2. Encourage trainees to develop a strategy (metacognition) to reflect on their own learning process. Metacognition refers to individual control over one’s thinking. Two ways that individuals engage in metacognition are monitoring and control.38 Monitoring includes identifying the problem or task, evaluating one’s own learning progress, and predicting what will occur as a result of learning. Control includes identifying the specific steps for completing a task or solving a problem, deciding how quickly or how much attention to devote to the task, and deciding how to prioritize learning. Trainees who engage in metacognition ask themselves questions such as, Why am I choosing this type of action? Do I understand the relationship between this material and my job?

What is the next step in the task? Metacognition helps trainees monitor learning and decide what content needs more energy and attention.