Thrive or overload? The effect of task complexity on novices' simulation-based learning.
Context Fidelity is widely viewed as an important element of simulation instructional design based on its purported relationship with transfer of learning. However, higher levels of fidelity may increase task complexity to a point at which novices' cognitive resources become overloaded. Objectives I...
| Publicado en: | Medical Education Vol. 50; no. 9; pp. 955 - 969 |
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| Autores principales: | , , , , , |
| Formato: | research tables/charts Journal Article |
| Publicado: |
Wiley-Blackwell
Sep2016
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| Acceso en línea: | Ver este registro en EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=117672505&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 117672505 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 03080110 ESF jtl: Medical Education issn: 03080110 maglogo: Y pubinfo: dt: Sep2016 vid: 50 iid: 9 pid: 480 pub: Wiley-Blackwell place: Malden, Massachusetts artinfo: ui: 117672505 117672505 117672505 10.1111/medu.13086 117672505 ppf: 955 ppct: 14 formats: fmt: @attributes: type: P tig: atl: Thrive or overload? The effect of task complexity on novices' simulation-based learning. aug: au: Haji, Faizal A Cheung, Jeffrey J H Woods, Nicole Regehr, Glenn Ribaupierre, Sandrine Dubrowski, Adam affil: Wilson Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto Ontario, Canada sug: subj: Task Performance and Analysis Learning Cognition Students, Medical Education, Medical Spinal Puncture Education Computer Simulation Models, Anatomic Human Funding Source Education Research Random Assignment Skill Acquisition Skill Retention Transfer (Psychology) P-Value Student Performance Appraisal Schools, Medical Ontario Power Analysis Coefficient alpha Learning Environment Vignettes Prospective Studies Questionnaires Outcome Assessment Content Validity Intraclass Correlation Coefficient Summated Rating Scaling Scales Data Analysis Software T-Tests Fisher's Exact Test Analysis of Variance Effect Size Male Female Young Adult Reaction Time Interrater Reliability Descriptive Statistics Male Female ab: Context Fidelity is widely viewed as an important element of simulation instructional design based on its purported relationship with transfer of learning. However, higher levels of fidelity may increase task complexity to a point at which novices' cognitive resources become overloaded. Objectives In this experiment, we investigate the effects of variations in task complexity on novices' cognitive load and learning during simulation-based procedural skills training. Methods Thirty-eight medical students were randomly assigned to simulation training on a simple or complex lumbar puncture ( LP) task. Participants completed four practice trials on this task (skill acquisition). After 10 days of rest, all participants completed one additional trial on their assigned task (retention) and one trial on a 'very complex' simulation designed to be similar to the complex task (transfer). We assessed LP performance and cognitive load on each trial using multiple measures. Results In both groups, LP performance improved significantly during skill acquisition (p ≤ 0.047, f = 0.29-0.96) and was maintained at retention. The simple task group demonstrated superior performance compared with the complex task group throughout these phases (p ≤ 0.002, d = 1.13-2.31). Cognitive load declined significantly in the simple task group (p < 0.009, f = 0.48-0.76), but not in the complex task group during skill acquisition, and remained lower at retention (p ≤ 0.024, d = 0.78-1.39). Between retention and transfer, LP performance declined and cognitive load increased in the simple task group, whereas both remained stable in the complex task group. At transfer, no group differences were observed in LP performance and cognitive load, except that the simple task group made significantly fewer breaches of sterility (p = 0.023, d = 0.80). Conclusions Reduced task complexity was associated with superior LP performance and lower cognitive load during skill acquisition and retention, but mixed results on transfer to a more complex task. These results indicate that task complexity is an important factor that may mediate (via cognitive overload) the relationship between instructional design elements (e.g. fidelity) and simulation-based learning outcomes. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: research tables/charts Journal Article ougenre: Article language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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