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Category: Project

Description: Since self-regulation processes are a central component of individual learning processes, especially in weakly structured learning environments, and the integration of multimedia learning materials into educational processes plays an increasingly important role, this project will investigate the relationship between the design of digital instructional materials, facets of mental load and effort, as well as metacognitive monitoring and control of learning processes. This cooperation project (Dr. Lenka Schnaubert, University of Duisburg-Essen; Dr. Sascha Schneider, TU Chemnitz; Dr. Martine Baars, Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam) aims to find out how learners use cognitive processes and the associated cognitive load as indicators for metacognitive monitoring processes and thus for controlling their learning behaviour. In particular, it will be investigated whether learners differentiate between learning-facilitating and learning-hindering types of mental load in the formation of metacognitive self-evaluations. In initial studies, findings on the design principles of multimedia learning materials will be used to manipulate cognitive load facets and to investigate to what extent this affects the level and accuracy of metacomprehension, i.e. the monitoring and assessment of one's own comprehension processes. In addition to basic insights into the formation of metacomprehension, the aim is also to find out under which circumstances monitoring processes are particularly accurate. Such findings can be used, for example, to adapt multimedia learning materials not only to cognitive but also to metacognitive requirements. Based on this, further studies will include metacognitive control processes and examine the transferability to other metacognitive monitoring measures (e.g. Judgments of Learning).