Influence of Online and Face-to-face Collaboration and Learning Style on Cognitive Load and Engagement in a Health Introductory Course

Although collaborative learning has received increasing attention, few studies have examined the differences between online and face-to-face (f2f) collaboration. This study utilized a two-factor experimental design to investigate the influences of collaboration mode (f2f versus online) and learning style on students' cognitive load and engagement. To assess the differences between online and f2f collaboration, cognitive load scale and engagement were collected from two different classes taking the same course at a university in Taiwan. The results show that online collaboration led to a higher cognitive load than that required for f2f collaboration because students have to learn how to use the online collaboration platform. However, online collaboration had higher engagement compared to that for f2f collaboration which represented student were more willing to engage in collaborative technologies. Students who preferred visual learning reported that the use of online collaboration led to less cognitive load and higher sustained attention than that experienced with verbal learning. No significant differences were found related to students' learning style in the f2f collaboration group.