Kate Bloom, Senior Lecturer in Science Education at York St John University, has conducted new research tackling a key paradox in teacher education: although metacognitive knowledge and self-regulation are widely recognised as essential for effective teaching and learning, these skills are often assumed to develop naturally rather than through explicit instruction.

Bloom’s semi-longitudinal study followed a Year 1 cohort of 131 undergraduate student teachers, exploring how explicit teaching and guided practice within science workshops could strengthen their metacognitive awareness. Using a blended pedagogical approach that combined direct instruction with scaffolded enquiry, the research examined how student teachers developed metacognitive knowledge and self-regulation over two semesters.

The findings highlight that explicit modelling of metacognitive strategies, supported by reflective practice and structured feedback, significantly enhances student teachers’ understanding of their own learning processes. Importantly, it also prepares them to embed these strategies into their future classroom practice.

This study sheds light on a critical gap in Initial Teacher Education (ITE), emphasising the need for deliberate instruction in metacognition to ensure future teachers are equipped to foster these powerful learning skills in their students.

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