Meta-learning
A new, sustainable, and concrete way of working with children and young people's learning, well-being, and personal development.
The illiterates of the 21st century will not be those
who cannot read and write,
but those who cannot
learn, unlearn, and learn again.
– Futurist, Alvin Toffler
Nordic Meta-learning
—much more than meta-learning
Nordic Metalearning has developed universal methods and learning processes that can be used by everyone regardless of professional level, age, gender, social background, ethnicity, etc. We have experience in creating healthy and sustainable learning cultures, where children and young people like to stretch themselves for learning and thrive on challenges.
Our core areas are;
- Humanity and open-mindedness.
- Leadership and courage.
- Critical thinking and handling criticism.
- Authenticity and integrity.
- Kindness and tolerance.
- Self-reflection and self-regulation.
- Concentration and persistence.
- Commitment and empathy.
- Independence and self-confidence.
- Creativity and process-oriented thinking.
- Achievement and success.
Meta-learning at Nordisk Metalearning is;
- A new pedagogical/psychological form of leadership.
- A concrete way of working with children and young people's formation.
- A preventive and effective effort against stress, anxiety, bullying, loneliness, etc.
- A new way of working with sustainable children and youth communities.
- A new way of working with children and young people's self-confidence, unique aspects, and personal development.
- Methods that provide children and young people with learning strategies at a higher level.
- New future-oriented methods for professional staff, children, and young people
- New ways of working with the development of children and young people's critical thinking.
- New ways of working with problem—and solution—oriented learning
- Extra resources for children and young people so that they can better handle challenges
What does meta-learning mean?
Meta-learning means“to learn to learn” and it is thus about
learning at a higher level.
Meta-learning refers to the competence of learning about one’s own and others’ learning. Speaking meta about a topic applies not only to meta-learning, but also to other disciplines such as meta-cognition, which refers to thinking about thinking, or meta-communication, which refers to communication about communication. Both meta-cognition and meta-communication form a natural part of a broad knowledge base at Nordic Meta-learning.
Meta is Greek and means “behind” or “beyond”, in the sense of the level above.
Learning is a broad term that is often used in educational/psychological contexts.
What is meta-learning?
Meta-learning is about improving and optimizing learning processes, and about understanding how to learn better and more effectively. Meta-learning is about strengthening individuals’ ability to learn, adapt, and thrive in an ever-changing and complex world. It is a valuable approach that goes beyond academics
education and has wide application in both personal and professional life contexts. Here are some of the main goals of meta-learning:
Well-being and self-confidence
Meta-learning also seeks to promote well-being and confidence in the learning process. This includes managing stress, reducing performance anxiety, and developing a positive attitude towards learning.
Transfer of Learning
A central purpose of meta-learning is to promote the transfer of learning from one context to another. This means that the skills and knowledge acquired in one situation can be applied and adapted to different situations and problems.
Self-awareness
Meta-learning helps individuals become more aware of their own learning process. This includes understanding their strengths and weaknesses as learners, their learning style preferences, and their emotional responses to challenges and successes.
Improved Learning Strategy
Meta-learning is also equipping individuals with a wider range of learning strategies and techniques. This includes learning to organize and structure information, use memory-enhancing methods, and develop strategies for problem-solving and critical thinking.
Self-regulation
Meta-learning aims to help individuals regulate their own learning. This involves setting goals, monitoring progress, identifying and dealing with distractions, and continuously working toward improvement.
Lifelong Learning
Meta-learning promotes the idea of lifelong learning, where individuals become more self-driven and motivated to learn throughout their lives. This is essential in a world that is constantly evolving, where adaptability and continuous updating of skills are key to success.
Futurists emphasize meta-learning as crucial for
children and young people's learning, well-being, and education
in the 21st century.
Why is meta-learning an important competence now and in the future?
Children and young people experience ever-increasing unhappiness, and the world’s leading educational researchers, futurists, and psychologists point to Metalearning as crucial for the mental health and well-being of children and young people in the 21st century.
World Health Organisation
“Depression, anxiety and behavioral disorders are among the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents.” Read the report from the WHO here.
The National Board of Health
“The health of young people is going the wrong way”, writes the Danish Health Authority. Read the Danish Health Authority’s report on the state of health of children and young people here.
Trygfonden
“The proportion of safe Danes is falling, and insecurity is increasing. Young people in particular have a negative impact…”. Read Trygfonden’s articles on the state of health of children and young people here.
News
“Ten years ago I panicked if a student had an anxiety attack. Now it has become everyday”. Read the article from “Folkeskolen” 20 August 2023 here.
Global focus on Meta-learning as a preventive and combative effort for the well-being and development of children and young people
Meta-learning is highlighted by world organizations such as theOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Center for Curriculum Redesign (CCR) as crucial skills for children and young people to thrive in the future. Futurists and social critics report a markedly different working life for those who are children and young people today, and here the ability to master meta-learning becomes essential to succeed in the 21st century.
The conclusion of the OECD and CCR’s Project 2030 is, that meta-learning should be implemented as a new and comprehensive pedagogy in schools worldwide, because it teaches them to becomegood learnerswho can seek out knowledge, be critical, creative, reflective, and solution-oriented. At the same time, research shows that meta-learning increases children and young people’s concentration, persistence, empathy, and self-confidence, which makes them less vulnerable to life’s challenges.
Denmark's focus on meta-learning
The Danish government emphasizes meta-learning as “the code for learning”, and researchers from Denmark’s Evaluation Institute are positive about the implementation of meta-learning.
The Ministry of Education has a focus on meta-learning
We see meta-learning as "the code for learning", writes the Ministry of Education. Here you can read about how the Ministry of Education understands meta-learning as a higher level of learning, as a special ability to reflect and an extended understanding of learning.
6 researchers' evaluation of meta-learning
Denmark's Evaluation Institute EVA has evaluated the ideas behind meta-learning. Read how 6 well-known researchers understand meta-learning and what they think about teaching children and young people meta-learning.
A completely new way of thinking and working with learning
Educated teacher, 26 years of experience
I can do much more than I thought
Girl, 4th grade
Now learning has become fun
Boy, 3rd grade
Contact us
Write to us if you want to know more about meta-learning
