Description of the data The research questions, hypotheses, methods, results, and interpretations associated with this data set are described in: Ploetzner, R. (2024). Learning changes in educational animation: Visuospatial working memory is more predictive than subjective task load. *Frontiers in Psychology*, *15*, Article 1389604. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1389604 The data set consists of one data table that includes the following variables and data: ID - Identifier Condition - Experimental condition Age - Age Sex - Sex ExScore - Score of example GVScore - Score of low complexity animation RGScore - Score of high complexity animation TLXGA1 - Task Load Index mental demand first measurement TLXZA1 - Task Load Index temporal demand first measurement TLXL1 - Task Load Index performance first measurement TLXA1 - Task Load Index effort first measurement TLXF1 - Task Load Index frustration first measurement TLXGA2 - Task Load Index mental demand second measurement TLXZA2 - Task Load Index temporal demand second measurement TLXL2 - Task Load Index performance second measurement TLXA2 - Task Load Index effort second measurement TLXF2 - Task Load Index frustration second measurement VPTSp - Visual Patterns Test span VPTScore - Visual Patterns Test score CorsiSp - Corsi span CorsiScore - Corsi score Sequence - Order of animations TLXGV - Overall weighted TLX-score for low complexity animation TLXRG - Overall weighted TLX-score for high complexity animation GVScoreRel - Relative score of low complexity animation RGScoreRel - Relative score of high complexity animation