A Cognitive Approach-Based Instructional Design for Managing Cognitive Load and Improving Learning Outcome

Abstract

Cognitive architecture and information processing for learning are related to each other because of the content and presentation of the content in instructional materials. If the instructional design of the materials overloads the working memory, it then causes a cognitive load that hampers the learning outcome. Therefore, instructional design has been an area of focus repeatedly to make learning more effective and manage different types of cognitive load. Few studies focused sequencing theory of content design or highlighted the impact of the design on over all cognitive load. However, no studies to date have covered a systematic cognitive approach-based instructional design on m-grammar learning to investigate the outcome of learning performance. Therefore, the present study shows a cognitive approach-based instructional design for m-grammar learning. Unlike the existing studies, it designs instructional material based on a theoretical foundation of simple to complex learning theories to enhance learning outcomes and manage cognitive load for the grammar learners. It also measures instructional efficiency by employing 2-dimensional manners (mental effort and learning outcome). We followed a quantitative research design to conduct the study. An experimental group consisting of 128 students is used as study participants. NASA TLX, evaluation module score and a self-reporting mental effort measuring scale are the research instruments considered to collect the data. The results revealed the effectiveness of the proposed instructional design highlighting the instructional efficiency due to maintaining cognitive approach based designing that lessened the cognitive load and enhanced learning outcome of the learners.