When Supplemental Information Interrupts: The Consequences of Including Demonstration Tasks and Additional Textboxes While Reading

Learning involves complex cognitive processes such as perception, attention, and memory, with reading being a common method to acquire knowledge. Textbooks are often supplemented with additional materials such as self-test questions and demonstration tasks to enhance learning. However, the impact of these supplemental materials, especially when they interrupt reading, is not well understood. This study examined how interruptions by supplemental materials affect reading comprehension and learning outcomes.