Can we Quantify Cognitive Load?

1. Can cognitive load be measured?
2. How is cognitive learning measured?
3. What is cognitive load scale?
4. Is cognitive load theory evidence based?

Can cognitive load be measured?

The most popular scale for measuring cognitive load is a rating scale developed by Paas (1992). This scale is a modified version of a scale by Bratfisch et al. (1972), which was constructed to measure task difficulty.

How is cognitive learning measured?

Chesebro and McCroskey (2000) noted that “instructional communication researchers almost exclusively have measured cognitive learning by asking students to report their own estimations of how much they have learned” using the Learning Loss Measure (LL; p. 297).

What is cognitive load scale?

One of the first subjective measures of cognitive load was developed by Paas (1992). In this study, learners were asked to indicate on a 9-point Likert scale “how much mental effort they have invested in a task”, ranging from 1 (very, very low mental effort) to 9 (very, very high mental effort).

Is cognitive load theory evidence based?

Dylan Wiliam has described cognitive load theory as 'the single most important thing for teachers to know'. Grounded in a robust evidence base, cognitive load theory provides support for explicit models of instruction.