The relationship between working memory (WM) and language processing has been extensively investigated in cognitive research. Previous studies mostly obtain evidence from measuring the involvement of WM in complex syntactic structures reported with well-established processing asymmetry, e.g., relative clauses (RCs) in English. Rarely considered is…

We examined potentially selective offloading decisions when the external store has a limited capacity and how the surprising unavailability of offloaded information influences subsequent offloading decision-making and memory. In three experiments, learners were presented with to-be-remembered words paired with point values counting towards their…

The Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) aims to foster learning productively under optimal cognitive loads. Students across all ages and stages of learning have limited capacity due to the human brain's functionality. Therefore, an effective learning design allows for knowledge acquisition that will minimize the loading effect on the working memory and…

Despite growing interest in spaced retrieval methods, a research gap has been discovered, with insufficient data to support best practises in year-one science. After analysing five systematic action cycles, four interrelated themes emerged: dual coding, cognitive load, peer communication, and feedback-driven metacognition. While literature…

The effect of instructor clarity on student learning has been explained using cognitive load theory, which stipulates that students have limited mental resources to devote to activities pertaining to learning. To date, the effect of teacher clarity on students' cognitive burden has been studied in reference to students' extraneous cognitive load…

This paper explores a major theoretical framework from psychology, Dual Process Theory (DPT), which has received surprisingly little attention in the computing education literature. DPT postulates the existence of two qualitatively different kinds of cognitive systems, a fast, intuitive "System 1" and a slow, reflective "System…

Retrieval practice is well-established as a powerful tool for reinforcing long-term learning. Most previous research has concentrated on the effectiveness of overt retrieval, involving recalling information from memory and generating overt responses by writing, typing, or speaking aloud the retrieved information. Here we ask whether covert…

Educational researchers have been confronted with a multitude of definitions of task complexity and a lack of consensus on how to measure it. Using a cognitive load theory-based perspective, we argue that the task complexity that learners experience is based on element interactivity. Element interactivity can be determined by simultaneously…

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…

The debate about whether the capacity of working memory (WM) varies with the complexity of memory items continues. This study employed novel experimental materials to investigate the role of complexity in WM capacity. Across seven experiments, we explored the relationship between complexity and WM capacity. The results indicated that the…

Although cognitive offloading, or the use of physical action to reduce internal cognitive demands, is a commonly used strategy in everyday life, relatively little is known about the conditions that encourage offloading and the memorial consequences of different offloading strategies for performance. Much of the extant work in this domain has…

This review is aimed at synthesizing current findings concerning technology-based cognitive offloading and the associated effects on learning and memory. While cognitive externalization (i.e., using the environment to outsource mental computation) is a highly useful technique in various problem-solving tasks, a growing body of research suggests…

Models of self-regulated learning emphasize the active and intentional role of learners and, thereby, focus mainly on conscious processes in working memory and long-term memory. Cognitive load theory supports this view on learning. As a result, both fields of research ignore the potential role of unconscious processes for learning. In this review…

Cognitive Load Theory has emerged as an important approach to improving instruction in the health professions workplace, including patient handovers. At the same time, there is growing recognition that emotion influences learning through numerous cognitive processes including motivation, attention, working memory, and long-term memory. This study…

When we monitor our learning, often measured via judgments of learning (JOLs), this metacognitive process can change what is remembered. For example, prior work has demonstrated that making JOLs enhances memory for related, but not unrelated, word pairs in younger adults. In the current study, we examined potential age-related differences in…