Although cognitive load theory research has studied factors associated with motivation, these literatures have primarily been developed in isolation from each other. In this contribution, we aimed to advance both fields by examining the effects of instructional strategies on learners' experience of cognitive load, motivation, engagement, and…

Creative thinking, recognized as a fundamental life skill, is a complex process influenced by cognitive load. While literature has addressed the integration of cognitive load theory into creative thinking research, a comprehensive synthesis is lacking. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic review and deductive thematic analysis, drawing…

To explain successful subject matter learning with digital tools, the specification of mediating cognitive processes is crucial for any empirical investigation. We introduce a cognitive process framework for the mechanisms of learning with digital tools (CoDiL) that combines core ideas from the psychology of instruction…

Visual problem-solving is an essential skill for professionals in various visual domains. Novices in these domains acquire such skills through interactions with experts (e.g., apprenticeships). Experts guide novice visual problem-solving with scaffolding behaviours. However, there is little consensus about the description and classification of…

In the context of instructional design and self-regulated learning research, the notion of mental effort allocation, monitoring, and control has gained increasing attention. Bringing together a cognitive perspective, focusing on Cognitive Load Theory, and a motivational perspective, merging central accounts from Situated Expectancy Value Theory…

Research on embodied cognition acknowledges that cognitive processing is tightly coupled with bodily activities and the environment. An important implication for education is that learning can be enhanced when the brain, body, and environment mutually influence each other, such as when making or observing human actions, especially those involving…

When faced with challenging thinking tasks accompanied by a feeling of uncertainty, people often prefer to opt out (e.g., replying "I don't know", seeking advice) over giving low-confidence responses. In professions with high-stakes decisions (e.g., judges, medical practitioners), opting out is generally seen as preferable to making…

According to cognitive load theory, learning can only be successful when instructional materials and procedures are designed in accordance with human cognitive architecture. In this context, one of the biggest challenges is the accurate measurement of the different cognitive load types as these are associated with various activities during…

Our purpose in this article is to forward a narrative of valued thinking in education--a narrative that has long been strongly influenced by Western philosophy and scientific psychology. Specifically, we begin by examining the philosophical forebearers of valued thinking, including theories such as rationalism, empiricism, and pragmatism. We…

Critical thinking and strategic processing have become ubiquitous both in the educational research literature as well as practice. However, neither of these constructs has had commonly agreed upon definitions or common agreement on how they relate to each other. This review first lays the conceptual stage for how these constructs have been defined…

For this systematic review, learning from multiple texts served as the specific context for investigating the constructs of higher-order (HOT), critical (CT), and critical-analytic (CAT) thinking. Examining the manifestations of HOT, CT, and CAT within the specific context of learning from multiple texts allowed us to clarify and disentangle these…

The aim of the present study is to reconcile previous findings (a) that testing mode has no effect on test outcomes or cognitive load (Comput Hum Behav 77:1-10, 2017) and (b) that younger learners' working memory processes are more sensitive to computer-based test formats (J Psychoeduc Assess 37(3):382-394, 2019). We addressed key methodological…

The literature on cognitive processing and strategic processing is murky with regard to how these types of processing influence learning. One reason for this is that the frameworks used to investigate these relations have separately focused on different aspects related to cognitive processing with little integration between them. To address these…

Adopting an evolutionary approach to substantiate major characteristics of human cognitive architecture has been one of the major recent developments in cognitive load theory. According to this approach, human cognitive architecture is a natural information processing system which can be described by five general principles. This paper attempts to…

Testing students on information that they do not know might seem like a fruitless endeavor. After all, why give anyone a test that they are guaranteed to fail because they have not yet learned the material? Remarkably, a growing body of research indicates that such testing--formally known as "prequestioning" or…