Metacognitive and mediated learning in visually impaired

Abstract

In the educational paradigm, current transformations focus on the transition from the traditional learning to an interactive and in-depth learning. It requires redefining the concept of learning, meeting the current needs of the knowledge of the society and restructuring approaches to knowledge in academic disciplines. Effective learning is possible when a person understands his or her cognitive performances. Metacognitive knowledge relates to what individuals know about their own cognition and includes knowledge or beliefs about what factors and variables act and interact to influence in some way the course and results of approach to knowledge. In general cognition refers to metacognitive activities that help control their own thinking and learning. Visual impairment has an effect on the development of cognition which includes many areas such as training concepts about the world and objects, memory, thinking, problem solving and creativity. Thus, the present study focuses on the metacognitive strategies along with the mediated learning used for the visually impaired individuals to improve learning. The qualitative study has used exploratory research design including 13 visually impaired school population and 7 educators. A semi-structured interview protocol was developed and participants were asked about the mediated learning principles that are administered in special education and how it helps the students to improve their metacognition.