The Effectiveness of Using Metacognitive Strategies and Their Relationship to Levels of Historical Literacy Among History Department Lecturers from the Perspective of Students at the College of Education, Wasit University

Abstract

An effective lecturer must possess two fundamental aspects: one academic, focusing on specialisation through information and knowledge, and the other professional and pedagogical, focusing on educational methods using teaching strategies and approaches that help learners develop their thinking, meet their needs, and achieve their aspirations. From this perspective, it is incumbent upon the lecturer to provide distinguished education to learners by teaching them how to think, through the use of teaching strategies concerned with developing thinking and unleashing creative potential in learners. These strategies help transfer the learner from a culture of receiving information to a culture of constructing, processing, and transforming information into knowledge, represented in discovering relationships and phenomena, enabling them to transition from the stage of knowledge to the stage of metacognition, which requires reflection upon knowledge, deepening understanding and interpretation, exploring its apparent dimensions, and the necessity of using cognitive learning strategies in general.

  As for historical literacy, advanced societies have become in urgent need of lecturers who possess a sufficient degree of knowledge and skills that enable them to continue learning and dealing with life's realities. Therefore, it is essential to confront this scientific revolution by bringing the social sciences closer to students' minds, which is achieved through the culture of historical literacy. This encompasses the teaching staff member's familiarity with an appropriate degree of scientific knowledge, practical skills and applications, and positive attitudes towards their specialisation, as well as their ability to solve problems, especially as the university system has witnessed numerous developments, whether in terms of its objectives, content, or technologies, which have significantly impacted the performance of university teaching staff members.