Chapter 16: Metacognition in Distance Learning: The Nelson-Narens Framework

The purpose of this chapter is to describe the role of metacognition in distance education and more specifically, metacognition’s role in online learning as described in the Nelson and Narens framework. We define metacognition and present the current understanding of the concept as it appears in the literature. We proceed to examine the rationale for the importance of metacognitive strategies in distance and online learning. We discuss the implications of using the Nelson and Narens framework for metacognition in online learning. We conclude by developing a series of recommendations for both the implementation and further research of metacognition as it pertains to online learning.