Cognitive load can play a key role in learners' abilities to solve complex problems like mathematics. Many factors can affect the presence of cognitive load in learning including instructional strategy, task difficulty and prior knowledge. To understand the interaction of above factors and their influence on learner cognitive load and performance,…

In computer-supported collaborative learning research, studies examining the combined effects of individual level, group level and within-group differences level measures on individual achievement are scarce. The current study addressed this by examining whether individual, group and within-group differences regarding engagement and prior…

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between common classroom help-seeking determinants (achievement goals, self-efficacy, prior knowledge, gender, and help-seeking perceptions) and help-seeking behaviors online (hint use percentage, latency of help seeking, answer attempt percentage, feedback level percentage, and seeking help…

To what extent are epistemic curiosity and situational interest different indicators for the same underlying psychological mechanism? To answer this question, we conducted two studies. In Study 1, we administered measures of epistemic curiosity and situational interest to 158 students from an all-boys secondary school. The data were analyzed using…

Computational Thinking (CT) and creativity are considered two vital skills for the 21st century that should be incorporated into future curricula around the world. We studied the relationship between these two constructs while focusing on learners' personal characteristics. Two types of creativity were examined: creative thinking and computational…

Background: The worked example effect in cognitive load theory suggests that providing worked examples first followed by solving similar problems would facilitate students' learning. Using problem solving-worked example sequence is another way of implementing example-based instruction. Although research has demonstrated the superiority of worked…

In a classroom teaching experiment, we explored fifth graders' ability to identify relationships in and between two patterns--what we may refer to as functional relationships. Conventional functions curricula are dominated by defining relationships between two patterns via a rule, describing how to find y or f(x) given a particular value for x…

Agency refers to the level of control the student has over learning. Most studies on agency in computer-based learning environments have been conducted in the context of educational games and multimedia learning, while there is little research done in the context of learning with Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs). We conducted a study in the…

A central issue in the design of curricula for all school levels is the development of the learners' high-order thinking skills and metacognitive skills. Among such required skills is the ability to solve problems. The literature dealing with the development of problem-solving skills is vast and primarily addresses the scientific disciplines, even…

In an effort to support a solid grounding in educational theory within the field of museum education, three texts considered essential reading for museum educators were surveyed for correlations with Merrill's First Principles of Instruction, an influential work in the field of instructional design. Each of five First Principles were found to be…

Worked examples have proven to be effective for knowledge acquisition compared with problem solving, particularly when prior knowledge is low (e.g., Kalyuga, 2007). However, in addition to prior knowledge, executive functions and fluid intelligence might be potential moderators of the effectiveness of worked examples. The present study examines…

Successful completion of a university degree is a complex matter. Based on considerations regarding the demands of acquiring a university degree, the aim of this paper was to investigate the utility of complex problem-solving (CPS) skills in the prediction of objective and subjective university success (SUS). The key finding of this study was that…

It was investigated how domain-specific knowledge, fluid intelligence, vocational interest and work-related self-efficacy predicted domain-specific problem-solving performance in the field of office work. The participants included 100 German VET (vocational education and training) students nearing the end of a 3-year apprenticeship program as an…

Seeking the right level of help at the right time can support learning. However, in the context of online problem-solving environments, it is still not entirely clear which help-seeking strategies are desired. We use fine-grained data from 38 high school students who worked with the Geometry Cognitive Tutor for 2 months to better understand the…

Adults are prone to treating percents, one representational format of rational numbers, as novel cases of natural number. This suggests that percent values are not differentiated from natural numbers; a conceptual shift from the natural numbers to the rational numbers has not yet occurred. This is most surprising, considering people are inundated…