Global study finds students struggling with self-management and metacognition

A new global study highlights that students worldwide are struggling with self-management, also known as metacognition, a crucial skill for planning, monitoring, and evaluating one’s own learning.

The 2025 report from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, titled “Navigating the Future: Preparing Learners to Thrive in a Changing World,” surveyed nearly 7,000 teachers and students across 150 countries.

It found that self-management is the most critical skill for future success, yet also the most difficult to teach, with 23% of teachers and 19% of students reporting challenges in developing it.

Metacognition involves setting clear goals before study, monitoring understanding during learning, and adjusting strategies when necessary.

Students who lack these skills often rely on ineffective habits like passive rereading, struggle to apply knowledge to new problems, and misjudge their own learning.

“Failing” to acquire metacognition is not due to laziness but the absence of structured instruction, the study noted.

Students rarely receive direct guidance on goal-setting, self-questioning, and reflection. Cambridge research stresses that teachers must model strategies, provide guided practice, and explicitly teach self-monitoring for students to adopt these skills.

Technology also poses challenges. While devices can aid learning, they often foster distraction and reduce attention spans.

According to the report, 88% of teachers observe declining attention among students, making it harder to cultivate focus and sustained self-control.

Psychologically safe and inclusive classrooms are essential for students to practice communication, confidence, and self-management, conditions missing in many schools.

Alongside self-management, communication and social-emotional skills remain crucial.

Yet 61% of teachers cited fear of judgment as a barrier to developing empathy and interpersonal abilities, which are increasingly vital in today’s interconnected world.

The report concludes that education systems must make “how to learn” an explicit part of curricula.

Goal-setting, retrieval checks, exam reflections, and guided practice should be incorporated, while teachers model metacognitive strategies through think-aloud demonstrations.

Short self-tests and feedback loops help students evaluate the effectiveness of study methods.

Cambridge researchers emphasize that metacognition is a low-cost, high-impact skill.

Teaching students how to learn, not just what to learn, can equip them to thrive academically, professionally, and personally in a rapidly changing global landscape.