Direct and Constructivist Instructional Design: A Comparison of Efficiency Using Mental Workload and Task Performance

Cognitive Load Theory is based upon the assumption that working memory can process only explicit and direct instructions. Therefore, it is believed that inquiries techniques, not employing explicit instructional methods for teaching, are set to fail. This paper aims to fill this gap by extending the traditional direct instruction teaching method, with a highly guided inquiry activity and comparing their efficiency. In detail, the efficiency of the former is expected to be lower than the efficiency of the latter hybrid method. The likelihood model of efficiency, originally based upon a unidimensional subjective measure of effort and an objective measure of performance, was originally applied and extended with a multidimensional measure of cognitive load. Empirical evidence partially supports the above hypothesis but reveals some limitations of the traditional statistical tools applied to group comparisons of small sample size, often the case in higher educational settings. This suggests that future scholars should dedicate effort on the identification and application of statistical methods for the analysis of the efficiency of instructional conditions in small sample-size groups.