Thinking Converts Intent into Action: The Role of Metacognition in Japanese EFL University Students’ Engagement in E-learning

Abstract

The use of e-learning to facilitate out-of-class English learning is on the rise. However, studies have reported that a limited number of learners fully engage with it. While researchers agree that active engagement in e-learning requires higher metacognitive capacity, its nature and function have not been investigated. The present study, therefore, attempted to qualitatively analyze the metacognition of Japanese EFL university students who demonstrated better engagement in out-of-class e-learning, with a particular focus on the three types of metacognitive knowledge (i.e., person knowledge, task knowledge, and strategy knowledge) and their metacognitive activities. The results showed that successful e-learners activated task and person knowledge to develop strategic knowledge during the forethought and self-reflection phases of learning to successfully engage in e-learning. The authors suggest that students must participate in peer group sessions to collaboratively analyze the task and devise strategies to engage in e-learning before starting e-learning assignments.