Metacognition is the awareness and regulation of your own thinking processes while learning—essentially, "thinking about thinking." Originating from developmental psychology research in the 1970s, particularly the work of John Flavell, metacognition encompasses both metacognitive knowledge (understanding how you learn) and metacognitive regulation (actively controlling your learning strategies). The planning-monitoring-evaluating cycle serves as the foundation for self-directed learning, enabling learners to become strategic, autonomous, and capable of transferring skills across contexts. Research consistently shows that metacognitive interventions produce approximately +7 months of additional academic progress (EEF, 2026), making it one of the highest-impact, lowest-cost educational strategies available.