Browsing by Subject "Cognitive load"
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Item A comparison of the effects of mobile device display size and orientation, and text segmentation on learning, cognitive load, and user perception in a higher education chemistry course(2015-05) Karam, Angela Marie; Resta, Paul E.; Liu, Min; Hughes, Joan E.; Riegle-Crumb, Catherine; Matthew, EastinThis study aimed to understand the relationship between mobile device screen display size (laptops and smartphones) and text segmentation (continuous text, medium text segments, and small text segments) on learning outcomes, cognitive load, and user perception. This quantitative study occurred during the spring semester of 2015. Seven hundred and seventy-one chemistry students from a higher education university completed one of nine treatments in this 3x3 research design. Data collection took place over four class periods. The study revealed that learning outcomes were not affected by the mobile screen display size or orientation, nor was working memory. However, user perception was affected by the screen display size of the device, and results indicated that participants in the sample felt laptop screens were more acceptable for accessing the digital chemistry text than smartphone screens by a small margin. The study also found that neither learning outcomes, nor working memory was affected by the text segmentation viewed. Though user perception was generally not affected by text segmentation, the study found that for perceived ease of use, participants felt medium text segments were easier to learn from than either continuous or small test segments by a small margin. No interaction affects were found between mobile devices and text segmentation. These findings challenge the findings of some earlier studies that laptops may be better for learning than smartphones because of screen size, landscape orientation is better for learning than portrait orientation in small screen mobile devices, and meaningful text segments may be better for learning than non-meaningful, non-segmented, or overly segmented text. The results of this study suggest that customizing the design to the smartphone screen (as opposed to a one-size-fits-all approach) improves learning from smartphones, making them equal to learning from laptops in terms of learning outcomes and cognitive load, and in some cases, user perspective.Item The effects of problem-based learning scaffolds on cognitive load, problem-solving, and student performance within a multimedia-enhanced learning environment(2014-05) Horton, Lucas Robert; Liu, Min, Ed. D.Learners who are novice problem solvers often encounter difficulty when solving complex problems. One explanation for this difficulty is that the cognitive requirements of problem-solving are sufficiently high that learners easily become overwhelmed and frustrated, leading to a state known as cognitive overload in which learning is obstructed. Cognitive Load Theory is concerned with the design of instructional approaches intended to manage the cognitive load required for thinking and problem-solving tasks. Scaffolds are any kind of support that facilitates the accomplishment of a difficult task that a learner would not be able to accomplish on their own. They are potential mechanisms to support students in negotiating the potentially high cognitive load required by complex problem-solving. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of technology-based scaffolds within a problem-based learning environment known as Alien Rescue. The study investigated the impact of scaffolds on cognitive load, problem-solving behaviors, science knowledge, and student perceptions of the learning environment. Participants for this study included sixth grade students from a suburban middle school in the southwestern United States. Student classes were assigned to one of three treatment conditions: (a) a problem constraint condition in which students were guided through a problem-solving process similar to that of an expert, (b) a prompt condition in which students were provided with guiding messages during problem-solving, and (c) a control condition with no scaffolding. All conditions participated in the use of Alien Rescue for three weeks. Measures including a self-report measure of mental effort, calculated instructional efficiency scores, problem solution scores, student activity logs, and science knowledge test performance were used to evaluate students' cognitive load, problem-solving performance, problem-solving strategies, and learning gains. An open-ended questionnaire and student interviews were used to gather data on students' perceptions of the program. Results of the study indicate statistically significant differences between treatment conditions with respect to problem-solving efficiency, student problem-solving behaviors, and scientific knowledge gain. Additionally, qualitative findings highlight problematic aspects of the highly structured condition as implemented within the classroom context while also identifying components of the learning environment that were perceived as helpful and useful to participants. Teacher interviews also provided insight into classroom implementation of the program and opportunities to further enhance scaffolds to support student learning. Implications of the study from research, instructional design, and technology perspectives are discussed along with a treatment of study limitations and opportunities for further research in this area.Item Examining the experience of performance anxiety and cognitive load by medical residents in a simulation(2016-12) Ellis, Robert Williams; Schallert, Diane L.; Svinicki, Marilla D., 1946-; Carlson, Cindy; Falbo, Toni L; Taxis, Jean CMedical education increasingly incorporates simulations as a method of instruction, but further research about simulation development, use, and efficacy remains necessary. This study, which took place in a teaching hospital, surveyed medical residents on an Internal Medicine rotation about the experience of performance anxiety and cognitive load during a simulation exercise. Statistical significance was discovered in the means of self-reported performance anxiety pre- to post-simulation, and the factor of cognitive load was found to have a moderate correlation with post-simulation performance anxiety, though caution should be exercised considering the statistics owing to small sample size. A physician-faculty member and a resident nurse reported observations about the simulation exercises and the residents, highlighting questions of standardization of simulation use, the role of simulations as a curriculum component in medical education, and the importance of communication during simulation. Future areas of research are recommended for factors such as refinement of cognitive load measures, multiple cognitive load measure types, and the presence of additional factors in simulation experience such as demographic variation. Suggestions for practice include customization of simulations for specific learning environments, populations, and goals, as well as increasing emphasis on simulation for training in both medical content knowledge and social and psychological interaction.Item Solutions to cognitive (over)load in game-based learning using learning experience design for K-12 education : a review of the literature(2016-05) Xu, Peishan; Liu, Min, Ed. D.; Horton, LucasLearners especially in K-12 education often encounter learning difficulties in the context of game-based learning. One explanation accounting for such learning difficulties in game-based environments is that cognitive load is not properly managed and overload is imposed on learners’ working memory. Learning Experience Design (LX Design), as an ideal substitute compared to instructional design, has been growing to meet the requirements of game-based learning in the 21st century. Based on the development of game-based learning, various factors (e.g., content and functionality) should be weighed to facilitate an optimal learning experience. This report reviews the literature on the impact of cognitive (over)load on game-based learning based on Cognitive Load Theory (CLT). The report applies one specific User Experience Design (UX Design) model, Garrett’s Elements (Garrett, 2011) to explain how LX Design can provide solutions to learning difficulties caused by cognitive (over)load. The purpose of this report is to conduct a review of literature including empirical studies and theoretical articles from 2007 to present. The findings showed that meaningful learning experience designs for game-based learning, in which three types of cognitive load (i.e., intrinsic, extraneous and germane cognitive load) play an important role, should integrate game design with instructional design principles.