Can the Cognitive Load Teachers Put on Students Affect Learning Opportunities? (Poster 50)

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Eight
  In Poster Session: 2023 AERA Undergraduate Fellows Research Poster Fair

Abstract

Cognitive load is the amount of work put on an individual to perform a certain task. In learning environments such as classrooms, the cognitive load put on a student influences their engagement and will likely affect how much they gain from any given assignment. We hypothesize that a moderate level of cognitive load will be linked to more positive learning opportunities for students. To test this, a novel rubric assessing cognitive load has been developed, where I will introduce six criteria ranging from generation level to, i.e., signaling provided, and discuss the reliability and validity of this rubric. Analyses will be conducted on N=210 math assignments gathered from the AIR Deeper Learning Schools. The cognitive load put onto a student by a teacher is something often viewed through a lens of subjectivity, with no tools to accurately assess the extent of the load assigned. Successful development of this rubric will introduce a new tool to measure the cognitive load put on students from an objective perspective. Understanding cognitive load will help educators and researchers alike find how little or how much cognitive load their assignment might be putting on learners. This assessment will hopefully encourage how educators to create equitable, effective learning opportunities. An assignment that is too high or too low in cognitive load can negatively affect students’ performance. We discuss the development of the rubric and prospective efforts for educators and researchers alike to utilize it.

Author

• Marina Campbell, Thomas Jefferson University
  Presenting Author