Background: Cognitive load theory is widely used in educational research and instructional design, which relies heavily on conceptual constructs and measurement instruments of cognitive load. Due to its implicit nature, cognitive load is usually measured by other related instruments, such as commonly-used self-report scales of mental effort or…

The purpose of this study was to identify the underlying cognitive attributes used during the design and development of science-based serious educational games. Study methods rely on a modification of cognitive diagnostics, item response theory, and Bayesian estimation with traditional statistical techniques such as factor analysis and model fit…

Mental models are basic cognitive constructs that are central for understanding phenomena of the world and predicting future events. Our comparison of two analysis approaches, SMD and QFCA, for measuring externalized mental models reveals different levels of abstraction and different perspectives. The advantages of the SMD include possibilities…