Based on the assumptions of cognitive load theory, this study aims to utilize the eye movement data collected from multiple experts to scaffold novice graphic designers. The study has two main stages. In the first stage, eye tracking was used to record the eye movements of 7 experts, who covered eight topics explaining how to use Photoshop. The…

This study investigated the optimal feedback intervals for tasks of varying difficulty levels in online testing and whether task difficulty moderates the effect of feedback intervals on student performance. A pre-experimental study with 36 students was conducted to determine the delayed time for providing feedback based on student behavioral data.…

Individuals often have difficulties completing tasks in a timely manner. Whether it be scheduling a doctor's appointment, purchasing a birthday gift, or booking an airline ticket, waiting until the very last minute can carry serious consequences. In two experimental studies, we explore how individuals can be encouraged to finish tasks promptly. We…

Teachers and parents often scaffold children to help others. Not all help is equally beneficial, however. We know very little about the ways in which children distribute different types of help. Across three preregistered studies, we examined when children provide others with help that can hamper learning (outcome-oriented help, e.g., correct…

Although it is commonly believed that automation aids human decision-making, conflicting evidence raises questions about whether individuals would gain greater advantages from automation in difficult tasks. Our study examines the combined influence of task difficulty and automation reliability on aided decision-making. We assessed decision…

Australian children aged 6-9 years (N = 120, 71 females; data collected in 2021-2022) were tasked with remembering the locations of 1, 3, 5, and 7 targets hidden under 25 cups on different trials. In the critical test phase, children were provided with a limited number of tokens to allocate across trials, which they could use to mark target…

It is well established that performing multiple tasks simultaneously (dual-tasking) or sequentially (task-switching) degrades performance on one or both tasks. However, it is unknown whether task-switching adds to the effects of dual-tasking in a single setup. We investigated this in a simulated everyday-like car driving scenario. We expected an…

Second language (L2) writing researchers have enthusiastically adopted task complexity frameworks in their examination of the effects of complex task features on L2 written performance. However, such research often overlooks the effect(s) of such features on general L2 development as well as L2 writing development. Drawing from Manch?n and…

Educational researchers have been confronted with a multitude of definitions of task complexity and a lack of consensus on how to measure it. Using a cognitive load theory-based perspective, we argue that the task complexity that learners experience is based on element interactivity. Element interactivity can be determined by simultaneously…

In rule-based (RB) category-learning tasks, the optimal strategy is a simple explicit rule, whereas in information-integration (II) tasks, the optimal strategy is impossible to describe verbally. This study investigates the effects of two different category properties on learning difficulty in category learning tasks--namely, linear separability…

Background: Various findings regarding the relationship between math anxiety and engagement have been identified in the literature, with many focusing on general math anxiety and overall math engagement. Objectives: Based on the control-value theory, this study examined the relationships between trait- and state-math anxiety and behavioural and…

This study explored 54 preservice elementary teachers' identification and modification of mathematical tasks in raising cognitive demand and examined the features of their modified tasks. The study collected data using a three-phase activity: (a) identifying the level of cognitive demand of the given task, (b) modifying the low cognitive demand…

We investigated the relations between self-reported math anxiety, task difficulty, and pupil dilation in adults and very young children during math tasks of varying difficulty levels. While task difficulty significantly influenced pupillary responses in both groups, the association between self-reported math anxiety and pupil dilation differed…

Private speech is a cognitive tool to guide thinking and behavior, yet its regulatory use in atypical development remains equivocal. This study investigated the influence of task difficulty on private speech in preschool children with attention or language difficulties. Measures of private speech use, form and content were obtained while 52…

This study investigated whether the three variables of task form, squares carried, and figural complexity, for designing cube folding tasks, affect sixth graders' cube folding performance. Two task forms were used to develop two versions of "cube folding test." Each version was designed based on two levels of squares carried and three…