The level of cognitive load among students of the College of Engineering and its relationship to some variables

Abstract

In light of the nature of the methodological study of Engineering departments colleges, which is characterized by difficulty and accumulation of knowledge, the researchers stated that the students in their departments, including the computer department, suffer from difficulty in adapting and adjusting to its subjects, which generates a cognitive burden on them in all its forms as a result of the gap between preparatory school and university lectures, and this is a situation the researchers hypothesis questioning: What is the nature of the relationship between the patterns of cognitive burden and the gender variable to achieve this, the aim of the study is to identify the patterns of the level of cognitive burden among students of the College of Engineering, Computer Department, and then its relationship to the gender variable. Therefore, the importance of this study lies in giving a perception to the teaching staff of the computer department about the cognitive burdens that are generated by their students and thinking about developing solutions through modern teaching strategies. The sample of the study was (60) male and female students from the first stage in the Computer Department / College of Engineering / University of Mosul for the academic year (2022-2021). To achieve the goal of the study and answer its questions, the researchers relied on the cognitive burden scale prepared by Al feel [1] and consisting of (16) paragraphs distributed on three dimensions of the cognitive burden (intrinsic, intrusive, closely related). Using alphacronach equation. After that, the researchers applied the scale to the individuals of the study sample and then analyzed the data statistically "using the ordinal mean, the t-test for two independent samples, and the Point-Passerial correlation coefficient. The results indicated 1- The rank level of the total cognitive burden of the three dimensions for male students was (61.60%), female students (61.33%) and the sample as a whole (61.50%), which are medium levels. 2- There are no statistically significant differences at (0.05) level between the averages of the cognitive burden of male and female students in its three dimensions and the total. 3- There is no statistically significant correlation" at (0.05) level between the variables of patterns of cognitive burden as a whole and gender. In light of the results of the study, the researchers came out with a number of conclusions, as well as “presenting a number of recommendations as well as” suggesting a number of titles for