ABSTRACT This study examined the effectiveness of two instructional methods for teaching fraction multiplication within the framework of cognitive load theory. Ninety‐three Year 4 students from South East Asian country were randomly assigned to either the High Element‐Interactivity Method (HEIM) or the Low Element‐Interactivity Method (LEIM). They completed a pre‐test, attended a teaching phase, studied an instruction sheet, worked on acquisition problems, completed a post‐test, and an Optimal Outcomes Questionnaire. Results indicated that LEIM students outperformed HEIM students on practice problems and Type I (simple) post‐test problems, suggesting that LEIM's lower element interactivity reduced cognitive load imposition. Across both groups, performance on practice problems correlated positively with post‐test results. Consistent with prior research, beliefs about achieving optimal best were not related to cognitive load imposed by instructional design. Overall, the findings highlight LEIM as a more efficient method than HEIM for supporting students' learning of fraction multiplication.
Ngu et al. (Thu,) studied this question.