In one thermodynamics study, retention and transfer scores tended to be lower on topics of higher element interactivity, a descriptive pattern with several sessions that did not fit it¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2023 · checked against its sources 2026-10-20 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Comparing session-level retention and transfer scores with experts' element interactivity classification of the session topics, the authors concluded that scores generally decreased as element interactivity rose, but the pattern was not consistent: the control group's highest retention score came in a high-interactivity session (Session 7) and a low one in a low-interactivity session (Session 4), and the authors note that teaching style and question type (conceptual versus procedural) also affected scores. → Kala 2023

Evidence¶

Kala 2023¶

Kala, N., & Ayas, A. (2023). Effect of instructional design based on cognitive load theory on students' performances and the indicators of element interactivity. Journal of Turkish Science Education, 20(3), 468-489. https://doi.org/10.36681/tused.2023.027

q2 · i? · causal · r2

Descriptive analysis of the eight RTs and TTs plotted against the experts' low/high/very-high classification (Figures 3 and 4): the authors determined that "as the element interactivity level of the topics learned in the study increased, learning became more difficult and scores decreased." This is a descriptive reading of the plots with no test of the trend, and it has exceptions the authors list: all students in Session 5 and the control group in Session 4 scored lower than the experts' classification predicted, the control group's highest retention score came in high-interactivity Session 7, and the authors attribute part of the variation to teaching style and to conceptual versus procedural questions.

"it was determined that as the element interactivity level of the topics learned in the study increased, learning became more difficult and scores decreased."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Design principle effects are larger in system-paced and in complex media, and learner prior knowledge was not a significant moderator (p = 0.14) — the general claim this finding bears on, with the studies behind it
• In one study of 37 thermodynamics freshmen, a CLT-based instructional design yields higher retention and transfer scores than lecturer-designed instruction, controlling for prior knowledge and memory span — related
• Mental effort and study time increase with a topic's element interactivity level, making them indicators of element interactivity — related
• No significant difference between groups on the thermodynamics achievement post-test or cognitive load scale after CLT-based versus lecturer-designed instruction — related
• The CLT-based design produced higher effective learning scores at retention and transfer, while achievement effective learning scores were nearly equal between groups — related
• Learning relational categories becomes more difficult as the complexity of the knowledge type increases — related