The mediating effect of sequencing and fading on the relationship between e-learning personalization and germane load

ABSTRACT

The use of e-learning personalization allows learners to control their learning by choosing which content to process and how to process it. In order to explain the processes that occur when students use e-learning personalization, this study looks at how it interacts with two other variables: sequencing and fading, a scaffolding technique where element interactivity is increased while instructional support is decreased as learners gain knowledge of the topic; and germane load, which is reflective of a reduction of negative aspects of cognitive load, resulting in higher levels of information transfer. Using survey analysis of university students in South Korea (n = 2268), results showed that sequencing and fading partially mediated the relationship between e-learning personalization and germane load, suggesting that student self-scaffolding is partially responsible for the relationship. This study differs from existing research, as it shifts sequencing and fading from an instructor-only perspective to a learner-focused activity. Based on these findings, system-provided e-learning personalization should be used to encourage learners to self-scaffold content according to individual learning needs.

KEYWORDS:

• Cognitive load
• e-learning personalization
• germane load
• learner control
• sequencing and fading

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to privacy issues.

Additional information

Funding

This present research was supported by the research fund of Dankook University in 2021.

Notes on contributors

Jamie Costley

Jamie Costley is an assistant professor in the Laboratory for Curriculum Design, Institute of Education at the Moscow Higher School of Economics. He is interested in a variety of topics related to how to improve learning in online environments, specifically in the areas of collaborative learning, cognitive load, and instructional design.

Christopher Lange

Christopher Lange is an assistant professor in the Department of British and American Humanities at Dankook University in South Korea. He has published papers on informal group work, e-learning instructional design, and the effects of learning strategies within online environments. His current research is focused on the effects of cognitive load and learner control within e-learning environments.