Narrative instruction leads to higher germane cognitive load and self-efficacy, and lower extraneous cognitive load, than expository instruction¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · causal r? · q3 · i1 small
Currency · newest study 2025 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i1 Germane cognitive load was significantly higher in the narrative condition (d = 0.43, BF = 31.42), and self-efficacy showed strong Bayesian evidence favoring narrative (d = 0.34, BF = 14.05) though nonsignificant. → Samuel Tobler 2025 q3 i? Extraneous cognitive load showed a small nonsignificant effect favoring the narrative group (d = −0.22, BF = 0.20). → Samuel Tobler 2025 (2)

Evidence¶

Samuel Tobler 2025¶

Samuel Tobler, Tanmay Sinha, Katja Köhler, Manu Kapur. (2025). Teaching biology with narratives: examining the impact of affective and cognitive variables on undergraduate student learning. Instructional Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-025-09723-w

q3 · i1 · causal · r?

Two-way ANOVAs on questionnaire ratings (N = 90) found only germane cognitive load reached statistical significance for the learning-material comparison; self-efficacy showed "d = 0.34, BF = 14.05" and germane load "d = 0.43, BF = 31.42", both favoring narrative.

"the effect sizes and Bayes factors suggested potential evidence in favor of the narrative condition based on the small to medium effect sizes and strong Bayesian evidence for students’self-efficacy and germane cognitive load ratings (self-efficacy: d = 0.34, BF = 14.05; germane cognitive load: d = 0.43, BF = 31.42)"

Samuel Tobler 2025 (2)¶

Samuel Tobler, Tanmay Sinha, Katja Köhler, Manu Kapur. (2025). Teaching biology with narratives: examining the impact of affective and cognitive variables on undergraduate student learning. Instructional Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-025-09723-w

q3 · i? · causal · r?

The same ANOVA framework found a small nonsignificant effect for extraneous cognitive load ("d = − 0.22"), with the negative direction favoring the narrative condition as lower extraneous load is preferable for learning.

"we discovered a small yet nonsignificant effect and moderate evidence from Bayesian analysis for the extraneous cognitive load in favor of the narrative group (a lower extraneous cognitive load is preferable for learning; Sweller, 1994) (d = − 0.22, BF = 0.20)"

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Learning mechanisms are triggered to a greater extent for non-STEM-background students in the narrative condition and for STEM-background students in the expository condition — related
• Narrative and expository instruction produce no significant differences in recall or understanding of biological concepts — related
• Narrative instruction produces higher transfer performance than expository instruction in undergraduate biology learning — related