title: The impact of secondary-task type on the sensitivity of reaction-time based measurement of cognitive load for novices learning surgical skills using simulation.
abstract: Interest in the measurement of cognitive load (CL) in simulation-based education has grown in recent years. In this paper we present two pilot experiments comparing the sensitivity of two reaction time based secondary task measures of CL. The results suggest that simple reaction time measures are sensitive enough to detect changes in CL experienced by novice learners in the initial stages of simulation-based surgical skills training.
authors.affiliation: SickKids Learning Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rojas
authors.affiliation: SickKids Learning Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Faizal
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haji
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Business and Information Technology, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Oshawa, Canada.
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shewaga
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Business and Information Technology, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Oshawa, Canada.
authors.forename: Bill
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kapralos
authors.affiliation: Division of Emergency Medicine, Memorial University , St. John's, Newfoundland.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dubrowski
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013536:Suture Techniques; D000076142:Virtual Reality; D055815:Young Adult