Mindful Tutors, Embodied Writers: Positioning Mindfulness Meditation as a Writing Strategy to Optimize Cognitive Load and Potentialize Writing Center Tutors' Supportive Roles

In this article, I examine the potential that mindfulness meditation has to re-frame and expand the affective, supportive roles of writing center tutors. I argue that those of us working in writing centers can fully potentialize a tutor’s affective, supportive role and optimize a student’s cognitive load by incorporating mindfulness meditation as a stress-reducing strategy into writing center practices. Using Cognitive Load Theory as a lens, I establish how we might expand our understanding of the available mental space that tutors and tutees have to work, write, and learn in writing center sessions. Because mindfulness meditation has numerous cognitive benefits, I position that practice as a writing and stressreducing strategy that both tutors and tutees can use during and after their writing center sessions.University Writing Cente

Technology-enhanced mathematics learning: a perspective from cognitive load theory

Cognitive load theory is an instructional theory used to guide the design of effective instruction. The cognitive architecture that underpins cognitive load theory can be described by five principles, essential components that form the basis of many well-tested and well-known cognitive load effects. One of these documented effects, the worked example effect, indicates that showing novices worked solutions rather than asking them to generate solutions could facilitate learning by reducing levels of cognitive load. This paper will demonstrate how the worked example effect can be used in designing interactive podcasts to improve mathematics skills

Learning in complex tasks: A comparison of cognitvie load and dual space theories.

Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) and Dual Space Theory (DST) offer differing accounts of learning in complex settings. CLT argues that reducing processing demands on working memory (i.e. reducing cognitive load) will facilitate learning. Conversely, DST suggests that learning is improved by encouraging learners to focus on task rules (rule space search) rather than task instances (instance space search). Despite these differences, CLT researchers have proposed that the theories are complementary, suggesting that rule space search is contingent on low cognitive load. Three studies were conducted to examine this proposal with particular focus on the goal free effect. Study 1 trained participants on a complex task under conditions of high or low rule space search with cognitive load held constant. Results indicated that the high rule space search group acquired greater knowledge despite equivalent cognitive load between the groups. However, results may have been confounded by motivational differences. Study 2 manipulated rule space search and cognitive load in a 2 (goal type) x 2 (information level) between-subjects design. Manipulations were intended to create conditions where cognitive load and rule space search were both high or low, contrary to their proposed dependence. Results however were mixed. Whilst cognitive load and rule space search were unrelated in between-group comparisons, they were negatively related overall, consistent with CLT’s proposal. Study 3 refined the previous 2 x 2 design to clarify these findings. Results indicated that groups encouraged to search rule space did so independently of cognitive load, though results were not entirely consistent with either theory. Taken together, results tentatively suggest that cognitive load does not influence rule space search in all situations. The theories may therefore be independent explanations of learning in complex settings

Learning in complex tasks: A comparison of cognitvie load and dual space theories.

Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) and Dual Space Theory (DST) offer differing accounts of learning in complex settings. CLT argues that reducing processing demands on working memory (i.e. reducing cognitive load) will facilitate learning. Conversely, DST suggests that learning is improved by encouraging learners to focus on task rules (rule space search) rather than task instances (instance space search). Despite these differences, CLT researchers have proposed that the theories are complementary, suggesting that rule space search is contingent on low cognitive load. Three studies were conducted to examine this proposal with particular focus on the goal free effect. Study 1 trained participants on a complex task under conditions of high or low rule space search with cognitive load held constant. Results indicated that the high rule space search group acquired greater knowledge despite equivalent cognitive load between the groups. However, results may have been confounded by motivational differences. Study 2 manipulated rule space search and cognitive load in a 2 (goal type) x 2 (information level) between-subjects design. Manipulations were intended to create conditions where cognitive load and rule space search were both high or low, contrary to their proposed dependence. Results however were mixed. Whilst cognitive load and rule space search were unrelated in between-group comparisons, they were negatively related overall, consistent with CLT’s proposal. Study 3 refined the previous 2 x 2 design to clarify these findings. Results indicated that groups encouraged to search rule space did so independently of cognitive load, though results were not entirely consistent with either theory. Taken together, results tentatively suggest that cognitive load does not influence rule space search in all situations. The theories may therefore be independent explanations of learning in complex settings

Cognitive Load in Asynchronous Discussions of an Online Undergraduate Stem Course

Purpose – As online course enrollments increase; it is important to understand how common course features influence students’ behaviors and performance. Asynchronous online courses often include a discussion forum to promote community through interaction between students and instructors. Students interact both socially and cognitively; instructors’ engagement often demonstrates social or teaching presence. Students’ engagement in the discussions introduces both intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load. The purpose of this study is to validate an instrument for measuring cognitive load in asynchronous online discussions. Design/methodology/approach – This study presents the validation of the NASA-TLX instrument for measuring cognitive load in asynchronous online discussions in an introductory physics course. Findings – The instrument demonstrated reliability for a model with four subscales for all five discrete tasks. This study is foundational for future work that aims at testing the efficacy of interventions and reducing extraneous cognitive load in asynchronous online discussions. Research limitations/implications – Nonresponse error due to the unincentivized, voluntary nature of the survey introduces a sample-related limitation. Practical implications – This study provides a strong foundation for future research focused on testing the effects of interventions aimed at reducing extraneous cognitive load in asynchronous online discussions. Originality/value – This is a novel application of the NASA-TLX instrument for measuring cognitive load in asynchronous online discussions

The Influence of Cognitive Load on Infotec Students Participating in Online Learning

The theory of cognitive load has been developed to help educators, instructional designers, and developers of e-learning curriculum and materials, anticipate learning outcomes by fully understanding the cognitive capabilities and limitations of the learner. The theory is broad enough to be used in many educational environments because the focus is on making learning as effective and efficient as possible in regards to the human brain’s ability to process information. By reducing the complexity of the information to be learned and the manipulatives used to produce understanding, the curriculum developer can focus their energies on producing lessons that are streamlined and geared to the way the human mind works best. Infotec, a computer training facility in Virginia Beach, Virginia has historically offered classes in a traditional face-to-face format. More recently, they have converted many of their classes into web only curriculum. After conducting these web-based courses they found that student’s success rates and certification test scores had dropped. The purpose of this study was to determine whether this format change had increased the cognitive load on the learner and to develop techniques which can be used to reduce cognitive load. The study divided students into three classroom environments; (Group I) traditional face-to-face, (Group II) web-based with e-book, and (Group III) web-based with e-book and dual computer monitors. The identical curriculum was delivered to all three groups. Traditional methods of reducing cognitive load such as using “worked examples” and reducing the redundancy of materials seemed to have a similar ameliorative effect on all groups. Methods for reducing split attention cognitive load were conducted using Group III. Cognitive load seems to have increased slightly for male participants in Group II, using a single monitor and e-book with online instruction. The data demonstrates that there was a tangible increase in cognitive load in female participants in Group II. Reducing the split-attention effect using multiple computer monitors produced a minor positive effect on males within Group III, but seemed to have a significant positive effect on female participants of the same group. As part of the study, instructors also recorded communication frequency to determine if students in e-learning environments have similar communication regularity as traditional face-to-face instruction. Results showed a slight reduction in communication for individuals participating in online learning environments. In conclusion, results showed that the format change to a web-based learning environment at the Infotec Information Technology (IT) training school increased the cognitive load on the students. According to the results of the survey used in the study, as well as the certification exam scores, the increase in cognitive load seems to be more profound in female participants than their male counterparts. Furthermore, results showed that using a dual computer monitor in the e-learning environment helps to reduce cognitive load, and the use of dual monitors seems to have had a greater ameliorative effect on female participants

Study on cognitive load of OM interface and eye movement experiment for nuclear power system

The operation and monitoring (OM) interface is the digital medium between nuclear power system and operators. The cognitive load of OM interface has an important effect on the operation errors made by operator during OM task between operator and computer. The cognitive load model of OM interface is constructed for analysing the composition and influencing factors of OM interface cognitive load. And to study the coping strategies and methods for cognitive load of nuclear power system. An experiment method based on eye movement is proposed to measure the cognitive load of OM interface. Experiment case is carried out with 20 subjects and typical OM interface of a nuclear power system simulator. The OM interface is optimized based on the experiment results. And the results comparison between the original OM interface and the optimized OM interface shows that the cognitive load model and proposed method is valuable contributions in reducing the cognitive load and improving the interaction efficiency of OM tasks

Internet-delivered cognitive control training as a preventive intervention for remitted depressed patients : protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Preventing recurrence of depression forms an important challenge for current treatments. Cognitive control impairments often remain present during remission of depression, putting remitted depressed patients at heightened risk for new depressive episodes by disrupting emotion regulation processes. Importantly, research indicates that cognitive control training targeting working memory functioning shows potential in reducing maladaptive emotion regulation and depressive symptomatology in clinically depressed patients and at-risk student samples. The current study aims to test the effectiveness of cognitive control training as a preventive intervention in a remitted depressed sample, exploring effects of cognitive control training on rumination and depressive symptomatology, along with indicators of adaptive emotion regulation and functioning. Methods/design: We present a double blind randomized controlled design. Remitted depressed adults will complete 10 online sessions of a cognitive control training targeting working memory functioning or a low cognitive load training (active control condition) over a period of 14 days. Effects of training on primary outcome measures of rumination and depressive symptomatology will be assessed pre-post training and at three months follow-up, along with secondary outcome measure adaptive emotion regulation. Long-term effects of cognitive control training on broader indicators of functioning will be assessed at three months follow-up (secondary outcome measures). Discussion: This study will provide information about the effectiveness of cognitive control training for remitted depressed adults in reducing vulnerability for depression. Furthermore, this study will address key questions concerning the mechanisms underlying the effects of cognitive control training, will take into account the subjective experience of the patients (including a self-report measure for cognitive functioning), and explore whether these effects extend to broad measures of functioning such as Quality of Life and disability

Visual Decision-Making in Real-Time Business Intelligence: A Social Media Marketing Example

This paper presents a study into the use of visualizations in real-time business intelligence. Different visualization designs for a social media marketing use case are tested and evaluated through the lens of cognitive load theory. By reducing the complexity of visualizations and subsequently cognitive load, end-users can achieve markedly improved decision-making performance in situations where time is critical and data is fast-paced