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Wayne Leahy

Outline

• Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) brief summary • Research examples• Current research experiment and directions

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CLT

Limited cognitive capacity in working memory (our consciousness) for new or novel information (Cowan, 2001; Miller, 1956)

Less if the information is complex

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No element interaction

3 8 1

4 7 3 5 8 9

5 2 5 3 1 7 5 2 9 5 6

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element interaction

24 X 5

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24 X 5 = 120

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432 X 7

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432 X 7= 3024

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23415 X 8

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23415 X 8 = 187320

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Excessive working memory loads can be generated during performance of complex tasks eg:-

• learning maths/science/language procedures • working within ICT eg visual-spatial displays both static and

animated (reading a timetable/graph) • learning how to use a computer spreadsheet

Redesigning of instructional material

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Research

Studies in primary schools

Quantitative and some qualitative methods (verbal protocols “think alouds” / secondary task analysis)

Instructing/testing on a one to one basis

Moving on to more authentic? environments - whole class

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Conducted published research in:-

Modality effect

Expertise reversal effect

Imagination effect (type of mental rehearsal-self explanation effect)

Split attention and redundancy effects

Instructional diagrams

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Element interactivity

A B C D E F G H

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Byron

St Albans

Stanton

Dandlee

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Kent Street to Brown Street Timetable

Route Number 98 100 102 103 104 105 106 107 am am am am pm pm pm pm Bus Stop Kent St.

12.55

3.10

7.50

11.15 e

12.55

3.10 sco

7.50

11.15 e

Casey St. 1.20

3.35

8.15

1.20

3.35

8.15

Bell St. 1.45

4.00

8.45

1.45

4.00

8.45

Alt St. 2.15

4.30

9.10

pm 12.25

2.15

4.30

9.10

am 12.25

Main St. 2.35

4.50 sd

9.25

2.35

4.50 t

9.30

Beach St. 3.00

5.15

9.45

12.55

3.00 sc

9.55

12.55

White St.

3.15 5.30 10.00 1.10 3.15 10.10 1.10

Smith St.

3.20 5.35 10.05 1.15 3.20 10.15 1.15

Brown St.

4.00 6.05 10.45 1.55 sc

4.00 10.55 1.55

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60

120 140

160

180

220

180

160

120 140

200

0 1 2 3 4 1cm = 1000cm

60 140

200

A B

E

2. The formula for finding the GRADIENT ratio is: H2 – H1

d where H2 – H1 = highest height less lowest height (of 2 points) and

d = horizontal distance between the two points The resultant fraction is then inverted and expressed as a ratio 1 : X

5. This means that for every 1m of height, you are travelling 112.5m horizontally. Remember this is only the average gradient but it is useful for surveyors.

3. WORKED EXAMPLE: What is the gradient ratio between points A and B? Gradient ratio = highest height less lowest height horizontal distance between the two points

9cm (9000m)

1. GRADIENTS can be calculated using contour maps. The GRADIENT is a ratio of each metre of land covered horizontally by each metre vertical rise in the land. In the ratio, the 1st number is the vertical rise and the 2nd number is the horizontal distance. For our instructions the numbers are always expressed as a 1 to X ratio (1:X). A gradient ratio is useful if it is known that a gradient of 1m vertical rise in a 40m horizontal distance (1: 40) is too steep for a train but a car could cope with one as steep as 1: 5.

4. = 80m 9000m

then invert = 9000m 80m = 112.5 = ratio of 1:112.5

= A 140m (H1) – 60m B (H2)

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9am 10am 11am 12pm 1pm 2pm 3pm 4pm

36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25

Temperature (°C)

Time of Day

3. FIND FIRST DAY (Monday) AND READ TEMPERATURE: At 11am Monday (black line) it is 34°C.

4. FIND SECOND DAY (Tuesday) AND READ TEMPERATURE: At 11am Tuesday (red line) it is 25°C.

2. FIND TIME: On the time axis find 11am.

1. What are the temperatures on Monday and Tuesday at 11am?

LEGEND

Monday ______ Tuesday ________ Wednesday ______

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Preliminary experiment extending previous studies on modality effect. Whole class basis.

Is it best to learn by:-

1. visual only (textbox ins.) presented graphs or

2. audio/visual (no textbox) presented graphs

while using a mental rehearsal strategy?

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9am 10am 11am 12pm 1pm 2pm 3pm 4pm

36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25

Temperature (°C)

Time of Day

FIND TIME: On the time axis find 1pm.

LEGEND

Monday ______ Tuesday ________ Wednesday ______

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9am 10am 11am 12pm 1pm 2pm 3pm 4pm

36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25

Temperature (°C)

Time of Day LEGEND

Monday ______ Tuesday ________ Wednesday ______

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Methodology

Previous small pilot study (content/slide timing)

Participants: Twenty four Yr 6 randomly assigned to 2 groups of twelve

 

Both groups had a 10 minute presentation by PowerPoint

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Pre-instructions on how to mentally rehearse

Series of slides including blanks with 4 sequenced worked examples

slide - blank - slide

Mentally rehearse in blank slide time

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9am 10am 11am 12pm 1pm 2pm 3pm 4pm

36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25

Temperature (°C)

Time of Day

FIND TEMPERATURE: Follow across to the temperature axis which shows 30°C.

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24

9am 10am 11am 12pm 1pm 2pm 3pm 4pm

36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25

Temperature (°C)

Time of Day

FIND TEMPERATURE: Follow across to the temperature axis which shows 30°C.

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9am 10am 11am 12pm 1pm 2pm 3pm 4pm

36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25

Temperature (°C)

Time of Day

So at 10am it is 30°C.

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9am 10am 11am 12pm 1pm 2pm 3pm 4pm

36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25

Temperature (°C)

Time of Day

So at 10am it is 30°C.

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Instructions (worked examples) a mixture of higher and lower element interactivity content

Common pen and paper test of 15 questions (equal time)

7 tapping lower interactivity knowledge eg What temperature was it on Monday at 1pm?

8 tapping higher interactivity knowledgeeg At what time and what day was there a temperature of 34C before falling to 29C in 1 hr?

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9am 10am 11am 12pm 1pm 2pm 3pm 4pm

36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25

Temperature (°C)

Time of Day Monday ______ Tuesday ________ Wednesday_______

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Analysis of test results

(2 group X 2 element int) ANOVA with repeated measures on last factor

N = 24, n = 12

Sig. interaction F(1,22) = 10.60, p < .01

MSe = 223.76

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A/V

Visual only

010

2030

4050

6070

8090

100

pe

rce

nta

ge

sco

re

Low int

High int

RESULTS

Yr 6 Interpreting a temperature graph using a mental rehearsal strategy

58% Vis H 33% A/v L

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Visual Overall Mean: 72.9% Mean L 87.5% H 58.3% SD 11.9 25.4

  A/V Overall Mean: 61.9% Mean L 90.6% H 33.3% SD 7.7 23.0

(High) F(22)= 6.35, MSE = 589.85, p =.019

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• Before experiment hypothesis- not sure – a/v superior?

• Visual only better - auditory processing more difficult to mentally rehearse

• Auditory too long?

• Next experiment replicate and fragment sequence with shorter audio (and text) segments

• Difficult in all mental rehearsal experiments to evaluate strategy

• Collect verbal protocols

• A small sample

• Future research in the “testing effect” Mayer (2009)

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Variation on the test effect from Mayer (2009)

worked examples group

worked examples + problems group

worked examples + imagination group

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THANK YOU!

Questions or comments?