COGNITIVE LOADING DUE TO SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING, COMPLEX QUESTIONS AND TASKS IN THE ZONE OF PROXIMAL DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENTS

Journal Title: Problems of Education in the 21st Century - Year 2018, Vol 76, Issue 6

Abstract

The aim of the research was to explore the levels of cognitive loading induced by certain tenets of constructivist pedagogy namely self-directed learning complex questions and zone of proximal development. The study also sought to investigate the associations between these constructs and with cognitive loading and complex questions. Data for the research were collected using a questionnaire survey of a sample of students studying towards undergraduate degrees in construction-related studies at - public universities in South Africa. The data were factor analyzed to determine the factor structure of the constructs and to assess instrument validity and reliability. The relationships between the various constructs were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Consistent with other studies, the research found that complex questions induce a statistically signifcant amount of cognitive loading in students. The study also found that self-directed learning does not induce cognitive loading while subjecting students to tasks which are in their zone of proximal development is likely to induce some cognitive loading albeit much less than that from complex questions. Locating tasks in the zone of proximal development of students is likely to lead students to engage in some self-directed learning. It was also found that complex questions had a small signifcant association with self-directed learning. To reduce the amount of cognitive loading which students are subjected to, complex questions should be avoided for students with little subject prior knowledge, otherwise, students should be appropriately scaffolded. Students should be encouraged to engage in self-directed learning in order to reduce cognitive loading. Learning tasks assigned for selfdirected learning should not be complex relative to the knowledge of the students as this discourages students from persisting with self-directed learning due to high cognitive loading.

Authors and Affiliations

Ephraim Zulu, Theodore Haupt, Vittorio Tramontin

Keywords

Related Articles

Examining ThE STrucTurES Of STudEnTS’ cOncEpTS uSing rEpErTOry grid analySiS

This work attempts to explore the methodological legacy of George Kelly – repertory grid analysis – as an aid to visually mapping the structures of students’ concepts. Although, Kelly formulated a complex Euclidian fra...

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY PENETRATION INTO EDUCATION: SOME THOUGHTS

Over the last decade the spread of information communication technologies has been growing very rapidly both in quantitative and qualitative meaning. Not only new, innovative technologies, but also various people communi...

TO BE OR NOT TO BE: ACCOUNTABILITY - THE CONGRUENCE BETWEEN PUBLIC’S DEMAND AND TEACHERS’ CONCEPT

The study is dealing with teachers’ concept of accountability. It is based on a survey carried out among 50 elementary school teachers from Israel’s Central District. The study covered three different domains – the aca...

INSTRUCTION BUILT ON LEARNERS’ PREVIOUS KNOWLEDgE By USINg THE VARIATION THEORy.

This chapter discusses teaching based upon pupils’ previous knowledge. As the world becomes more and more globalised, it is harder and harder for a teacher to form a picture of the pupils’ knowledge when planning instr...

Predicting student’s self-comPetence using school culture factors

Numerous studies in educational psychology feld investigate academic achievement as well as factors influencing it. Generally, these studies are addressed to cognitive factors but non-cognitive factors, also play an imp...

Download PDF file
  • EP ID EP35569
  • DOI -
  • Views 424
  • Downloads 0

How To Cite

Ephraim Zulu, Theodore Haupt, Vittorio Tramontin (2018). COGNITIVE LOADING DUE TO SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING, COMPLEX QUESTIONS AND TASKS IN THE ZONE OF PROXIMAL DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENTS. Problems of Education in the 21st Century, 76(6), -. https://europub.co.uk/articles/-A-35569