Articles:Individual Differences and Cognitive Load Theory.
From unthinkMedia
Contents |
Aptitude-treatment interactions
Aptitude-Treatment Interaction (ATI) occurs when different instructional treatments, result in differential learning outcomes depending upon their specific abilities. This framework
Prior Knowledge (Expertise reversal effect)
Prior Knowledge and it subsequent Expertise reversal effect, is a major differential factor in cognitive load.
Working memory capacities are the same in experts as they are for non-experts, however experts are able to better organize their knowledge structures or chunks of information) stored in longterm memory
Research has shown that the level of a learner's prior knowledge was a critical factor that influenced the occurrence of the split-attention effect and redundancy effect (Kalyuga, Chandler, & Sweller, 1998)
Spatial Abilities
Spatial abilities include 3 basic factors
- spatial relations, the ability to mentally rotate visual images
- spatial orientation, the ability to imagine how visual images might look from a different perspective
- visualization, the ability to manipulate visual patterns and identify mental images
Spatial abilities rely heavily on working memory resource especially on its visio-spatial sketchpad (VSSP) and executive control. If a learner has high skills in spatial ability, he will use less working memory when working on a problem. This leaves more room for comprehension and transfer. High spacial ability is related to better performance when the material induces high levels of cognitive load.
Extraneous Load
Plass's experiment results show how only the high-spatial-ability learners were able to focus on the main task of comprehending the text. In contrast, the low-spatial-ability learners spent more of their cognitive resources on the low-level processing and decoding of vocabulary words and less on the comprehension of the text.
Intrinsic Load
high spatial ability: better performance when instruction that contains high levels of cognitive load, such as when it presents complex visio-spatial materials.
lower spatial ability: may not be able to process such high-load materials deeply, learners with higher spatial ability have the cognitive capacity to benefit from them.
Note: "More systematic research is needed to address the relationships among spatial abilities, cognitive load, and learning outcomes and to directly measure cognitive load as well as cognitive abilities."'
Self-Regulation Skills
Self-regulation is self-directed internal process that enables learners to engage in mindful, intentional, and thoughtful behaviors, allowing them to monitor their learning.
- higher levels of reported self-regulation was associated with higher levels of academic performance (Pintrich & de Groot, 1990)
- self-regulation strategies can be taught
