RESUMO
With the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, many undergraduates were forced to transition from in-person to remote learning. In order to hold live synchronous classes, institutions adopted online videoconferencing platforms such as Zoom. This study examined student experiences during Zoom classes with regard to perceptions of unproductive cognitive load stemming from factors such as personal software settings, instructor-determined class features, teaching methods, feelings toward the class, internal state, and external environment. For comparison, a parallel survey was administered to instructors regarding student perceptions. The top five factors students reported to increase unproductive load were life stress, tiredness, sickness, negative emotions, and auditory distractions;the factors linked most strongly to decrease unproductive load were enjoyment of the class, interest in the class topic, relevance to future goals, presentation of information in manageable and meaningful chunks, and ability to focus. Instructor ratings overall aligned with those of students. Participants also reported overall higher mental fatigue during Zoom, as framed in comparison to prior in-person classes;this was correlated with number and time spent in these classes, but not with demographic variables nor with several other independent measures of self-regulated learning and academic self-efficacy. Implications for improving the student experience in online learning are discussed, emphasizing that many of the factors reported as helpful to cognitive load management are applicable to all classrooms. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)