Prior knowledge interacts with the effects of pre-questions and feedback types on learning from videos: Eye-tracking and cognitive load evidence

Abstract

Instructional videos increasingly supplement formal education, yet the efficacy of design elements (e.g. pre-questions and feedback) remains underexplored, particularly regarding interactions with learners' prior knowledge. This study involving 352 Chinese university students employed a 2 (prior knowledge: low/high) × 4 (instructional intervention conditions: no pre-questions; pre-questions without feedback; pre-questions with simple feedback; pre-questions with elaborated feedback) experimental design, using eye-tracking to measure attention allocation (time to first fixation, dwell time, total fixation duration) and analysing cognitive load, learning efficiency, retention and transfer via two-way ANOVA. Research has indicated that intrinsic cognitive load was mostly influenced by existing knowledge and was not significantly impacted by the instructional intervention. Extraneous cognitive load and germane cognitive load showed a prior knowledge × intervention interaction: under low prior knowledge, pre-questions with elaborated feedback yielded lower extraneous load and higher germane load, whereas no pre-questions yielded higher extraneous load and lower germane load; under extensive previous knowledge, no pre-questions or simple feedback produced lower extraneous load without suppressing germane load, while elaborated feedback increased extraneous load due to redundancy. Pre-questions universally reduced time to first fixation, indicating quicker attention capture, while simple feedback increased dwell time on critical content, fostering deeper engagement. Retention was highest for low-knowledge learners using pre-questions without feedback, whereas transfer performance depended more on prior knowledge than instructional design. Findings suggest tailoring videos to learners: Novices benefit from pre-questions with simple or no feedback, while experienced learners gain equally from simpler designs without needing elaborated feedback. Pre-questions effectively guide attention, making them ideal for scalable online education.