The British International School Abu Dhabi at the Forefront of Metacognition research

BIS Abu Dhabi at the Forefront: Nord Anglia Education and Boston College Unveil Metacognition Findings

As a proud member of the Nord Anglia Education family, The British International School (BIS) Abu Dhabi is at the forefront of cutting-edge research. As one of the select pilot schools, we are benefiting from innovative studies like the recent Forbes-featured metacognition project, which aims to enhance student learning and critical thinking.

This research, conducted in collaboration with Boston College, looks at how we are integrating metacognitive practices into classrooms to transform the way students learn and adapt in today’s fast-paced world.

Recently, Nord Anglia Education released the first report from its Metacognition Research Project in partnership with the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Boston College. Titled Building Better Thinkers, this research paper outlines the two-year project’s investigation into how metacognition – the process of understanding how to learn best to be able to adapt and thrive in different situations – can help students improve their learning outcomes, both inside and outside of the classroom.

Through the study involving 27 pilot schools across 17 countries, Nord Anglia’s research is assisting students in developing their thinking processes using Thinking Routines created by Project Zero, a research centre at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. These Thinking Routines are simple strategies that allow students to think critically, understand deeply, and take ownership of their education, helping them to become more independent learners.

Aaron Regan, Year 5 teacher at BIS Abu Dhabi, reflected on the school’s adoption of metacognitive strategies: “As a school, we have embedded our learner ambitions — creativity, curiosity, compassion, collaboration, commitment, and critical thinking — into our ‘Star of the Week’ rewards to celebrate and encourage these essential qualities. Alongside this, we have implemented specific Harvard Project Zero Thinking Routines that align with these ambitions, helping students develop a deeper awareness of their growth and encouraging both holistic and academic progress.

To evaluate the impact of these strategies, we are conducting action research in partnership with Boston College, focusing on guided reading and the areas of prediction and inference. Early results indicate that students are starting to show improvement in these essential reading skills, demonstrating how these routines not only boost literacy but also contribute to the development of well-rounded, reflective learners.”

In its first year of research, the project surveyed 2,429 students in Years 3 to 9 from Nord Anglia’s pilot schools. The survey results published in Nord Anglia’s Building Better Thinkers report indicate that embedding metacognitive practices into classroom teaching and learning are supporting students’ development:

84% of students said that metacognition helps them to understand how they think and learn best.

75% of students said their independence became “better” or “much better.”

73% said their “knowledge of how they can learn” improved.

71% of students said using Project Zero Thinking Routines helped to “deepen their thinking.”

71% said their social skills improved.

More than two-thirds of students felt their creativity, curiosity, compassion, collaboration, commitment, and critical thinking improved.

Victoria Juett, Secondary Assistant Headteacher at BIS Abu Dhabi, shared her insights: “Incorporating metacognitive practices has created a more reflective, collaborative, and self-directed learning environment for our students, which aligns with our mission of delivering a world-class holistic education. Our students now feel more engaged in their learning as they notice real improvements in how they think and solve problems. They have greater self-awareness, independence, and improved social skills, which has nurtured a sense of achievement and belonging, ultimately contributing to overall well-being.”

Dr Kate Erricker, Nord Anglia’s Group Head of Education Research and Global Partnerships, said: “Metacognitive practices are transforming how our students approach their learning. By understanding and controlling their own learning processes, they can improve academically and across essential development areas. Our research underscores the importance of teaching students to understand their thinking, helping them to become more independent and effective learners.”

Dr Damian Bebell, Assistant Research Professor at Boston College, said: “Our global research partnership with Nord Anglia Education is one of the first large-scale studies of metacognition and skills development. It’s very encouraging to see the first year’s results, which will help us to further shape teaching practices and learning outcomes.”

Dr Flossie Chua, Principal Investigator at Project Zero, said: “Testing and refining metacognitive strategies in Nord Anglia’s classrooms using our Thinking Routines is at the centre of encouraging a culture of learning. We applaud this important research project and its potential to help students develop life-changing skills.”

Alan Cocker, Principal of BIS Abu Dhabi, emphasised the significance of the school’s involvement: “It’s crucial for educators to keep learning how to learn. I am thrilled that our school is taking the opportunity to pilot educational research with such esteemed partners to advance our skills in enabling students to be better learners. Our team is committed and excited to discover more and refine our already excellent practices.”

To read Nord Anglia’s research paper ‘Building Better Thinkers’, visit: https://www.nordangliaeducation.com/metacognition/building-better-thinkers.