Articles:Direct measurement of cognitive load in multimedia learning
From unthinkMedia
This article discusses different methods of assessing cognitive load in multimedia learning. Typically, these measurement of cognitive load are usually done via indirect and subjective methods.
reducing extraneous cognitive load & increasing germane cognitive load:
- using worked examples
- goal-free activities
- strategies of imagining
- completion effect
- modality effect
- redundancy effect
Contents |
Measurements
Indirect, subjective measures.
Self-reported invested mental effort
Direct, subjective measures
Self reported stress level
Indirect, objective measures
- Physiology measures
- Behavior mesures
- Learning outcome measures
Direct, objective measures
- Self-reported difficulty of materials
- Brain activity measures (fMRI)
- Dual-task performance
Dual-task Measurement
- In this there is an additional task intentionally added to the primary task to intentionally increase load
- The dependent variable of interest is the performance in the primary task, which should decrease in a dual-task condition compared to a single-task condition.
- The additional task is used to measure the memory load induced by a primary task.
- Here, the performance in the secondary task is the variable of interest. If different variants of a primary task induce different amounts of memory load, then the performance in the secondary task will vary accordingly.
Advantages
- could measure real time since primary and secondary tasks are attended to at the same time,
- Note that rating scales of mental effort, for example, can only be reasonably applied after the task execution.
- It is possible to identify in which of the process steps the cognitive load is imposed by using different secondary tasks that are linked to different process steps of information processing, such as perception, preprocessing in one of the slave systems, or information integration.
- Measuring the load induced by different design variants of multimedia instruction for the same learner makes the load measurement independent from individual differences, such as abilities, interest, or prior knowledge, that are known
to affect learning outcomes in between-subjects designs.
Interesting Quotes
“The same learning material can induce different amounts of memory load when different instructional strategies and designs are used for its presentation, because the different cognitive tasks required by these strategies and designs are likely to result in varying amounts of extraneous and germane load” (p.54).
“Reaction time in a secondary monitoring task is a valid measure of cognitive load induced by the multimedia instruction serving as primary task” (Verwey & Veltman, 1996; Wickens, 1984). (p.57).
“The dual-task method of measuring cognitive load for multimedia learning represents a promising alternative to existing methods. The most important benefit of this method is that it is able to measure cognitive load without relying on subjective self-reported data, indirect performance measures, or behavioral or physiological measures that have only an indirect causal link to cognitive load and that may, therefore, be affected by other factors. Instead, it provides, similar to brain activation measures, a direct way to measure cognitive load. In comparison to other methods, such as neuroimaging techniques, heart rate measures, or eye tracking, the technical apparatus required for this method is minimal and easily implemented” (p.59).
