Cognitive Load or Cognitive Support? Evaluating the Efficacy of Bite-Sized Video Interventions for Students with Learning Disabilities

Abstract

Short-form video (SFV) platforms are increasingly being utilized to facilitate learning, and the impact of SFV on students with learning disabilities (LD) is not clear. The present mixed methods quasi experiment within subject crossover study aimed to find out if 60 second instructional videos are cognitive supportive or extraneous load for neurodivergent learners. Three SFV interventions (60 second duration) and a three-minute-long form video with the same content were presented to 100 students aged 8-14 from three cities in Pakistan who had been diagnosed with LD (ADHD, dyslexia, ASD). Outcomes were immediate and 7-day delayed recall, NASA TLX cognitive load, eye tracking, and thematic analysis of interviews (n=15). SFV significantly outperformed long form video in immediate recall (+6.58%, p<.001, d=0.54) and delayed retention (+7.72%, p<.001, d=0.55). There was lower composite cognitive load in SFV (2.57 vs. 2.91, p = .002) due to lower mental demand, temporal demand and effort. Eye tracking revealed that participants had faster first fixation, longer fixation duration, and lower saccade rates, all of which indicates improved attention (p<.001). The greatest gains were made by students who had ADHD and ASD. These were qualitatively reduced as distractive (67%), used as a scaffold for segmentation (87-93%), familiar with the format (87-93%), and as an executive barrier with regards to infinite scroll impulse (53%). The study demonstrates that bite-sized videos prepared using segmenting, signaling, and the use of slow pacing was found to be a cognitive support for most of the students with LD improving their retention and attention. By eliminating distractions on the platform and applying concepts of cognitive load, SFV can be a valuable assistive activity for neurodivergent learners.