Avenor is part of the OECD Schools+ network, where it leads the Cognitive Engagement working group, exploring strategies to help students become more engaged and aware of their own learning process. In this context, Dr. Mihaela Stancu, Romanian Language and Literature Curriculum Leader, is conducting a research project at Avenor in collaboration with Dr. Elizabeth Hidson from the University of Sunderland, with the aim of developing metacognition in students—the ability to reflect on, analyse, and optimise the way they learn.

This project directly contributes to Avenor’s strategic goal of co-creating, by 2031, a comprehensive and flexible curriculum that is connected to the realities of a rapidly changing world.

Transformative education involves more than just acquiring information—it is a deep learning process that helps students develop autonomy, intrinsic motivation, and the ability to tackle complex real-world challenges. By integrating metacognitive strategies into teaching, this project supports students in building transferable skills that will enable them to successfully navigate the challenges of an ever-evolving global environment.

We invite you to explore this article for insights into the first phase of the research and the impact of these new approaches on the development of student autonomy, critical thinking, and active engagement in learning.

 

Author: Dr. Mihaela Stancu, Romanian Language and Literature Curriculum Leader at Avenor College

What if the most important lesson in school wasn’t a subject, but a skill—the ability to think about your own thinking? 

As part of our work leading an OECD Schools+ network of 40 schools worldwide, Avenor is investigating how to strengthen cognitive engagement in students. Our latest research focuses on metacognition, exploring how students can develop the self-awareness and strategies needed to become truly independent learners.

We’re excited to share with you the results of the first phase of this innovative research taking place in our Grade 6 classrooms. As part of our commitment to providing the very best education, our English, Romanian, and Mathematics departments have been working together to explore how we can help students become more thoughtful and independent learners.

At the heart of this project is a simple but powerful question: How can we help students think more deeply about their own learning? Research shows that when students develop metacognitive skills (such as the ability to plan, monitor and evaluate their own learning), they become more confident, more independent, and better equipped for future challenges. This is what educators call ‘metacognition’ – essentially, thinking about thinking.

Over the past term, our teachers have been exploring different ways to help students reflect on their learning:

  • In English lessons, students learn to plan and structure their writing more effectively. 
  • In Romanian, we develop students’ ability to ask deeper, more meaningful questions to enhance comprehension and discussion. 
  • In Mathematics, students reflect on their work and they have been learning to assess their own understanding and identify areas where they need more practice.

What makes this project particularly special is its rigorous research foundation. We are working closely with Dr. Elizabeth Hidson, a Research and Knowledge Exchange Fellow from the University of Sunderland in the UK to ensure our research meets high academic standards. Our research follows established frameworks, drawn from our school participation in the OECD Schools+ project, where we lead one of the six domains of the pedagogical taxonomy drawn from schools’ experiences – the Cognitive Engagement domain.

This means that not only can we be confident that what we’re doing works for our students, but we can also share our findings with other schools across Romania and internationally.

Our multilingual setting adds another fascinating dimension to this research. Studies suggest that metacognitive strategies are transferable across languages, meaning that students can apply deep learning techniques whether working in English, Romanian, or even through the language of mathematics. This insight is particularly relevant for our diverse student body and strengthens our commitment to fostering adaptable, independent learners.

Here are some key insights from the first phase of the research data:

Student Learning Habits and Metacognition Awareness

  • The questionnaire about students’ learning habits revealed that while most students acknowledge the importance of knowing how to learn (50-84.2%), many rely more on extrinsic motivation (grades) rather than intrinsic motivation (curiosity).
  • A significant percentage of students do not value and, therefore, do not actively use metacognitive tools like mind maps or mnemonic devices, but over half (50%+) engage in self-reflection and try to understand the material beyond memorization.

Disciplinary Approaches to Metacognition

  • English: Focused on planning strategies, using tools like the PEEL method and Frayer charts to help students structure their thoughts and writing. Teachers noted that while some students adopted these tools independently, others required repeated exposure and explicit modeling to internalize them.
  • Romanian: Focused on monitoring strategies, particularly through smart questioning techniques. Introducing structured questioning frameworks (e.g., Funnel questions, See-Think-Me-We) reduced the tendency for students to ask superficial questions and improved their ability to engage deeply with texts.
  • Mathematics: Emphasized evaluation strategies and self-assessment. Students were encouraged to analyze their mistakes, reflect on problem-solving approaches, and assess their learning process through guided self-evaluation questions.

Student Impact and Reflections

  • A key takeaway from the study was that some students had never previously reflected on how they learn. One student was so inspired by the process that she requested a whiteboard at home to organize her study strategies.
  • Students become more aware of their learning processes when strategies are explicitly named and explained.
  • Regular practice and multiple opportunities to use strategies are crucial for success.
  • Students can transfer learning strategies between contexts when they understand the purpose of the tools.
  • Teachers observed that explicitly naming and practicing metacognitive strategies helped students transfer them across subjects. Some students, for instance, used the PEEL structure for writing in unrelated assignments without being prompted.

Lesson Observations and Bilingual Learning Context

  • External observations (by the researcher or school senior leaders)  highlighted that structured metacognitive strategies were evident regardless of language—whether English, Romanian, or Mathematics.
  • The presence of clear frameworks allowed even non-native observers (Dr Hidson) to identify structured thinking processes, reinforcing the transferability of metacognitive strategies across disciplines and languages.

The first phase of our research represents just the beginning of our journey. We’re now moving into a second phase where we’ll be refining these approaches further, to add measurable impact. We will focus on developing more systematic implementation procedures and more precise measurement tools. These are the things that will help share good practice and build understanding when presented to other teachers inside and beyond the school.

Our goal is to develop a model of excellence that can benefit not just our own students, but be shared with schools around the world.

We believe a research-based approach to teaching and learning sets our school apart. It demonstrates our commitment not just to high-quality teaching, but to continuous improvement based on evidence. We’re building a learning community where everyone – students, teachers, and leaders – is always growing and improving.

We’re proud to be pioneering these approaches to learning, to take an evidence-based approach to improvement, and even prouder of how our students have embraced them. As we continue this journey, we’ll keep you updated on our progress and the new insights we gain along the way.