The current study aimed at identifying the extent to which psychological barriers degrees contribute to predicting the degrees of perceived cognitive load for blackboard e-learning management system users at the prince Sattam bin Abdul-Aziz University. This study employs quantitative method with survey as main data collection tool. The research sample consisted of (240) male and female students from the Prince Sattam bin Abdul-Aziz University. For data collection, the researchers applied the psychological barriers scale and the perceived cognitive load scale prepared by the researchers. The survey data was analyzed through descriptive-analytic research approach to investigate the relationship between the study variables. Results demonstrated that there was a statistically significant correlative positive relationship between the psychological barriers and the cognitive load (intrinsic, extraneous, and the overall degree), and there was no statistically correlative relationship between psychological barriers and the Germane cognitive load. Finally, results revealed that the external psychological barriers were better at predicting the overall degree of the cognitive load. Psychological barriers and cognitive load must be considered within the e-learning settings, through making use of the results of the current study in developing training and counseling programs to reduce the students' psychological barriers and cognitive load levels.
Key words: Psychological barriers, Cognitive load, Distance e-learning, university students, Blackboard system.
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