Cognitive Load Guide

What is cognitive load?

References

Explanatory Video

Types of Cognitive load

Cognitive Load GUIDE

Enhancing Germane Load

An instructional designer's quick guide to Cognitive Load Theory

Essential Information

Managing intrinsic load

Why Should I care?

Reducing extraneous load

Sequence from Simple to Complex

Use Pre-training

Chunk Information

Explanatory VIDEO

Understanding Cognitive Load

Impact on Learning Outcomes

Why should I care about this?

What is the impact on learning outcomes?

By understanding cognitive load, this helps instructional designers reduce overload and promote meaningful leanring. Therefore, by managing different types of load, designers can enhance learning efficiency and retention.

Exessive cognitive load, especially extraneous load, can hinder learning and cause confusion for learners. Effective cogntive load management leads to better retention, understanding, and transfer of knowledge.

What is cognitive load?

Cognitive load refers to the amount of mental effort used in working memory. According to Sweller (1988), learning is most effective when instructional design aligns with our brain's cognitive architecture (Sweller, J., 1988).

Information enters through sensory memory, is processed in working memory, and then encoded into long-term memory for storage and retrieval (Atkinson, R. C., & Shiffrin, R. M., 1968).

Working memory temporarily holds and manipulates new information, while long-term memory stores it for future use. Learning occurs when information is successfully transferred from working to long-term memory (Baddeley, A. D., 1992).

How the Brain Processes Information

Working Memory & Long-Term Memory in Learning

Encourage Self-Explanation

Use Varied Practice with Reflection

Incorporate Problem-Based Learning

References

• Chi, M. T. H., Bassok, M., Lewis, M. W., Reimann, P., & Glaser, R. (1989). Self-explanations: How students study and use examples in learning to solve problems. Cognitive Science, 13(2), 145–182. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15516709cog1302_1
• Gobet, F., & Simon, H. A. (1998). Expert chess memory: Revisiting the chunking hypothesis. Memory, 6(3), 225–255. https://doi.org/10.1080/741942359
• Hmelo-Silver, C. E. (2004). Problem-based learning: What and how do students learn? Educational Psychology Review, 16(3), 235–266. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:EDPR.0000034022.16470.f3
• Mayer, R. E. (2009). Multimedia learning (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
• Mayer, R. E., & Moreno, R. (2003). Nine ways to reduce cognitive load in multimedia learning. Educational Psychologist, 38(1), 43–52. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15326985EP3801_6
• Mayer, R. E., Mathias, A., & Wetzell, K. (2002). Fostering understanding of multimedia messages through pre-training: Evidence for a two-stage theory of mental model construction. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 8(3), 147–154. https://doi.org/10.1037/1076-898X.8.3.147
• Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science, 12(2), 257–285. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15516709cog1202_4
• Sweller, J., Ayres, P., & Kalyuga, S. (2011). Cognitive load theory. Springer.
• Sweller, J., van Merriënboer, J. J. G., & Paas, F. G. W. C. (1998). Cognitive architecture and instructional design. Educational Psychology Review, 10(3), 251–296. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022193728205
• van Merriënboer, J. J. G., & Sweller, J. (2005). Cognitive load theory and complex learning: Recent developments and future directions. Educational Psychology Review, 17(2), 147–177. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-005-3951-0
• van Merriënboer, J. J. G., Kirschner, P. A., & Kester, L. (2003). Taking the load off a learner’s mind: Instructional design for complex learning. Educational Psychologist, 38(1), 5–13. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15326985EP3801_2

Eliminate Unnessary Information

Integrate Text and Graphics

Managing Intrinsic Load

Coherence Principle

Spatial Continguity

Modality Principle

Types of Cognitive load

There are three types of cognitive load, which are outlined below.

1. Intrinsic Load: The inherent complexity of the content being learned.
2. Extraneous Load: The load imposed by poor instructional design or irrelevant content.
3. Germane Load: The mental effort devoted to schema construction and meaningful learning (Sweller, J., van Merriënboer, J. J. G., & Paas, F. G. W. C., 1998).