivation and Effort Survey), which helps teachers understand what motivates their students and helps them persevere, and allows students to share how much effort they put into various subjects and academic tasks
Build Students’ Self-Understanding with the MetaCOG Surveys
In addition to serving as a powerful tool for data collection in the classroom, the MetaCOG surveys help students understand themselves as learners.
Self-reflection, a key component of the MetaCOG Surveys process, is essential for students to think metacognitively, understand their strengths and challenges, and begin to plan their future strategy use. Once students complete the MetaCOG surveys and review their profiles, teachers are encouraged to build in time for independent student reflection or small-group/whole-class discussions.
Group shares on topics like strategy use and motivation can create a sense of community in the classroom. The discussions that arise from these reflections can help students build their self-understanding, which is at the heart of developing a sense of identity and belonging.
It is important to embrace students’ identities and promote self-advocacy to build better learning experiences for all students. Promoting students’ metacognition can also help them to develop the flexible mindsets needed to build positive social-emotional relationships with teachers and peers.
- Caitlin Vanderberg, M.Ed., SMARTS Associate
SMARTS Executive Function Curriculum: smarts-ef.org
Research Institute for Learning and Development: researchild.org