Differential effects of a fixed and a faded motivational scaffold on cognitive load and learning in multimedia environments

The research compares the effects of two motivational scaffolding models included in a multimedia environment that addresses technological content and evaluates their influence on cognitive load and academic performance in students with different cognitive styles in the field dependence-independence (FDI) dimension. The study involved 145 tenth-grade students from a public institution in Cundinamarca, Colombia. A quasi-experimental design was used with two independent variables: type of scaffolding (fixed or faded by the student) and students’ cognitive style in the FDI dimension. The dependent variables evaluated were academic performance and cognitive load in three categories: intrinsic, extrinsic and Germanic. A 2×2 MANCOVA factor analysis was performed, the results of which showed a higher intrinsic cognitive load in students with a tendency toward field dependence, compared to their peers with a tendency toward field independence. In addition, the performance of students who interacted with the multimedia environment with self-faded scaffolding was superior to those who used fixed scaffolding. The data also show that students with different cognitive styles achieved equivalent learning. Also, the type of motivational scaffolding used did not affect cognitive load.