Efficiency model of micro-course study based on cognitive psychology in the college. (June 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lv, Ming; Liu, Hao; Zhou, Wenwen; Zheng, Chenyang
• Is Part Of: Computers in human behavior. Volume 107(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-06
• Subjects: Micro course -- Learning efficiency -- Cognitive psychology -- Model -- Cognitive efficiency; Interactive computer systems -- Periodicals; Man-machine systems -- Periodicals; 004.019
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2019.05.024
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0747-5632

Abstract

Abstract: Micro-courses are characterized by short duration, multiple teaching methods, and ease of dissemination. With the increase in educational informatization, the micro-course has become a significant component of higher education in China. Based on cognitive psychology research, the present study divided the micro-course learning process into three stages: knowledge acquisition, search, and analysis. A comparative cognitive experiment was conducted, with students randomly assigned to micro-course or traditional textbook approach groups. This article proposes a cognitive model that enables a quantitative analysis of cognitive time, accuracy, and efficiency in both types of teaching methods. Compared with those exposed to traditional textbook learning, students exposed to micro-courses had a shorter cognitive time and improved cognitive accuracy. The experimental results indicated that micro-courses improved cognitive efficiency, with an average improvement of 157.51%. The improvement in cognitive efficiency in the micro-course group was much more striking at the higher cognitive stages. Similar additional experiments were conducted to evaluate the proposed cognitive model. The results of these experiments were consistent with the findings reported in this article, leading to the conclusion that the proposed cognitive efficiency model is accurate, relatively universal, and well-adapted. This model could be used to inform the calculation of cognitive efficiency, micro-course design, and evaluation. Highlights: Three stages of the micro-course learning process have been studied. A quantitative analysis of cognitive time, accuracy, and efficiency conducted in both types of teaching methods. A cognitive efficiency model was proposed. Experimental results indicated that micro-courses could improve the learning efficiency.