Combine process-oriented analysis with cognitive load measures to determine which transaction costs are germane or extraneous for learning¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 4 claims (2 for, 2 mixed) · 3 studies (2 review, 1 theoretical), q1–q2 · 0 of 3 report an effect size · 4 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The article recommends that researchers examine the collaborative process for indicators of interindividual communication and coordination, such as maintaining common ground, engaged response, and discussing collaboration strategies, and combine these with measures of cognitive load and post-test performance. This combination, in the authors' view, cancels out the disadvantages of both approaches and makes it possible "to determine which specific aspects of the collaborative process impose either germane or extraneous cognitive load." It also suggests using speech features and linguistic cues as nonintrusive load measures.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• A coding system for communication protocols developed on theoretical motivations and tested for reliability and validity
• cognitive load measures such as the nine-point mental effort rating scale, heart-rate variability, pupillary responses, or secondary tasks

Constraints¶

• Analyzing a great number of protocols can be time consuming, though automated coding may decrease the time needed

Target Learners¶

• students in collaborative learning settings

Target Learning Goals¶

• identifying which collaborative processes facilitate or impede learning

Affordances¶

• Clt Groups Information Processing Systems

Claims¶

• Collaborative speech features differ under high versus low cognitive load: longer speech pauses and less use of singular pronouns in high-load conditions [+W]
• Successful groups respond more appropriately to proposals and maintain joint attention better than less successful groups, and their members outperform on individual mastery and transfer tests [+W]
• Communication and coordination costs of transactive activities can annul the benefit of sharing cognitive load in a group [~W]
• Reducing extraneous load can also remove affordances for germane processes [~W]

Related Strategies¶

• Design CSCL environments for group awareness and representational guidance to cut coordination load

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Janssen, J., Kirschner, F., Erkens, G., Kirschner, P. A., & Paas, F. (2010). Making the Black Box of Collaborative Learning Transparent: Combining Process-Oriented and Cognitive Load Approaches. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-010-9131-x