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Teaching Mathematics and Computer Science

Vol. 23 No. 1 (2025)
Articles

Metacognition – necessities and possibilities in teaching and learning mathematics

Published:
2025-06-03
DOI Linkhttps://doi.org/10.5485/TMCS.2025.15289
Author
Johann Sjuts
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Keywords
metacognition discursivity cognitive biases mathematics lessons mathematical tasks
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Copyright (c) 2025 Johann Sjuts

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How To Cite
Selected Style: APA
Sjuts, J. . (2025). Metacognition – necessities and possibilities in teaching and learning mathematics. Teaching Mathematics and Computer Science, 23(1), 69-87. https://doi.org/10.5485/TMCS.2025.15289
Abstract

This article focuses on the design of mathematics lessons as well as on the research in mathematics didactics from the perspective that metacognition is necessary and possible.
Humans are able to self-reflect on their thoughts and actions. They are able to make themselves the subject of their thoughts and reflections. In particular, it is possible to become aware of one’s own cognition, which means the way in which one thinks about something, and thus regulate and control it. This is what the term metacognition, thinking about one’s own thinking, stands for.
Human thinking tends to biases and faults. Both are often caused by fast thinking. Certain biases occur in mathematical thinking. Overall, this makes it necessary to think slow and to reflect on one’s own thinking in a targeted manner.
The cognitive processes of thinking, learning and understanding in mathematics become more effective and successful when they are supplemented and extended by metacognitive processes. However, it depends on a specific design of the mathematics lessons and the corresponding tasks in mathematics.

Subject Classification: 97C30, 97C70, 97D40, 97D50, 97D70

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