Metacognition and Einstein: An Important Lesson

Excerpt adapted from my book Estudando com a Ciência da Aprendizagem

I don't know about you, but I love watching documentaries. Although I didn't pursue a career in it, I think I would have really enjoyed being a theoretical physicist or an astrophysicist. When I was in high school, my friend and I were chosen for the physics Olympiad in a neighboring city because we had the best grades in our class – two nerds. We were honored by the invitation, excited, and scared at the same time. The truth is, our performance in the Olympiad was terrible. I remember thinking I couldn't solve any problems because I hadn't even learned a lot of formulas yet.

However, I've always thought of physics as a way to understand the mysteries of the universe. Nowadays, I'm a fan of renowned physicists like Carl Sagan, Stephen Hawking, Marie Curie, and the great Albert Einstein. Quick question: do you happen to remember his IQ? Apparently, it was 160 - the score of geniuses. Anyway, here's where I'm getting at: my wife and I watched the first season of the series "Genius," about the life of Einstein, produced by National Geographic. I became even more intrigued by the life and work of this man who many consider the greatest genius of humanity.

Albert Einstein is often cited as a great example of metacognition. Einstein was not only a brilliant physicist but also highly metacognitive - let me prove it. First, we can say he was aware of his own thinking processes and used that awareness to improve his work. The series depicts a technique he used quite well. Einstein conducted thought experiments to test and refine his theories. These thought experiments involved imagining himself in various situations and considering the consequences of different actions. By doing this, Einstein was able to gain a deeper understanding of his own thought processes and adjust his theories accordingly.

Einstein also wasn't afraid to challenge his own assumptions and beliefs. He frequently questioned the conventional wisdom of his time and looked at problems from different angles. He recognized that there were multiple ways to approach a problem and was willing to try different methods until he found the most effective one.

Being metacognitive is being just like Einstein: restless, observant, curious, and creative about our own learning. The series shows how he challenged his teachers when he didn't think he would learn much from the methods they used. Be careful not to do the same without any justification!

So, we can think of the concept of metacognition from the perspective of the two phrases most associated with it:

Thinking about thinking

Learning to learn

Metacognition isn't just about thinking about how we learn or questioning whether the way we study is the best or most appropriate for us. Metacognition should lead to action.

In simple terms, having metacognitive knowledge involves our understanding of how we learn and includes knowledge of task demands, our skills and limitations, and effective learning strategies. Metacognitive experiences involve our awareness of our thought processes and emotions during the learning process. Metacognitive control strategies are the actions we take to manage our learning, such as planning and organizing learning activities, monitoring our progress, and making adjustments to our learning strategies.

Tips on metacognition:

1. Evaluate the task:

Before starting a task, assess the instructions and task requirements. For example, if you need to write an essay, make sure you understand the question being asked and what is expected in your response.

2. Assess your skills:

Make a realistic assessment of your abilities and limitations. For example, if you know you have difficulty with math, you'll probably need more time to study for a math test than for a literature test.

3. Use effective learning strategies:

Start with the strategies from this book! But never rely solely on one book or one author. This applies to me as well.

4. Monitor your progress:

Keep an eye on your process and make adjustments to your learning strategies when necessary. For example, if you're studying for a test and realize you're not retaining the information, you may need different materials or a break.

5. Reflect on the learning process:

Reflect and identify what worked and what didn't. One example is reviewing the things you got right and wrong on a particular quiz and thinking about how to learn from it.

The next tips come (in)directly from the brightest mind – that of Albert Einstein:

6. Conduct thought experiments:

Imagine different scenarios for the things you're studying and ask many "what if?" questions to recalibrate your thoughts.

7. Challenge your beliefs:

When you're convinced that the strategies you're using are working well, think again. Demand evidence from yourself to check the results. Be Socratic!

8. Explain it to a child:

It's said - although not surely - that one of Einstein's most famous quotes was, "If you can't explain it to a six-year-old, you don't understand it yourself." To test how much you know about learning strategies or biology, pretend you're explaining it to a six-year-old child.

I'd like to add a final tip. Sometimes you'll be told by someone that you're doing things wrong or that you got things wrong. Don't reject their feedback, even if it's pure criticism based on faulty assumptions. You can and should reflect on that and ask yourself why they might think that way. It's definitely an interesting exercise and it can help you with your blind spots. However, not everything you'll hear from anyone will be fruitful. Einstein was told by many of his colleagues that his ideas were crazy and that he should stay away from projects and people close to his heart. He had many flaws as a human being and as a professional. He was skeptical about quantum mechanics discoveries. But in the end, his convictions, and passion for learning and discovery, led this metacognitive man to a privileged place in the halls of history and science.