The Pedagogy of Self-Authorship : The Neurocognitive Impact of Science and Metacognition

This book is a deep dive into the developmental and neurocognitive impact of metacognition and its role in self-transformation. It connects the latest science on learning, neuroplasticity, and self-development with the rich history of metacognitive educational practices, creating an educational vision capable to address difficult issues faced by modern education. This vision highlights self-regulation, self-authorship, and self-transformation as the key learning goals of a free and equitable education system. This model of education is grounded in science, problem solving and is capable of addressing the needs of a neurologically diverse humanity. Interviews from experts at Program for the Advancement of Learning (PAL) are integrated with the author autobiographical account of their transformative learning experience, to provide evidence on the effectiveness of utilizing a metacognitive pedagogy in promoting transformative learning. The book concludes with a general pedagogy of metacognitive instruction that integrates the scientific method with the development of an individual's theory of mind to induce expansive personal development and achievement. This book would be of interest to educators and scholars, as well as practitioners supporting neurodivergent students and employees, neurodiversity advocates, and critical disability studies researchers. Contents List of Figures List of Tables Part I Knowledge 1 Purpose 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Forms of Discourse and Data 1.3 Forming a Theory of Mind 1.4 Social Replication 1.5 Repairing the Damage 1.6 How I Got Here 1.7 Paradox and Choice References 2 Psychobiology 2.1 Historical Perspective 2.2 Psychological and Developmental Perspectives 2.3 Development of the Self 2.4 Evolutionary Perspective 2.5 Neurological Perspectives 2.5.1 Frontal Lobe 2.5.2 Hind and Midbrain Structures 2.5.3 Stress 2.5.4 Caudate Nucleus 2.5.5 Hippocampus 2.5.6 Metamemory 2.5.7 Corpus Callosum 2.5.8 Anterior Cingulate 2.5.9 Parietal Lobes 2.6 Working Memory and Inhibition 2.7 Implications of Brain Lesions 2.7.1 Surgical Ablation 2.7.2 Split Brain and Alien Hand Syndrome 2.7.3 Synesthesia and Acquired Savant Syndrome 2.7.4 Neuroplasticity 2.7.5 Personal Resilience 2.8 Resting State and the Default Mode 2.9 The Neuron 2.9.1 Neurotransmitters 2.9.2 Single Neurons and Electrical Brain Stimulation 2.9.3 Electroencephalography 2.9.4 Mirror Neurons References 3 Information Processing 3.1 Neural Networks and Computation 3.2 The Problem of Understanding 3.3 Metaing 3.4 Problem Solving and Metaing 3.5 Meta Integration 3.6 Science and Metacognition 3.6.1 Human Development 3.6.2 Simulation Theory 3.6.3 Roots of the Scientific Method References Part II Regulation 4 Pedagogy 4.1 Entering the Field 4.2 Pedagogical Perspectives on Metacognition 4.3 The World of Work 4.4 Self-regulated Learning 4.5 My Pedagogy 4.6 Dr. Webb and the Program for the Advancement of Learning (PAL) 4.6.1 General PAL Practices References 5 Investigation 5.1 My Role as the Researcher 5.2 A Community of Support 5.3 Similarities 5.4 Findings 5.4.1 Relationship 5.4.2 Modeling 5.4.3 Institutional and Social Barriers 5.4.4 Evaluation 5.4.5 Questions 5.4.6 Pedagogy Versus Praxis 5.4.7 Psychological Versus Neurological 5.4.8 Conscious Versus Unconscious 5.4.9 Definition of Metacognition 5.5 Narrative Analysis 5.6 Managing with Metacognition References 6 Analysis 6.1 The PAL Approach 6.2 Learning Conversations 6.2.1 Structure of Learning Conversations 6.2.2 Outcomes and Objectives of Learning Conversations 6.3 Unique Solutions to Professional Development 6.4 Power of Personal Narratives References Part III Integration 7 General Theory of Metacognitive Instruction 7.1 Self-authorship 7.2 Identification and Sense Making Order 7.3 Behavior Modification and Metacognition 7.4 Metacognitive Teaching Interactions 7.5 Environmental and Emotional Impacts 7.6 Metacognition Evaluative Technique 7.7 Overview of GTMI References 8 To Be Neurodivergent References