Assessment device of metacognition involved in a working situation

Abstract

The present study aims to highlight the relevance of elaborating an assessment device of metacognition (metaknowledge and metacognitive processes) related to a working situation using not only verbal data but also non-verbal data, especially when demands of task execution were changed. Subjects were 40 trainee waiters. Metaknowledge was assessed by interview about hypothetical recall tasks concerning lists of beverages. Then, they had to execute a simulated beverage serving task: taking the order (paired-associate recall), giving the order to the bartender (global recall), and serving it to the customers (paired-associate recall). Task demands were manipulated by table size and perceptive cues. Metacognitive processes were assessed by comparing the nature of the strategies used according to the handling demands. The results revealed that verbalized metaknowledge was related to recall performance but not with metacognitive processes used to face the task demands especially in paired-associate recall. Implications for metacognitive guidance in vocational training when demands change in the work environment are explored in the conclusion.Relevance to industryElaborating devices of metacognitive assessment is necessary to train the operators to be aware of the effect of their own cognitive limits on task execution and how to deal with them in order to maintain the same level of performance and efficiency whatever the task demands.