TY - JOUR
T1 - Development of an instrument for measuring different types of cognitive load
AU - Leppink, Jimmie
AU - Paas, Fred
AU - Van der Vleuten, Cees P. M.
AU - Van Gog, Tamara
AU - Van Merrinboer, Jeroen J. G.
PY - 2013/12
Y1 - 2013/12
N2 - According to cognitive load theory, instructions can impose three types of cognitive load on the learner: intrinsic load, extraneous load, and germane load. Proper measurement of the different types of cognitive load can help us understand why the effectiveness and efficiency of learning environments may differ as a function of instructional formats and learner characteristics. In this article, we present a ten-item instrument for the measurement of the three types of cognitive load. Principal component analysis on data from a lecture in statistics for PhD students (n = 56) in psychology and health sciences revealed a three-component solution, consistent with the types of load that the different items were intended to measure. This solution was confirmed by a confirmatory factor analysis of data from three lectures in statistics for different cohorts of bachelor students in the social and health sciences (ns = 171, 136, and 148), and received further support from a randomized experiment with university freshmen in the health sciences (n = 58).
AB - According to cognitive load theory, instructions can impose three types of cognitive load on the learner: intrinsic load, extraneous load, and germane load. Proper measurement of the different types of cognitive load can help us understand why the effectiveness and efficiency of learning environments may differ as a function of instructional formats and learner characteristics. In this article, we present a ten-item instrument for the measurement of the three types of cognitive load. Principal component analysis on data from a lecture in statistics for PhD students (n = 56) in psychology and health sciences revealed a three-component solution, consistent with the types of load that the different items were intended to measure. This solution was confirmed by a confirmatory factor analysis of data from three lectures in statistics for different cohorts of bachelor students in the social and health sciences (ns = 171, 136, and 148), and received further support from a randomized experiment with university freshmen in the health sciences (n = 58).
KW - Cognitive load
KW - Intrinsic load
KW - Extraneous load
KW - Germane load
KW - Subjective rating scales
U2 - 10.3758/s13428-013-0334-1
DO - 10.3758/s13428-013-0334-1
M3 - Article
C2 - 23572251
SN - 1554-351X
VL - 45
SP - 1058
EP - 1072
JO - Behavior Research Methods
JF - Behavior Research Methods
IS - 4
ER -