The effect of instructional design prepared on thermodynamics unit by using Cognitive Load Theory on chemistry students? learning at retention and transfer level

Thermodynamic is one of the most difficult subjects to teach in chemistry. Therefore, while teaching this topic, implementation of learning theories that have been proved as successfull should be considered to use in teaching process. Thus, a teaching software program composed of eight sessions was developed based on the Cognitive Load Theory and its principles. In this study, to test learning of expert and novice students from the instructional design either using the software developed by taking into account theCognitive Load Theory or the lecturing with presentation strategy.The study was carried out with 37 freshmen enrolled in the Chemistry department at Faculty of Science in Karadeniz Technical University. The experimental design was used and students were appointed randomly into groups. In order to collect data, academic achievement average for General Chemistry-I course, Thermodynamic Achievement Test, Retention Tests, Transfer tests, Cognitive Load Scales, Digit-span test, Science Process Skill Test and a semi structured student feedback form about the software design which was prepared for use in the experimental group considering the Cognitive Load Theory was utilized. While academic achievement average for General Chemistry-I course, Digit-span test and ScienceProcess Skill Test were used only to determine equivalence of the groups (experiment and control), Thermodynamic Achievement Test was used both as a pre test to determine equivalency of the groups and a post test after the application. Retention Tests, Transfer tests and Cognitive Load Scales were implemented at the each session during the process. Besides, student feedback form was only used to elicit students? ideas in the experimental group regarding to both the software and the instructional design.To determine the equivalency of the groups, t-test was used. Nevertheless, MANOVA (Multivariate Analysis of Variance) was used to analyze the Thermodynamic Achievement Test, Retention Tests, Transfer Tests and Cognitive Load Scales. According to Cognitive Load Theory, since the memory width is among the factors that affect learning, Digit-span test was appointed as covariance to MANOVA tests performed for each session. On the other hand, Digit-span Test and Thermodynamic Achievement Test (pre-test) were appointed as covariance to MANOVA tests which is applied for the whole study. Bonferroni Test was used to compare the differences of expert and novice students enrolled in the experimental and control groups. Semi-structured Student Feedback form Related to InstructionalDesign Prepared according to Cognitive Load Theory was analyzed by using content analysis method.As a result, experimental group students who were taught with instructional design based on Cognitive Load Theory gained effective learning in terms of recall and transfer level even tough majority of experimental group students had more loaded when compared to the control group students. In addition to this, while novice students taught with the design developed by Cognitive Load Theory had higher scores than expert students on the level of recall, expert students gained better achievement than novice students on the level of transfer. The study was completed with further implications and suggestions to researchers.