Split-attention and redundancy effects occur for high element interactivity material but disappear for low element interactivity material¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · review r2 · q3
Currency · newest study 2023 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? In four experiments on learning computer programs, the split-attention and redundancy effects were obtained with large effect sizes for high element interactivity information but disappeared entirely for low element interactivity information. → Ouhao Chen · Fred Paas · John Sweller 2023

Evidence¶

Ouhao Chen · Fred Paas · John Sweller 2023¶

Ouhao Chen · Fred Paas · John Sweller. (2023). A Cognitive Load Theory Approach to Defining and Measuring Task Complexity Through Element Interactivity. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09782-w

q3 · i? · review · r2

The review reports, citing Sweller and Chandler (1994), four experiments on learning computer programs in which element interactivity was estimated by counting interacting elements for novices. Effects were obtained with large effect sizes for high interactivity material but "disappeared entirely" for low interactivity material.

"They found that the two extraneous cognitive load effects that they were investigating, the split-attention and the redundancy effects could be readily obtained with large effect sizes for information that had a high level of element interactivity associated with intrinsic cognitive load but disappeared entirely for information for which the element interactivity associated with intrinsic cognitive load was low."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• The learning benefit of increasing integration is substantially larger for high element interactivity (complex) materials than for low element interactivity materials — a broader claim this one bears on
• The expertise reversal effect relies on changes in relative levels of element interactivity due to changes in relative levels of expertise — a broader claim this one bears on
• Reviews report that the split-attention benefit for novices reverses into a redundancy effect for more experienced learners: Kalyuga et al. (2003) cite Kalyuga et al. (1998) and Yeung et al. (1998), and Ginns (2006) cites Kalyuga et al. (1998) — related
• Integrating spatially or temporally separated but related elements of instructional information produces a large average learning benefit for novices — related
• Expertise reversal: cognitive load effects for novices decrease, disappear, and can reverse as expertise increases — related
• The argument that retrieval practice effects do not occur with materials high in element interactivity is contested, and the chapter judges its research base not convincing — related
• Element interactivity and expertise reversal effects: cognitive load effects diminish and may reverse as expertise increases because known elements chunk into single elements — related
• Redundancy effect: when one source of information is intelligible in isolation, physically integrating it with another source fails to help and eliminating the redundant source facilitates learning — related
• CLT-based instructional design is applied to very high element interactivity material (per Pollock, Chandler, & Sweller) — related
• Understanding depends on the degree of interaction among elements of information — related