Abstract
The split-attention effect arose from the worked example effect following the discovery that worked examples with a particular format were relatively ineffective (Tarmizi & Sweller, 1988). Worked examples are valuable because they reduce extraneous cognitive load compared to solving the equivalent problems but, of course, it is unlikely that all worked examples, irrespective of their structure and function, will be equally effective. Indeed, some worked examples are likely to be ineffective because their format itself imposes a heavy extraneous cognitive load. Split-source worked examples fall into this category.
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Sweller, J., Ayres, P., Kalyuga, S. (2011). The Split-Attention Effect. In: Cognitive Load Theory. Explorations in the Learning Sciences, Instructional Systems and Performance Technologies, vol 1. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-8126-4_9
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