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Evaluation of cognitive loads imposed by traditional paper‐based and innovative computer‐based instructional strategies
Author(s) -
Khalil Mohammed,
Mansour Mahmoud
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.2_supplement.8
Subject(s) - presentation (obstetrics) , mental effort , significant difference , cognitive load , cognition , computer science , point (geometry) , mathematics education , task (project management) , test (biology) , multimedia , psychology , applied psychology , simulation , medicine , mathematics , engineering , statistics , surgery , paleontology , geometry , systems engineering , neuroscience , biology
Fifty‐eight freshmen veterinary students evaluated the difference between cognitive loads imposed by paper‐based and computer‐based instructional strategies utilized to teach the anatomy of the canine skull. A 9‐point mental effort rating scale was used to measure the level of difficulties of instruction as the students were asked to indicate the amount of mental effort invested in the learning task using both paper‐based and computer‐based presentation formats. A paired t test with an alpha level of .05 was used to determine the overall mean difference between the two presentation formats. The mean difference of mental effort (1.86) between the two presentation formats was significant, t = 9.29, p=<.0001 for one‐tailed distribution. Innovative computer‐based instructional strategies consistent with cognitive load theory decrease extraneous cognitive loads when compared with traditional paper‐based instructional strategies.