Measuring Components of Cognitive Load in Integrated Learning About Plant Structure and Function

. Understanding how cognitive load is measured is a basic challenge in the cognitive load theory. This measurement is necessary when student receiving highly interconnected information which results in high cognitive load. Therefore, this study uses quasi experiment to measure student’s cognitive load in learning plant structure and function. The subject of this study are 64 undergraduate students enrolling in plant anatomy course. The cognitive load is measured through information analysis skill (intrinsic load), attitude (extraneous load), and reasoning skill (germane load). The results shows that there is a significant correlation between the three components of cognitive load wherein students’ information analysis skill is “sensitive” to intrinsic processing (developing prior knowledge) while attitude is sensitive to extraneous processing (developing attitude and positive developing attitude and positive perception). This is shown by the test result on reasoning skill. The result is also consistent with cognitive load theory stating that the component of cognitive load should be measured by different measure.