Exploring Instructor Presence, Slide Content Variation, and Answer Cue Presentation Modes on Cognitive Load and Learning in Video-Based Learning Environments

This study examines the effect of instructor presence: no lecturer, physical lecturer presence, and virtual lecturer presence as an avatar, on cognitive load and learning gain in video-based learning (VBL). We conducted a study with 33 participants using eye-tracking to measure cognitive load and knowledge pre-and post-tests to measure learning gain. The video stimuli included varied content designs: text-heavy, image-centric, and mixed-content slides. TThe results indicate that avatars effectively reduce cognitive load and improve learning outcomes across various types of slide content and answer cue delivery modes, particularly in image-centric or mixed-content designs and with visual-only or verbal cues. Additionally, using an avatar is recommended for delivering certain answer cues. These findings suggest that avatars have beneficial applications in VBL settings.