This study examines the effects of “problem-based”(PBL) and “direct instructional”(DI) case-based learning on secondary school pre-service teachers’(n=641) cognitive load and motivational and emotional factors during the learning process and addresses the inter-relationships. Topic of the case-based environments was classroom-management. The results showed that the students feel greater immersion and increased pleasure in the PBL courses. DI courses are also motivating and they reveal a higher level of anger among the students. In both groups, similar inter relationships between cognitive load, motivation, and emotion were found. Our findings show that case-based learning is effective in both environments but it is better suited to PBL courses.