Data for: Why Is Secondary School Mathematics Difficult to Learn? From the Perspectives of In-Service Teachers and Cognitive Load Theory

<h3>Project Overview</h3>
<p>This research explores the complexity of secondary school mathematics through the perspectives of experienced in-service teachers and the framework of cognitive load theory. The research identifies sources of complexity in learning mathematics and compares them with the definitions of complexity within cognitive load theory. Semi-structured interviews with eleven secondary school mathematics teachers were conducted reaching empirical-driven saturation. The analysis of these interviews highlighted complexity sources related to the inherent intricacy of mathematics (knowledge complexity) and to the form in which tasks and instruction is presented and designed (task complexity). The findings offer insights into the nature of the difficulties students encounter while learning mathematics and thus provide an approximation to the sources of complexity that should be considered when assessing secondary school mathematics. The conclusions provide a bridge between academics and daily teaching, enhancing the applicability of cognitive load theory.</p>