5 Ways to Reduce Cognitive Load in eLearning. The information processing capacity of learners is limited, so it's important that designers take this into account when creating eLearning courses. This article briefly discusses cognitive load theory and provides 5 ways to help reduce cognitive load that will help learners process information more effectively. In our brains, we have two types of memory. One is our working memory, which we use to process new information. The capacity of our working memory is quite limited so it can only handle so much before it becomes overloaded. The second is our long-term memory, which is where we store information from our working memory and where we retrieve that information from later. Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) proposes that there are three types of cognitive load: IntrinsicThis is the level of complexity inherent in the material being studied.
The three types of cognitive load are additive so according to the theory, for instruction to be effective: References: Get 2 Free eBooks. Working with Cognitive Load. When I first started working as an e-Learning instructional designer I became interested in the learning process and how people learn. I figured that if I knew more about information processing and learning, I could hopefully design more effective courses. I came across a book called Efficiency in Learning: Evidence-Based Guidelines to Manage Cognitive Load by Ruth Colvin Clark, Frank Nguyen and John Sweller. In this book I discovered – among other things - Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) which is based on studies of human cognitive architecture – how we process and organise information. In our brains, we have two types of memory. CLT proposes that there are three types of cognitive load: Intrinsic: this is the level of complexity inherent in the material being studied.
Extraneous: this is cognitive load imposed by non-relevant elements that require extra mental processing e.g. decorative pictures, animations etc. that add nothing to the learning experience. References: Mayer, R. Like this: » How I Was Able to Ace Exams Without Studying. Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Scott Young of ScottYoung.com. In high school, I rarely studied. Despite that, I graduated second in my class. In university, I generally studied less than an hour or two before major exams. However, over four years, my GPA always sat between an A and an A+.
Recently I had to write a law exam worth 100% of my final grade. Right now, I’m guessing most of you think I’m just an arrogant jerk. Why do Some People Learn Quickly? The fact is most of my feats are relatively mundane. The story isn’t about how great I am (I’m certainly not) or even about the fantastic accomplishments of other learners. It’s this different strategy, not just blind luck and arrogance, that separates rapid learners from those who struggle. Most sources say that the difference in IQ scores across a group is roughly half genes and half environment. Rote memorization is based on the theory that if you look at information enough times it will magically be stored inside your head. 1. What-can-neuroscience-teach-us-about-teaching.pdf (application/pdf Object) Guild_E-Learning.pdf (application/pdf Object)