Metacognition and peer collaboration through the L2 learner’s eyes : a mixed-method investigation across three case studies
(2026)
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- (en) This dissertation investigates how L2 learners experience metacognition and peer collaboration in French-speaking Belgian classrooms, addressing a critical gap in the literature where learners’ perspectives are often overlooked. While these skills are increasingly recognized as essential for effective language learning and professional development, they remain underrepresented in classroom practice and underexplored from the learners’ viewpoint, particularly in L2 contexts. The study is grounded in the societal and educational need for reflective, collaborative learners, as outlined in modern curricula such as the Référentiel langues modernes (2022). The research aims to uncover how learners engage with metacognitive and collaborative processes, using a mixed-method, ecological approach across three case studies. These case studies represent diverse learners in terms of age, proficiency level, and language tasks, providing complementary insights into their experiences. Data were collected through focus groups, audio recordings of group work, and written peer feedback, and analyzed using thematic analysis and descriptive statistics. The findings highlight how emotional safety, explicit scaffolding, task design, and tool complexity shape learners’ engagement with both metacognition and peer collaboration. The dissertation contributes to the field in three key ways. Theoretically, it advances frameworks on metacognitive and collaborative skills by incorporating learners’ experiences from an ecological perspective. Methodologically, it demonstrates the value of combining qualitative and quantitative methods to capture a holistic view of learners’ experiences. Practically, it offers actionable insights for educators, curriculum designers, and policymakers to foster these skills more effectively.
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Meurice, A. (2026). Metacognition and peer collaboration through the L2 learner’s eyes : a mixed-method investigation across three case studies. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/279681