Translating aspects of cognitive load theory into practice: nuanced results from the worked example effect in South African mathematics classrooms

Ashley Abbott, PhD Student and lifelong mathematics teacher, University of Oxford, UK Introduction Cognitive load theory (CLT) needs little introduction for many teachers and schools, with a myriad of books being published especially for teachers on the subject (e.g. Garnett, 2020). However, the theory is not well integrated into the South African context, and there is a paucity of classroom-based CLT research not only within South Africa, but also more globally. This is exemplified by Ollerton et al. (2020, p. 36), who state that: Most studies that contribute to CLT involve memorising novel ideas in short-term or laboratory contexts, seldom in authentic educational contexts over time and often with willing adult learners rather than, for example, unwilling adolescents. This article seeks to bridge this gap between theory and classroom practice and expands the study by Abbott (2021), which found that female students and those of a low socioeconomic background in South Africa were s