COGNITIVE LOAD AND QUESTION ASKING – THE CASE OF PROSPECTIVE MATHEMATICS TEACHERS COPING WITH HISTORICAL TEXTS

Abstract

"In this study, we examined aspects relating to the impact of integrating question-asking activities and providing answers to these questions while reading historical mathematical texts on prospective mathematics teachers' self-reported cognitive load. The research group included two classes of 20 students each (experimental and control groups). The experimental group was instructed to ask questions while coping with the texts, whereas the control group received no special instructions. The experimental group participants were asked to think aloud while coping with the texts and audio record themselves. These recordings were transcribed into written protocols. In addition, both groups had to respond to a self-esteem index questionnaire in which they had to report the level of difficulty they experienced as an indicator of their cognitive load. The data was analyzed using quantitative and qualitative methods. Two main observations were obtained: the first is that question-asking reduces cognitive load, and the second is that question-asking supports the assimilation of new information up to a specific limit, depending on the gap between existing knowledge and new information."