An experimental analysis on the interactive effects of prior knowledge, cognitive workload, and goal structures to the learners' task performance in mathematics

• Main Author: Macayan, Jonathan V.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2012
• Subjects: Performance; Mathematics; Cognitive psychology; Algebra; Educational Psychology
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_doctoral/1262; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/etd_doctoral/article/2263/viewcontent/CDTG005104_P.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

This experimental study intended to investigate the potential links between cognitive and motivational factors to account for learners' task performance in mathematics (Algebra). Using the assumptions and principles in cognitive load theory and goal orientation theory, this study experimentally analyzed the direct and interactive effects of prior knowledge (high vs. low) and goal structure (mastery vs. performance) as the between-subject factors and the intrinsic cognitive load (high intrinsic vs. low intrinsic) as the within-subject factor to the learners' task performance in mathematics. Analyses indicate significant main effects of prior knowledge, [F (1, 56) = 11.94 p = 0.00, ηp2 = 0.18] and goal structures [F (1, 56) = 27.17 p = 0.00, ηp2 = 0.33] as well as their interaction effect [F (1, 56) = 5.63 p = 0.00, ηp2 = 0.17] which suggest a moderating effect of goal structure to the association between prior knowledge and task performance. A significant difference on the performance of participants was also noted on low and high intrinsic cognitive load [F (1, 56) = 80.19, p = 0.00, ηp2 = 0.59]. The three-way analysis of variance (between and within) involving prior knowledge and goal structures and intrinsic cognitive load also yielded significance [F (1, 56) = 6.38 p = 0.01, ηp2 = 0.10]. The results confirmed the theoretical assumptions in the study concerning the interplay of cognitive and motivational factors in the task performance of learners in mathematics.