Low Cognitive Engagement Research Articles

Acquisition of math knowledge in digital and non-digital game-based learning classrooms: Impact of intrinsic motivation and cognitive load

Educational games, spanning a wide spectrum from digital games to non-digital games, have been considered as promising tools to facilitate math learning. However, previous studies focused more on digital game-based learning, few compared the differences between digital and non-digital games. We conducted a quasi-experiment to examine the effects of digital and non-digital games on math knowledge acquisition, intrinsic motivation and cognitive load in Chinese classrooms. Two equivalent versions of games (digital vs non-digital) focusing on coordinate knowledge acquisition were developed, and three groups (digital game, non-digital game and traditional teaching group) were assigned. The results reveal that students in the digital game group reported significantly higher intrinsic motivation and lower intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load than non-digital game group. While non-digital game group had better knowledge acquisition performance and germane cognitive load than digital game group. Our findings suggest that affordance of game technology influences students’ motivation and cognition, causing “false” high motivation and low cognitive engagement among students. Non-digital games could serve as cost-effective alternatives to enhance math learning performance within authentic classrooms, thus providing valuable insights into establishing a resilient and sustainable game-based learning environment.

Less-proficient EFL students' use of Grammarly in writing: Behavior, cognition, and affect

This multiple case study examines less-proficient Intermediate EFL students' attitudes toward the use of Grammarly's free version in writing. The study explored the participants' behavior, cognition, and affect, aiming to provide detailed insights into their experiences and perspectives. Utilizing Zoom recordings, stimulated recall, and semi-structured interviews, the study reveals that the less-proficient learners were product-oriented in revising their writing, showing low cognitive engagement with Automated Written Corrective Feedback (AWCF). Although one participant did not fully trusted Grammarly’s accuracy, all of them accepted its suggestions quickly and uncritically. The desire to increase the scores seemed to play a significant role in their engagement with AWCF. Despite this, the study primarily highlights how inadequate linguistic knowledge posed challenges for the students in effectively utilizing the technology. Nonetheless, the students expressed overall satisfaction with Grammarly's assistance, recognizing its ability to improve their drafts. To optimize the technology's benefits for less-proficient EFL students, the study the need for providing metalinguistic knowledge and user training to enhance their language learning through its feedback.

Cross-sectional associations between sedentary time with cognitive engagement and brain volume among community-dwelling vulnerable older adults.

Vulnerable older adults tend to decrease physical activity (PA) and increase sedentary time (ST). Previous research on the associations between ST and brain volume have yielded inconsistent findings, without considering the impact of cognitive engagement (CE) on cognitive function. We aimed to examine the association between ST with CE and brain volume. A structural magnetic resonance imaging survey was conducted among community-dwelling vulnerable older adults. Brain volumetric measurements were obtained using 3T magnetic resonance imaging and pre-processed using FreeSurfer. ST with low or high CE was assessed using a 12-item questionnaire. PA was assessed by the frequency of light and moderate levels of physical exercise according to the Japanese version of the Cardiovascular Health Study criteria. Participants were categorized into a low PA group and a moderate-to-high PA group. Among 91 participants (83.1 ± 5.2 years old, 61.5% female), 26 were low PA. The overall sample and moderate-to-high PA group did not show significant positive associations with brain volume for ST with high CE. In the low PA group, isotemporal substitution models showed that replacing ST with low CE by ST with high CE was significantly associated with increased brain volume in some areas, including the rostral and caudal anterior cingulate (β = 0.486-0.618, all P < 0.05, adjusted R2 = 0.344-0.663). Our findings suggest that replacing ST with low CE by ST with high CE is positively associated with brain volume in vulnerable older adults with low PA. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 82-89.

The influencing factors of interaction and perceived value of cMOOC learners

ABSTRACT This study takes the value-based adoption model and CIE model of the learning process as the theoretical basis and combines them to explore the influencing factors and mechanisms of learners’ online interaction and perceived value. Based on the questionnaire survey data of 81 learners’ potential factors and their 45,166 real-time behavior data on the cMOOC platform, this study calculates the level of interaction and perceived value of each learner and analyzes the impact of potential factors on various interactions and perceived value through linear regression method. It was found that cMOOC learners had a higher number of low-level interactions than high-level interactions and that the perceived benefits and sacrifices for low cognitive engagement learning processes were better than those for high-level learning processes. cMOOC learners’ perceived value and its various underlying factors had no significant effect on either type of interaction, while low-level interactions had a significant positive effect on high-level interactions. cMOOC learners’ perceived benefits of the wayfinding learning process had a significant positive effect on perceived value, and the perceived costs of the operation and innovation learning processes had a significant negative effect on perceived value. The results further develop the understanding of the interaction and perceived value and its influencing factors in cMOOC.

Quantum Flipped Learning and Students’ Cognitive Engagement in Achieving Their Critical and Creative Thinking in Learning

The 21st century as the information age implies that everyone, including students, must be literate in the development and advancement of knowledge-based information and communication technology. That is, students in schools as early as possible must be invited to build 21stcentury knowledge and skills, namely 4C skills. To accommodate this, the learning model must accommodate student centered learning models, one of which is quantum flipped learning (QFL) as a substitute for direct flipped learning (DFL). The aims of this study were 1) to analyze the main and interactive effect between the QFL model vs. the DFL model and students' cognitive involvement on their critical and creative thinking in learning physics. To achieve this goal, experimental research was conducted using a post test only control group design. The population of this research is high school students of class XI SMAN 4 Singaraja, and the sample is 4 classes selected by class random technique. The research data were collected with critical thinking tests, creative thinking tests, and cognitive engagement questionnaires. The research data were analyzed using two-way multivariate analysis of variance. Hypothesis testing was carried out at a significance level of 5%. The results showed that 1) critical thinking and creative thinking of students who studied with the QFL model were higher than students who studied with the DFL model, 2) students who had high cognitive engagement showed critical thinking and creative thinking skills that were not different from students who had low cognitive engagement, 3) there is no interactive effect between the learning model and students' cognitive involvement on critical thinking and creative thinking. The implication of this research is that to achieve optimal critical thinking and creative thinking, physics learning will be better if using the QFL model, students who have low cognitive engagement to be guided and motivated in learning to be able to increase their cognitive engagement in learning, both levels of cognitive involvement students are accommodated by both models.

The effect of media multitasking on ad memory: the moderating role of program-induced engagement and brand familiarity

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of program-induced engagement on the amount of media multitasking (MM) and its subsequent impact on ad memory. It explored how brand familiarity attenuates or aggravates the detrimental effects of MM on cognitive evaluation of ads. Two lab-based experiments were conducted. The findings of the experiment were three-fold. First, the findings indicate that when the programs were affectively engaging, programs with a high level of cognitive engagement led to a lower level of overall media multitasking than programs with a low level of cognitive engagement. This occurred not only during the programs, but also during the commercial breaks. Second, the findings indicate that even in the same media multitasking situation, people who watched a program with high cognitive engagement reported a higher level of ad memory than people who watched a program with low cognitive engagement suggesting an attention spillover effect. Third, the findings suggest the possible moderating role of brand familiarity. Brands with a high level of familiarity seem to have reduced the memory deficit effect of media multitasking.

Stealth Democracy: Authoritarianism and Democratic Deliberation

In Stealth Democracy, Hibbing and Theiss-Morse seek to show that much of the American public desires “stealth democracy”--a democracy run like a business with little deliberation or public input. The authors maintain that stealth democracy beliefs are largely reasonable preferences, and the public does not want and would react negatively to a more deliberative democracy. This paper introduces an opposing “authoritarian stealth democrats thesis” that suggests that stealth democracy beliefs may be driven by authoritarianism and a variety of related orientations including poor political perspective taking and low cognitive engagement. These orientations may be ameliorated through democratic deliberation. Hypotheses are tested with survey and experimental data from deliberations with a RDD sample of 568 Pittsburgh residents and of 99 Canadian young adults. Using confirmatory factor analysis and OLS regression with cluster-robust standard errors, the paper finds that authoritarianism and related orientations strongly explain stealth democracy beliefs among deliberation participants and that deliberation significantly reduces stealth democracy beliefs and factors behind these beliefs.

Why trust an algorithm? Performance, cognition, and neurophysiology

OBJECTIVEWe measured neurophysiologic responses and task performance while participants solved mazes after choosing whether to adopt an imperfect helper algorithm. BACKGROUNDEvery day we must decide whether to trust or distrust algorithms. Will an algorithm improve our performance on a task? What if we trust it too much? METHODParticipants had to pay to use the algorithm and were aware that it offered imperfect help. We varied the information about the algorithm to assess the factors that affected adoption while measuring participants’ peripheral neurophysiology. RESULTSWe found that information about previous adoption by others had a larger effect on adoption and resulted in lower cognitive load than did information about algorithm accuracy. The neurophysiologic measurement showed that algorithm adoption without any information resulted in low cognitive engagement during the task and impaired task performance. Conversely, algorithm use after information about others’ use improved engagement and performance. CONCLUSIONBy objectively measuring cognitive load and task performance, we identified how to increase algorithm adoption while sustaining high performance by human operators. APPLICATIONAlgorithm adoption can be increased by sharing previous use information and performance improved by providing a reason to monitor the algorithm. PrecisWe collected neurophysiologic data while varying information about an algorithm that assisted participants in solving a timed and incentivized maze and found that information about prior use by others more effectively influenced adoption, reduced cognitive load, and improved performance compared to algorithm accuracy information.

The effect of acute cognitively engaging physical activity breaks on children's executive functions: Too much of a good thing?

ObjectivesAcute bouts of physical activity may have an impact on children's executive functions. However, the role played by cognitive engagement (CE) during physical activity remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of the study was to disentangle the separate and/or combined effects of physical exertion (PE) and CE, induced by classroom-based physical activity, on children's executive functions. DesignIn a 2 × 2 between-subjects experimental design, 216 children (Mage = 7.94, SD = 0.44, 49.1% girls) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions consisting of a classroom-based physical activity intervention varying in both physical exertion (high PE vs. low PE) and cognitive engagement (high CE vs. low CE). MethodsExecutive functions (updating, inhibition, shifting) were measured before and immediately after a 20-min intervention. To test whether a potential change in children's executive functions was due to the main effect of PE or CE or an interaction of both, three separate ANCOVAs were conducted. ResultsContrary to the hypotheses, there was a significant, negative effect for the CE factor in shifting. No effects were found in either updating or inhibition. No significant effects were found for either the PE factor or the interaction of PE and CE in any of the executive functions. ConclusionsThe results indicate that an acute bout of CE in classroom-based physical activity may deteriorate children's cognitive performance. These surprising results are discussed in the light of theories predicting both facilitating and deteriorating effects of cognitively engaging physical activity.

Enhancing student engagement through simulation in programming sessions

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the use of a simulator for teaching programming to foster student engagement and meaningful learning.Design/methodology/approachAn exploratory mixed-method research approach was adopted in a classroom-based environment at a UK university. A rich account of student engagement dimensions (behavioural, affective/emotional, and cognitive) was captured through descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. This was triangulated through reflective and in-depth validation of open-ended questions.FindingsResults show higher behavioural and emotional engagement in simulator-based sessions, but relatively low cognitive engagement when compared with traditional programming sessions. A strong interweaving relationship between these three dimensions is evident in both the traditional and simulator approaches. Therefore, a balanced distribution of the dimensions is recommended for effective planning and delivery of programming sessions.Research limitations/implicationsStudent engagement is multidimensional as it includes various internal and external/ecological factors. This study did not consider external factors, such as family and societal influence; it focused on the classroom-based environment.Originality/valueThis study critically examined the use of simulation as a means to foster student engagement in programming sessions. Findings suggest that a balanced activities within the three engagement dimensions can facilitate meaningful learning.

Acute Cognitively Engaging Exergame-Based Physical Activity Enhances Executive Functions in Adolescents.

The study aimed to elucidate the influence of cognitive engagement comprised in an acute bout of exergame-based physical activity on executive functions (inhibition, cognitive flexibility) in adolescents. Therefore, the level of cognitive engagement and the intensity of physical activity were systematically varied across three experimental conditions. Sixty-five healthy male adolescents (13–16 years) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (a) physical activity with high levels of cognitive engagement during active video gaming, (b) physical activity with low levels of cognitive engagement during active video gaming, (c) sedentary with low levels of cognitive engagement during passive video watching. Manipulation checks, including subjective and objective operationalizations of cognitive engagement, were applied. Executive functions were assessed before and after each condition using the D-KEFS design fluency test. Results showed that cognitive engagement, operationalized by subjects’ ratings and heart rate variability, differed between conditions. The physical activity condition with a high level of cognitive engagement resulted in significantly better performance in cognitive flexibility compared to conditions with low levels of cognitive engagement. Regarding benefits for executive functions in male adolescents, the results indicate that acute physical activity with high cognitive engagement could be more efficient than physical activity of the same intensity with low cognitive engagement. Even though further evidence is needed, these results extend previous research and suggest a methodological approach for measuring cognitive engagement.

Cognitively Engaging Chronic Physical Activity, But Not Aerobic Exercise, Affects Executive Functions in Primary School Children: A Group-Randomized Controlled Trial.

Although the positive effects of different kinds of physical activity (PA) on cognitive functioning have already been demonstrated in a variety of studies, the role of cognitive engagement in promoting children's executive functions is still unclear. The aim of the current study was therefore to investigate the effects of two qualitatively different chronic PA interventions on executive functions in primary school children. Children (N = 181) aged between 10 and 12 years were assigned to either a 6-week physical education program with a high level of physical exertion and high cognitive engagement (team games), a physical education program with high physical exertion but low cognitive engagement (aerobic exercise), or to a physical education program with both low physical exertion and low cognitive engagement (control condition). Executive functions (updating, inhibition, shifting) and aerobic fitness (multistage 20-m shuttle run test) were measured before and after the respective condition. Results revealed that both interventions (team games and aerobic exercise) have a positive impact on children's aerobic fitness (4-5% increase in estimated VO2max). Importantly, an improvement in shifting performance was found only in the team games and not in the aerobic exercise or control condition. Thus, the inclusion of cognitive engagement in PA seems to be the most promising type of chronic intervention to enhance executive functions in children, providing further evidence for the importance of the qualitative aspects of PA.

Factors influencing Malaysian ESL learners’ engagement in academic writing (in L2)

This paper examines Malaysian learners’ engagement in academic writing (AW) in a second language (L2) in a higher learning institution. A quantitative means of exploring students’ engagement was incorporated as a starting point to capture a broad cross-sectional snapshot of Malaysian learners’ engagement in academic writing and identify pertinent issues of the target population. The quantitative analysis revealed that the majority of the students were highly engaged and that they responded differently in the engagement domains (e.g., high behavioural engagement and low cognitive engagement). The subsequent exploration in the qualitative phase affirmed that the socio-historical aspects of the Malaysian context (e.g., position of English, identity conflicts, and emphasis on education) were also pertinent factors influencing student engagement in the AW class. While a psychological perspective has helped elucidate how engagement dimensions interacted in the learning process, the broader sociocultural aspects helped provide further insights into the role of contextual influences on student engagement in the AW class, and how these were driven by, and also drive motivation towards academic literacy and legitimacy.

Teaching for understanding and/or teaching for the examination in high school physics

Literature on the related notions of ‘teaching for understanding’ and ‘exemplary teaching’ tends to be interpreted as prescribing certain classroom approaches. These are usually the strategies often identified with constructivist teaching, which involve a redefinition of the teacher's role: rather than being seen as a source of knowledge and control, the teacher is described as the facilitator of a largely student‐directed search for understanding. More ‘transmissive’, teacher‐centred approaches are held to lead to poor student understanding, low cognitive engagement and rote learning. This paper reports a case study of physics teaching in a government high school in Perth, Western Australia. This case study is part of a larger project spanning 5 years and eight case investigations in Perth schools. While the pedagogical style of the teacher studied could be labelled as ‘transmissive’, we tentatively assert that his practice exemplified high‐quality physics teaching and led to high‐quality understanding on the part of the students. The study suggests that prescriptions for quality teaching must be sensitive to issues of context and content, and that further study in a variety of school contexts is required to expand our understanding of what constitutes good teaching and learning in physics.