Coordination in collaborative learning: The mediating role of cognitive load

Despite claims that coordination benefits collaborative learning, evidence for its impact on performance is inconsistent and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Drawing on Collaborative Cognitive Load Theory, this study examined how coordination relates to group performance by analysing its associations with intrinsic, extraneous and germane cognitive load. Education students (n = 201) collaboratively designed lesson plans, after which group performance, coordination and cognitive load were assessed. Analyses revealed that coordination was marginally positively associated with performance and significantly positively associated with extraneous and germane cognitive load, but not intrinsic cognitive load. Mediation analysis further showed that germane load provided a pathway linking coordination to performance. These findings suggest that coordination may support collaborative learning not by directly improving outcomes, but by shaping cognitive processes to foster productive engagement. The study clarifies the cognitive role of coordination in collaborative learning and identifies germane load as a potential key mechanism.