Browsing by Author "Kirschner, Paul"

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    The Effect of the Prior Collaborative Experience on the Effectiveness and Efficiency of Collaborative Learning
    (International Society of the Learning Sciences, Editors: Judy Kay, Rosemary Luckin, pp.112-119, 2018-06) Zambrano, Jimmy; Kirschner, Paul; Sweller, John; Kirschner, Femke
    This study investigates, from a cognitive load perspective, the effect of prior collaborative experience on the effectiveness and efficiency of collaborative learning. Performance, mental effort, and efficiency were measured during collaborative learning and in individual post-tests after one and seven days (i.e., retention and delayed retention test respectively). The results with 90 high school participants found that students who were members of experienced groups outperformed, invested less mental effort, and were more cognitively efficient than students in non-experienced groups in both tests. These results have important instructional implications for designing collaborative environments and provide support for the advantages of forming teams with relevant collaborative experiences before starting collaborative learning.
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    From Cognitive Load Theory to Collaborative Cognitive Load Theory
    (International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, 2018-04-25) Zambrano, Jimmy; Kirschner, Paul; Sweller, John; Kirschner, Femke
    Cognitive load theory has traditionally been associated with individual learning. Based on evolutionary educational psychology and our knowledge of human cognition, particularly the relations between working memory and long-term memory, the theory has been used to generate a variety of instructional effects. Though these instructional effects also influence the efficiency and effectiveness of collaborative learning, be it computer supported or face-to-face, they are often not considered either when designing collaborative learning situations/environments or researching collaborative learning. One reason for this omission is that cognitive load theory has only sporadically concerned itself with certain particulars of collaborative learning such as the concept of a collective working memory when collaborating along with issues associated with transactive activities and their concomitant costs which are inherent to collaboration. We illustrate how and why cognitive load theory, by adding these concepts, can throw light on collaborative learning and generate principles specific to the design and study of collaborative learning.