Aim and Scope

Aims

1. Advance Scholarly Understanding of Advanced Cognition

   • Deepen Insights: The journal aims to foster a richer understanding of higher-order thinking skills—including critical thinking, problem-solving, reasoning, and creativity—and their underlying metacognitive processes.
   • Integrative Synthesis: By exclusively publishing review articles (systematic reviews, meta-analyses, narrative reviews, conceptual syntheses), the journal encourages authors to integrate and critically evaluate existing literature, theories, and empirical findings.

2. Promote Methodological Rigor and Transparency

   • High Standards: The journal advocates for rigorous methodological approaches in literature reviews, emphasizing the importance of transparency, reproducibility, and the use of established protocols (e.g., PRISMA for systematic reviews).
   • Quality Benchmarks: It sets a benchmark for scholarly excellence by ensuring that each review meets high standards of clarity, methodological soundness, and critical analysis.

3. Influence Educational Practice and Policy

   • Evidence-Based Practice: The journal is committed to translating synthesized research into actionable insights for educators, policymakers, and curriculum designers.
   • Guiding Innovation: By identifying emerging trends and gaps in the literature, it aims to shape future research agendas and inform the development of interventions and educational strategies that nurture advanced cognitive skills.

4. Foster Interdisciplinary Collaboration

   • Cross-Disciplinary Dialogue: Recognizing that higher-order thinking and metacognition span multiple disciplines (such as educational psychology, cognitive science, instructional design, and neuroscience), the journal promotes interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration.
   • Diverse Perspectives: It seeks to bring together researchers from various academic backgrounds to provide comprehensive reviews that address complex, multifaceted questions.

Scope

1. Content Focus

   • Review Articles Only: The journal exclusively publishes review articles. This includes:
     • Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: Rigorous syntheses of empirical studies that quantitatively or qualitatively assess intervention outcomes, theoretical developments, and trends.
     • Narrative Reviews and Conceptual Syntheses: Integrative overviews that provide critical reflections on theoretical models, conceptual frameworks, and the evolution of higher-order thinking and metacognition research.
   • Target Topics: Areas of focus include but are not limited to:
     • Higher-Order Thinking Skills: Critical thinking, problem-solving, creative reasoning, decision-making, and innovation.
     • Metacognition: Self-regulated learning, reflective thinking, awareness and monitoring of one’s own cognition, and strategies for self-improvement.
     • Educational Contexts: K–12 education, higher education, professional and workplace training, and informal learning environments.
     • Emerging Trends: The influence of digital technologies (e.g., VR/AR, gamification, AI), cross-cultural perspectives, and neuroscience insights on advanced cognitive processes.

2. Methodological Approaches

   • Variety of Methods: The journal welcomes reviews that employ a range of methodological approaches, such as:
     • Systematic Literature Reviews: Utilizing clearly defined protocols and inclusion/exclusion criteria.
     • Meta-Analyses: Quantitatively synthesizing effect sizes and statistical outcomes across multiple studies.
     • Bibliometric Analyses: Mapping publication trends, influential authors, and research networks in the field.
     • Scoping Reviews: Providing overviews of broad research landscapes to identify gaps and opportunities for future inquiry.
     • Qualitative Meta-Syntheses: Integrating qualitative research findings to generate new theoretical insights.

3. Intended Audience

   • Researchers and Academics: Scholars in educational psychology, cognitive science, learning sciences, and related fields who are seeking integrated, high-level syntheses of the literature.
   • Educators and Curriculum Developers: Practitioners who require evidence-based strategies to foster higher-order thinking and metacognitive skills in classroom settings.
   • Policymakers and Institutional Leaders: Decision-makers interested in leveraging scholarly insights to guide policy development and educational reform.
   • Graduate Students and Emerging Scholars: Individuals seeking authoritative reviews that provide foundational knowledge and identify future research directions.

4. Interdisciplinary and Global Perspective

   • Diverse Contributions: The journal invites contributions from scholars across various disciplines and geographic regions, ensuring a broad, inclusive perspective on the phenomena of higher-order thinking and metacognition.
   • Contextual Relevance: Reviews should consider the applicability of findings in different educational and cultural contexts, thereby enriching the global discourse on advanced cognitive processes.