Reflections on Computers and Metacognition.

Current notions of metacognition merge with the predominant scientific model used in psychology, that of information processing. Metacognition is seen as a control process that governs the action of more elemental cognitive skills. Given the centrality of this notion, it is important that metacognition should be examined in detail. From the point of view of how metacognition relates to highly sophisticated computer systems in use today and in development for the future the following are discussed: (1) debugging and metacognition; (2) cognitive compatibility and learning; (3) problem definition and analyses; (4) procedures and facts; (5) process and product; and (6) tools for the mind. The perspective of this paper is that higher order languages like logo and lisp are only beginning to have an impact on the understanding of psychological processes. The whole development of computer-aided instruction, artificial intelligence, and special environments for instruction will unquestionably have profound effects on education, but its more enduring and important effect may well be increasing the understanding of cognition and learning. (PN)