Managing Cognitive Load During Complex Learning: A Study on Worked Examples and Element Interactivity

Abstract

Out of the three major constituents of cognitive load theory, intrinsic is the most crucial as it relates to difficulty of learning material. Difficulty of learning material is determined by two factors: the learner's prior knowledge and interacting elements present in the task. The proposed study investigated the role of two formats of worked examples (full and worked) in mathematical problem solving taking into account the learner's prior knowledge and difficulty of the presented material. One hundred and sixty participants were recruited for the study. The participants solved algebraic systems of equations by either using full or completion worked examples approach. Participants were identified as low-prior-knowledge learners or high-prior-knowledge learners based on their performance on the prior knowledge test, using a median split method in which the top one-third and lower one-third participants were retained, with the middle one-third excluded from final analyses. Results indicated that both low- and high-prior-knowledge learners found completion worked examples to be beneficial in solving easy problems and full worked examples in solving difficult problems. This finding is contradictory to the expertise reversal effect. Significant positive correlation was found between intrinsic and germane cognitive load while a significant negative correlation was found between extraneous and germane cognitive load. Both of these significant correlations are aligned with proposals from previous research. Results of the motivation questionnaire indicated that interest was significantly positively correlated with germane load implying that interest in the instructional domain is an important determinant in effecting germane load.