INVESTIGATING TEACHERS’ COGNITIVE LOAD DURING MATHEMATICS INSTRUCTION AND ITS MOTIVATIONAL AND ATTRITIONAL CONSEQUENCES

Abstract

Decades of research have pointed to the central role of cognitive load on an individual's ability to process informational inputs effectively. Despite the pervasiveness of cognitive load, this research has been largely conducted among student populations. In contrast, despite the many inputs that teachers must balance, teachers’ cognitive load experiences remain understudied. Moreover, while teachers’ motivational experiences have received more attention, no study has yet to explore the interplay between teachers’ cognitive load and their (a) motivational experiences and (b) attrition intentions during math instruction. Therefore, the overarching goal of this dissertation was to explore (a) elementary grade level (pre-K-5) teachers’ cognitive load experiences during math instruction and its association to their (b) motivation (i.e., self-efficacy, cost perception) and (c) attritional experiences. To do so, I adopted an explanatory sequential mixed method design (QUAN → qual). During the first, quantitative phase (Phase 1) of this study, I implemented a daily diary design in which N = 34 teachers participated in daily surveys following their math instruction over the course of 10 days. The daily surveys measured teachers’ experiences of cognitive load, motivation, and attrition intentions during their math instruction. I then selected teachers with high or low levels of cognitive load reported across the daily surveys to participate in the second, qualitative phase (Phase 2) of this study. A total of N = 10 teachers participated in semi-structured interviews during Phase 2. Phase 1 results revealed (a) considerable daily variation among teachers’ cognitive load experiences, (b) a non-predictive relation between teachers’ experience level and daily cognitive load, (c) predictive relations across all three dimensions of cognitive load (intrinsic, extraneous, and germane) and self-efficacy as well as predictive relations across a variety of combinations of cognitive load dimensions and cost perception dimensions (task effort, outside effort, emotional, and loss of valued alternatives cost), and (d) few predictive relations between cognitive load and attrition intentions (with the exception of germane load and attrition intentions). Phase 2 results revealed five central themes: (1) The compounding challenges of math instruction; (2) The unpredictable nature of the classroom environment; (3) The cognitive and emotional endurance required of teachers; (4) Experience enables instructional adaptation, and (5) Students as a buffer to teacher attrition. Finally, integrated results revealed key areas of data confirmation, expansion, and discordance across Phase 1 and Phase 2 findings. Theoretical, methodological, and practical implications as well as limitations and future directions that emerged from this study are discussed.