Examining the Impact of Teachers’ Cognitive Load on Student Engagement and Learning Outcomes in Saudi Classrooms

Examining the influence of cognitive load on teacher strategies, engagement of students, and the learning experience as a whole is essential in an age of educational reform and rapid technological evolution in instruction to become more effective pedagogues and positively impact student learning outcomes. This study explicates the experience of cognitive load on teachers and their ability to teach and engage students in the Saudi Arabian 21st-century classroom.

The study employed a qualitative research design to investigate the experiences of the 35 Saudi teachers through an essential initiative stratum of how they were selected in a randomized stratified process to ensure as much diversity as possible in the teaching community throughout Saudi Arabia. Data was collected through open-ended questionnaires and analyzed using thematic analysis to ascertain primary patterns and themes emerging from the data.

The analysis found that (1) cognitive load significantly impacted teachers’ choice of instructional strategies. (2) Classroom performance was also impeded due to cognitive load as teachers struggled to engage and manage the learning of the students inside the classroom; (3) systemic and environmental forces devolving curriculum and integration of technology into instruction increased cognitive demand for the teachers, and (4) teachers employed various adaptive practices to manage their cognitive demands. They demonstrated tremendous resilience and adaptability in their practice.

The study findings have practical implications for educational policy and practice, primarily that educational policy and practice should focus on providing specific assistance and professional learning for teachers managing cognitive load. Finally, based on the findings, the study’s limitations and recommendations for further research are discussed.