Academic self-efficiency and cognitive load for students in distance learning

Recently the distance learning in Latvia is defined as a part of regular full-time education. The procedure for their organization and implementation is determined by the Cabinet of Ministers and changes in the Education Law are envisaged. To ensure an effective distance learning implementation process this research provides the correlation study between self-efficiency and cognitive load aspects for students in distance learning. This is a quantitative experimental pilot study which measures these correlations in two different forms of distance learning: teacher-led and self-directed learning settings. The measurement of self-efficiency is made by adapted Generalized Self-Efficacy scale (Schwarzer & Jerusalem, 1995) and assessment of Subjective Cognitive Load Self-rating scale (Paas,1992). The measurements are compared and correlated with the final learning outcomes of students. The research sample consists of high school tenth-grade students. The results demonstrate statistically significant correlations and discrepancies between self-efficiency and cognitive load aspects for students in distance learning in different forms of learning. The measurements of cognitive load are needed for educators to be able to engineer the instructional control of appropriate cognitive load and design effective learning process for distance learning environments.