Cognitive Load Theory (Global)

What is Cognitive Load Theory?

Select each box to learn more about the three types of memory and rehearsal.

Rehearsal

Long-Term Memory

Retrieval

Sensory Memory

Incoming Information

Working Memory

Encoding

Forgotten

Forgotten

How to Reduce Cognitive Load in Your Course

Select each item to learn more about the ways to reduce cognitive load in your course.

Keep it simple

Provide support

Be consistent

Apply UDL

Other Considerations

• Consider the number of readings you assign in a session. Use the Course Workload Estimator to calculate the amount of time it will take to read all of the materials.

• Consider your institution's weekly recommended seat time hours when finalizing your session readings.

• Provide the duration of videos so that students can pace their viewing.

• Your content should be ADA-compliant and accessible to all learners!

Rehearsal:

• Repeating a phone number mentally, or aloud, until the number is entered into the phone to make the call is an example of rehearsal. The number is held in working memory long enough to make the call, but never transferred to long-term memory.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a research-based teaching approach that accommodates learner variability by removing unnecessary obstacles and incorporating flexibility into the curriculum. UDL is guided by three core principles:

• presenting information in multiple formats
• engaging students through diverse means
• offering various ways for students to demonstrate their knowledge

More information about UDL can be found here: https://hudl.jhu.edu/

• Keep a consistent voice throughout your course. Students should have a consistent experience in your course so that they can focus their attention on learning and not predicting what is next.
• Maintain a consistent location for students to navigate to course materials, assignments, etc.

Long-term memory:

• Stores information in structures called "schemas;" schemas are organized and recalled based on how we use them.

Implication for course design:

• Assess prior knowledge (pre-course survey) to learn your students' expertise levels.
• Create scaffolding to "cement" learning to previous knowledge stores information in structures called "schemas."

Provide support

• Give students multiple means to get help with coursework--you as the instructor, their peers, etc.
• Keep the lines of communication open to students; maintain a safe space to ask questions.

Sensory memory: quickly filters out much of what is happening around us; passes on select information to short-term memory

Keep it simple

• Avoid presenting too much information at once (text on a page, for example).
• Rule of thumb: If you need to scroll more than 1.5 pages, you have too much text on the page.
• Use infographics or interactive technology instead of text to relay information.
• Eliminate unessential information.
• Make every word or image count!
• Break assignments down into parts.
• Have the parts build upon one another to create a final deliverable.

Working (or short-term) memory:

• Humans can process five to seven pieces, or "chunks" of information at once.
• The processed information is either discarded or categorized for storage in long-term memory.

Implication for course design:

• Content should be "chunked" (break lengthy written directions into bullet points; use accordions to separate "chunks" of text).