Pioneering Metacognition: Nord Anglia's Innovative Approach to Enhancing Student Learning and Well-being

With the advancement of artificial intelligence, it is more important than ever to strengthen human intelligence. Metacognition can be thought of as thinking about thinking: awareness, regulation, and strategising about your own thought processes. This means that students can be trained to understand and control their thought processes. It benefits both academics and well-being, giving students the skills and tools to engage in metacognitive strategies, leading to higher grades and happier students.
 
We are delighted to be one of 27 Nord Anglia schools around the world participating in a research project between Nord Anglia and Boston College. This project will explore the development of students' metacognitive abilities over two years, examining the links between metacognition, academic achievement, student well-being, and skill development in areas such as creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking.
 
A main focus of this pioneering research project is the use of a select group of 'thinking routines' developed by Harvard. These routines are being introduced through BIS Abu Dhabi as part of our daily pedagogy and practice. They consist of a set of questions or brief step-by-step approaches used to scaffold student thinking. We will use this approach to help children overcome challenges within a lesson and link them to Nord Anglia's Learner Ambitions, such as collaboration and compassion, allowing these skills to be transferred outside the classroom. This holistic development will help our students become 'future-ready' and develop the skills and global competencies they will need for the future.
 
During our coffee morning in April, we were delighted to be visited by Dr. Kate Erricker, the Nord Anglia Metacognition Curriculum Lead, and Emily Murphy, the Nord Anglia Senior PD Lead, to introduce and provide more information about our involvement in Nord Anglia’s Metacognition Project. During their visit, Dr. Kate and Emily conducted a parent workshop, focusing on introducing the concept of metacognition to parents and emphasising its significance in education. They provided insights into the ongoing research project and the core principles of metacognition in the classroom. Using 'thinking routines' developed by Harvard's 'Zero Thinking Project', they engaged parents in discussions about applying metacognitive strategies to daily challenges. The session sparked insightful conversations among parents, who raised important questions and contributed to enriching discussions about the implementation of metacognitive approaches to support their children's progress.
 
Additionally, during the academic year 2024/25, BIS Abu Dhabi will be one of a select group of schools engaging in an action research project with Boston College, led by Dr. Damien Bebell. This will allow us to focus on and further understand a specific area of metacognition and how we can enhance our students' learning. Our staff at BIS Abu Dhabi will actively engage in research to help find answers and explore areas of this topic which we believe will be beneficial to our school and our students.