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Visible Learning™
Visible Learning MetaX™
Version 1.4 – Updated February 2026

Meta-cognition strategies

Overview

  • Influence: Meta-cognition strategies
  • Domain: Student Learning Strategies
  • Sub-Domain: Meta-cognitive/self-regulated learning
  • Potential to Accelerate Student Achievement: Potential to considerably accelerate
  • Influence Definition: Meta-cognition is thinking about thinking; includes methods used to help students understand the way they learn.

Evidence

  • Number of meta-analyses: 22
  • Number of studies: 839
  • Number of students: 124,768
  • Number of effects: 1,952
  • Weighted mean effect size: 0.59
  • Robustness index: 5

Meta-Analyses

Meta-Analyses
Journal Title Author Article Name Year Published Variable Number of Studies Number of Students Number of Effects Effect Size
Educational Researcher Haller, Child & Walberg Can comprehension be taught? A quantitative synthesis of "metacognitive" studies 1988 Meta-cognitive training programs in reading 20 1,553 20 0.71
ERIC Chiu Synthesizing Metacognitive Interventions: What Training Characteristics Can Improve Reading Performance?. 1998 Meta-cognitive interventions in reading 43 3,475 123 0.67
Dissertation Fan Metacognition and comprehension: a quantitative synthesis of metacognitive strategy instruction 1993 Metacognitive training on reading comprehension 41 3,219 223 0.56
Review of Educational Research Jacob & Parkinson The Potential for School-Based Interventions That Target Executive Function to Improve Academic Achievement: A Review 2015 Executive functioning 67 15,879 67 0.63
Southeast Linguistic Journal Baek The effects of meta-cognitive strategies instruction in Korean education: Systematic review through meta-analysis. 2018 Metacognitive strategies 19 NA 19 0.79
Dissertation Fauzan The effects of metacognitive strategies on reading comprehension: A quantitative synthesis an the empirical investigation. 2003 Metacognitive strategies on comprehension 27 NA 82 0.50
Journal of Educational Psychology Greene, Cartiff, & Duke A meta-analytic review of the relationship between epistemic cognition and academic achievement 2018 Epistemic knowing 132 55,418 752 0.33
Learning and Individual Differences Yeniad, Malda, Mesman, van IJzendoorn, & Pieper Shifting ability predicts math and reading performance in children: A meta-analytical study 2013 Shifting in Math achievement 20 4,596 34 0.47
Developmental Psychology Allan, Hume, Allan, Farrington, & Lonigan Relations Between Inhibitory Control and the Development of Academic Skills in Preschool and Kindergarten: A Meta-Analysis 2014 Inhibitory control in early years 75 14,424 85 0.56
Conference paper Liu, Wang, & Yang Research on the influence of metacognitive strategies on primary and middle school students' academic performance from the perspective of technical support 2021 Meta-cognitive strategies 54 NA 106 0.02
Educational Psychology Review Muncer, Higham, Gosling, Cortese, Wood-Downie, & Hadwin A meta-analysis investigating the association between metacognition and math performance in adolescence.  2021 Metacognition and math 31 NA 31 0.80
International Journal on Studies in Education Antonio & Prudente Effectiveness of metacognitive instruction on students' science learning achievement: A meta-analysis 2022 Metacognition in science 10 NA 10 0.81
Children and Youth Services Review Lei, Chiu, Li, Wang, & Geng Computational thinking and academic achievement: A meta-analysis among students 2020 Computational thinking 34 8,946 34 0.60
Frontiers in psychology Scionti, Cavallero, Zogmaister, & Marzocchi Is cognitive training effective for improving executive functions in preschoolers? A systematic review and meta-analysis 2020 Cognitive training in executive functioning 27 NA 123 0.34
Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching Wongdaeng & Higgins Effectiveness of metacognitive interventions in tertiary EFL contexts: evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2023 Metacognitive training in EFF 29 NA 29 1.33
US-China Foreign Language Shirvan, Ghonsooly, & Fatemi The effectiveness of Strategy-Based Instruction in teaching English as a second or foreign language: A meta-analysis of experimental studies.  2016 Strategy instruction 26 NA 26 0.99
International Journal of Instruction Sercenia & Prudente Effectiveness of the metacognitive-based pedagogical intervention on mathematics achievement: A meta-analysis.  2023 Metacognitive interventions 23 NA 23 1.36
Computers in Human Behavior Yan, Peng, & Liu Optimal design feature of computer-assisted reading instruction for students with reading difficulties? A Bayesian network meta-analysis.  2024 Reducing extraneous processing in CAI 49 4,700 53 0.65
Report Eberhart, Schafer, & Bryce Are metacognition interventions in school-aged children effective? Evidence from a series of meta-analyses 2024 Metacognitive interventions 44 NA 44 0.34
Dissertation Liu Metacognitive strategy training and Chinee EFL learner's writing. 2010 Metacognitive programs on writing 11 768 11 0.77
Journal of Educational Computing Research Cheng, Zhang, Xu, Maeda, Gu The effects of computational thinking integration in STEM on students' learning performance in k-12 education: A meta-analysis.  2023 Computational thinking 21 1,327 21 0.85
Elektronik Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Akpur Metacognitive awareness and academic achievement: a meta-analysis study.  2024 Metacognitive awareness 36 10,463 36 0.82
TOTAL/AVERAGE 839 124,768 1,952 0.68
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