Cognitive load explained
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Cognitive load theory emphasizes the limitations of working memory resources and how task complexity affects learning effectiveness. It identifies three factors influencing cognitive load: intrinsic difficulty, external presentation, and germane difficulty, which together impact an individual's capacity to learn. Educators should balance cognitive load with motivation by designing tasks to be cognitively manageable while maximizing meaningful engagement to enhance information retention.
Cognitive load explained
- 1. Cognitive Loadexplained… Why is Cognitive Loadimportant to educators? Cognitive loadtheoryreferstothe finite resourcesavailableinworkingmemory. Toput itsimply,when the upperlimitsof anindividual’sworkingmemoryresourcesare taxed,the less attentionthe mindwill affordthe task and the less effective the individual will perform. Workingmemorycapacitydiffers betweenindividuals,sothe cognitiveloadof agivenactivitywill alsovarybetweenindividuals. The amount of cognitive resourcesrequiredisdependentuponthree factors. The intrinsicdifficultyof the task (howhardit naturallyisto complete),the external difficultyresultingfromhow itispresented, packaged,the scaffoldingemployed,etc.,andthe germane difficulty,whichishow difficultitisto process. For example,the germanedifficultyinunderstandingthe worldisroundwhenyouthoughtit was flatisprettyhigh. The germane difficultyinunderstandingthe differencebetweenapplesand orangesisnot. Thistheoryacts in concertwiththe brain’snatural mechanismstoconserve energy. Thusitavoids cognitive overloadinordertoconserve energy. The braingenerallyavoidsexperiencesthatrequire more of its resources;thatis unlessthe rewardisdeemedworthwhile. In thisway,it alsoacts inconcert withthe brain’snatural rewardsystem, namelydopamine. Learning tasksand experiencesthatare meaningful resultinhigherlevelsof dopamine beingreleased andare thusmore rewardingandpleasurable. The pleasure experiencedisafunctionof the proportionof available dopamine receptorsbeingactivated. Whatthe individual expectsintermsof pleasure also influencesthe value. There isa developmental phenomenonthatalsoimpactsthisinthe contextof college students. Adolescenceismarkedbyanextraordinaryincrease indopamine receptorsinthe pre-frontalcortex (PFC),andverylate adolescence ismarkedbyareductionorpruning. College studentstend toenter college transitioningtolate adolescence,andlate adolescence iscompletedbetweenage 26 and 30. Thus,college studentstendtoseekout orevenrequire experiencesthatessentiallyproducegreater amountsof dopamine thanadults. Higherlevelsof dopamine alsoaidinthe retentionof information. Thus,the value of a task(TV) is dependentonthe individual’sWMresources(WMC), the intrinsic, external andgermane difficultyof the task(IEGD),as well asthe rewardsexpected(ER) andthe proportionof the individual’sdopaminereceptorsactivated(DRA). The firstpartof the equationisthe cognitive load(CL) inproportiontothe individual’sWMcapacity. The lastpart of the equation, expectedrewardsandthe activationof dopaminereceptorsisessentiallyone’smotivation(M). Individual differences(i) impactthe valuesateverylevel. Task value = cognitive load/motivation TV = CL(i)(wm) /M(i) WMC(i) /IEGD(i) / ER(i) /DRA(i)
- 2. Tasks that require more cognitiveresourcesyetare low inperceivedrewardanddonotproduce enough dopamine will be avoided. The brainachievesthisbyloweringinterestanddivertingattention,thus leadingindividualstoeitherdisengage fromthe experience orcontinue inalessconsciousandeffortful manner. Neitherof these outcomesisdesirable whenitcomestolearningexperiences. In essence,educatorswanttostrike abalance betweencognitiveloadandmotivation. Experiencesthat are known tobe lessmeaningful,shouldbe designedtorequire the leastamountof cognitive resources as possible. Experiencesthatare meaningful can be affordedagreaterlevel of cognitive demand. Cognitive loadisbecomingbetterknownoutside Educational Psychology,anditisactuallythe dominant cognitive mechanism behindusabilityprinciplesandprinciplesof multimedialearning. Mayer’s12 principlesof multimedialearning (boldeditemsmostpertinenttoMyUOAdvantage) o Coherence – extraneouswords,pictures,andsoundsnegativelyimpactlearning o Signaling– learningisenhancedwhenthe structure of the contentishighlighted o Redundancy – Graphicsand narrationare betterthangraphics,narration,andscreen text o Spatial Contiguity– learningisenhanced whencorrespondingwordsandpicturesare nearerto eachother o Temporal contiguity– learningisenhancedwhencorrespondingwordsandpicturesare presentedsimultaneouslyinsteadof successively o Segmenting– learningisenhancedwhencontentispresentedatthe user’space o Pre-training– learningisenhancedwhenlearnershave priorknowledge of concepts and vocabulary o Modality – graphicsand narrationare betterthananimationandscreentext o Multimedia– picturesandwordsare betterthanwordsalone o Personalization –conversationallanguage andtone ismore effectivethanformal o Voice – friendlyhumanvoice ismore effective thancomputerizedvoice o Image – learningisnotenhancedwhenthe speakersimage isaddedtothe screen Usabilityprinciples o Feedback andHelp o Systemshouldmaptothe real world o User control and freedom o Consistency o Error prevention,recognitionandrecovery o Recognitionratherthanrecall o Flexibilityandefficiencyof use o Minimalistdesign Many of these principles lessencognitive load,forexample: contiguitydecreasesthe resourcesneededtofigure outill-spacedrelationships Mappingand consistencyhelpsdecrease the resourcesneededtofigure outhow thingswork Recognitionandpre-trainingreduce the resourcesneededtoremembereverythingoneach screen