The effect of blended learning on mathematics cognitive demand and cognitive load in learning calculus of several variables at universities in Tigray, Ethiopia.

The overall objective of this study was to examine the effect of blended learning on improving students’ mathematical cognitive demand and their extraneous and germane cognitive load in learning calculus of several variables. Guided by constructivist and cognitive load theories, a quasi-experimental design was conducted in three public universities. A total of 67 second-year undergraduate mathematics students participated for 4 months. The study used a mixed research method with social constructivism augmented by pragmatism. Data were analysed using analysis of co-variance procedure and thematic analysis and discussed using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The findings revealed that the treatment group students’ mathematical cognitive demand (treatment (TG1) (<italic>M</italic> = 70.9, SD = 10.8) and treatment (TG2) (<italic>M</italic> = 69.3, SD = 20.5) were significantly higher than the posttest scores of students in the comparison group in CG (<italic>M</italic> = 58.8, SD = 13.5), (<italic>p</italic> = 0.00)) with effect size of 0.25. Moreover, their germane cognitive load had improved and extraneous cognitive load reduced significantly compared to the comparison group. To conclude, mathematics cognitive demand can be improved with blended learning. These findings imply that blending mathematics instruction in higher education institutions is useful to policymakers. The finding also revealed that cognitive load was found a negative and significant predictor of mathematics cognitive demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]