How can assessments support students' metacognitive skills?

The inclusion of reflection prompts in assessments plays a crucial role in supporting students' metacognitive skills. Metacognition refers to the awareness and understanding of one’s own thought processes, often described as “thinking about thinking.” When assessments incorporate reflection prompts, they encourage students to think about how they approach learning, what strategies they use, and how they can improve their understanding of the material.

By prompting students to reflect on their learning experiences and assess their own understanding, they become more aware of their strengths and weaknesses. This process fosters a deeper engagement with the content, as students actively consider what methods worked for them and what didn’t. Such reflective practices not only enhance their immediate performance but also promote long-term learning and self-regulation skills, which are essential for academic success and lifelong learning.

Using only multiple-choice questions does not inherently encourage students to engage in metacognitive practices. Such formats may assess knowledge recall rather than understanding the learning process itself. A focus solely on memorization techniques limits students’ opportunities to explore deeper cognitive strategies and does not promote critical thinking. Similarly, discouraging self-assessment inhibits students' ability to evaluate their understanding and strategies, which is essential for developing metacognitive awareness. Therefore, integrating reflection prompts into assessments is a powerful