The project based at the University of Sheffield and led by Dr Alicia Forsberg in collaboration with Dr Agnieszka Graham (Queen’s University Belfast) will focus on the development of working memory, metacognition, mind-wandering and their roles in learning.
By studying how these cognitive processes vary across individual children and developmental stages, the research aims to identify factors that can help reduce learning inequalities.
A key component of the research involves integrating metacognition—awareness of one’s own cognitive processes—into the LEVANTE framework, assessing its impact on learning success. The team also plans to develop metacognitive interventions tailored to individual learning profiles.
I’m very excited about this opportunity to join the LEVANTE network and look forward to collaborating with both local and international colleagues on this large-scale initiative aimed at understanding variability in learning and reducing learning inequalities.
Dr Alicia Forsberg
Elisabeth Knight will lead an additional, international project with colleagues Drs Hans Cabra and Andrés Pinzon (Universidad de los Andes; Colombia) and Dr Sabrina Burr (University of Sheffield), which examines the role of metacognitive strategies in students’ mathematics learning in Colombia and the UK.
The LEVANTE full cohort for 2025 includes a diverse set of new research sites in the Netherlands, UK, Germany, Argentina, Switzerland, and Canada. Each site is dedicated to investigating cognitive processes and their links to learning and development in children. The studies will utilise the LEVANTE measures alongside other cognitive assessments to explore areas such as cognitive variability, metacognition, memory, peer tutoring, and language development.
“We’re pleased to welcome the University of Sheffield to the LEVANTE network. Their expertise in metacognition and cognitive variability strengthens our shared effort to better understand the diverse ways children learn, within and across contexts and cultures. Together, we aim to build a multidisciplinary evidence base that can inform more equitable education systems worldwide.” Ana Cubillo, Global Lead Learning and Evidence, Jacobs Foundation
With large participant cohorts ranging from 150 to 6,500 children, this new phase aims to generate insights into the factors influencing cognitive and educational outcomes across diverse populations.
If you or families you know are interested in participating in child research (ages 0 -17) in the School of Psychology, you can sign up here.