Socially-Shared Metacognitive Regulation in Collaborative Science Learning

Socially shared metacognitive regulation (SSMR) has substantially expanded our understanding of metacognitive regulation in collaborative learning environments, as documented in intensifying research over the past 15 years. Designing new, innovative collaborative learning environments in science fields is thriving, but more empirically grounded evidence is needed to fully understand the demands for regulation of the joint effort of all the participants to reach the intended goals in science learning. As a highly challenging disciplinary area, science offers an intriguing window to unveil metacognitive processes emerging in social contexts. This chapter discusses some conceptualization issues of social regulation of cognition found in the literature, particularly those in need of deeper understanding through empirical scrutiny. Further, through illustrations from studies—empirical evidence of social forms of metacognitive regulation in collaborative science learning, the role played by SSMR in different collaborative science learning environments is discussed. Discussed gaps in current empirical evidence offer grounds to future directions in SSMR research.