The Self-Aware, Reflective Learner: Fostering Metacognitive Awareness and Reflexivity in Undergraduates Through Service-Learning

Genejane Adarlo

This article explores how service-learning in higher education fosters metacognitive awareness and reflexivity among students by positioning education, methodology, and research as a mutually reinforcing triad. It defines metacognitive awareness as students’ ability to regulate their own thinking, and reflexivity as critical self-examination shaped by social contexts, both seen as essential twenty-first century skills. Service-learning is presented as a high-impact educational practice that challenges students to apply academic knowledge in real-world settings, confront ill-structured problems, and reflect deeply on their experiences of community engagement. This discussion emphasizes the central role of reflection in cultivating metacognitive awareness and reflexivity by using various strategies. This article also highlights how artificial intelligence can support reflection by offering personalized feedback while underscoring irreplaceable aspects of learning. Finally, it examines how service-learning must be culturally contextualized through transdisciplinary communication, especially in Asian settings, to resonate with local values and facilitate collective sense-making. Together, these aspects illustrate how thoughtfully designed service-learning can nurture self-aware, reflective learners.

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