Metacognition - A Premise for a Qualitative Academic Learning

If we want that our students to practice a qualitative learning, there is a need for a change of optic in the educational process. This change involves shifting the emphasis placed on the activity of the teacher, to the activity of students, who must assume the responsibility of their own learning. In order to make such a change, a fundamental premise is represented by the development of metacognition and related competencies of the students. The metacognition is the knowledge we have about our own cognitive processes, but also its regulation and optimization. Forming and developing of such superior students’ capacity can achieve significant benefits in relation to the learning they practice: identifying strengths and vulnerabilities of cognitive style and learning style, assuming learning tasks, optimal selection of the learning strategies, according to proposed / self-proposed goals, adjusting their own learning, correct self-evaluation etc. The present study aims to search the students' opinions related to the qualitative academic learning and on the importance of the development of metacognition within it, identifying and practicing also appropriate strategies in which students can develop their metacognitive competences, as a premise of a qualitive academic learning. The target group of the research is represented by the students enrolled in the Psycho-pedagogical Training Program, the research method being a questionnaire-based survey, supplemented by a focus group.