A Multimodal Neurophysiological Approach to Evaluate Educational Contents in terms of Cognitive Processes and Engagement

Background: Understanding the impact of different learning materials in terms of comprehension and engagement is essential for optimizing educational strategies. While digital learning tools are increasingly used, offering and multiplying different educational solutions, their effects on learners’ mental workload, attention, and engagement remain underexplored. This study aims to investigate how different types of learning contents — educational videos, academic videos, and text reading—affect cognitive processing and engagement. Methods: Neurophysiological signals, including electroencephalography (EEG), electrodermal activity (EDA), and photoplethysmography (PPG), were recorded from experimental participants while they were engaged with each learning content. Subjective assessments of cognitive effort and engagement, together with a quiz to assess the knowledge acquisition, were collected through questionnaires for each tested content. Key neurophysiological metrics, such as engagement and Human Distraction Index (HDI), were computed and compared across conditions. Results: Findings indicate that video-based learning materials, particularly educational videos with visual enhancements, elicited higher engagement and lower cognitive load compared to text-based learning. The text reading condition was associated with increased mental workload and a higher distraction index, suggesting greater cognitive demands. Correlation analyses confirmed strong associations between neurophysiological indicators and subjective evaluations. Conclusions: The results highlight the potential of neurophysiological measures to objectively assess learning experiences, paving the way for designing more effective and engaging learning platforms.