How do instructional sequencing methods affect cognitive load, learning transfer, and learning time?

Abstract

Recent instructional theories have focused on complex real-life tasks. Due to the complex nature of real-life authentic tasks, controlling cognitive load has become a key component for effective instructional design methods. Thus, on the purpose of investigating effective instructional design methods enabling to manage cognitive load effectively, this study examined the effects of three different sequencing methods on cognitive load management, learning transfer and learning time. Thirteen participants participated in this study and they were taught with three different types of materials organized according to the three different sequencing approaches. The result indicated that the whole-part sequencing with simple backward chaining was the most effective sequencing approach among the three sequencing approaches - whole-part sequencing with simple backward chaining, whole-part sequencing with backward chaining with snowballing, and part-task sequencing.