Cognitive Load Theory 

Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) focuses on how the human brain processes and stores information, often in relation to learning (Sweller, 2010). Instructors should be knowledgeable about the fundamentals of CLT since it puts into consideration how students acquire knowledge. 

What Do We Mean by Cognitive Load? 

 Our working memory can only process a finite amount of incoming information at any given time, this is commonly referred to as cognitive load. This poses a problem since our working memory only processes a very minute amount of all incoming information from our environment. This problem is further compounded by our brains, which only holds on to that information for a few seconds. The cognitive load phenomenon is a result of these circumstances and is broken down into three different types: intrinsic, extraneous, and germane.  

Three Types of Cognitive Load Theory 

Intrinsic Cognitive Load

This type of cognitive load refers to the inherent complexity that a student faces when learning new information or a new task.  This type of load is harder to alter since it is based on the student’s established background knowledge.

Extraneous Cognitive Load

This type of cognitive load refers to the mental resources expended during the process of learning new information or a new task, which do not contribute to learning.  This type of load can be controlled by the instructor and should be decreased so that student learning is as optimal as possible.

Germane Cognitive Load

This type of cognitive load refers to the mental resources expended during the process of learning new information or a new task, which stores what is acquired into our long-term memory.  This is the ideal cognitive load for student learning and is based heavily on the student’s established background knowledge.  This is when students connect new information to previously learned information, which helps them recall it in the future.  This is akin to the “light bulb going off” in their heads when they finally get it.

You can learn more about Cognitive Load Theory at this website.

How Does Cognitive Load Theory Impact Learning?

It helps to first understand how our memory functions to comprehend CLT. Designing training or learning materials that place less stress on  students’ working memory can help them learn more efficiently. This is possible with the aid of CLT. The concept of CLT can be utilized in a variety of ways when it comes to learning and training. The CLT, which was first put forth by psychologist John Sweller in 1980, is a theory of learning concerning working memory that can assist us with making judgments about how to construct online courses.

Three components of our memory have been identified as the following:

• Sensory Memory
• Short-Term Memory
• Long-Term Memory

Sensory Memory

This occurs when all the information we receive from our senses is processed by our sensory memory, which takes in everything from our environment. In under a half-second, it looks over each bit of information to see if there is anything noteworthy that we should take notice of.

Short-Term Memory

Certain information is drawn to our attention and stored in our short-term memory. The maximum amount of time that knowledge can be stored in our short-term memory is under a minute, yet employing our inner voice to repeat information can significantly increase that amount of time.

Long-Term Memory

If we want to remember the information to use in the future, it must be moved into our long-term memory. This is where information is filed, and ready for us to retrieve when we need it. The difficulty lies in moving information from our short-term memory to our long-term memory and then storing it in a fashion that enables us to recover it later. To make it easier for us to access new information in the future, our brain connects it to prior knowledge stemming from relevant areas. Our long-term memory appears to have an infinite storage capacity.

What Can Faculty Do to Support Cognitive Load Theory in Their Course Design? 

Understanding students’ capacity for information processing and storing is more closely tied to CLT.  It is an idea that all educators in both private and public schools should embrace since it clarifies how students digest information. To accomplish the relevant learning outcomes to help students’ cognitive load be to become lowered, one must consider how to use an educational format.

According to the theory, instructors should relieve any undue stress on short-term memory so that students may concentrate on the information that has to be stored in their long-term memory. It is critical to remember that they are predicated on the idea that the students are beginners and that the content is complicated.  To decrease the superfluous impact on cognitive load when teaching, several principles, techniques, and theories have been developed.

Mayer’s Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning

According to Mayer (2009), “the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML) is based on three different processing assumptions: dual-channels, limited capacity, and active processing” (p. 31).  Multimedia learning presents information in the form of words and images.  It is in the arrangement of these words and images that Mayer (2009) believed could have increased or decreased a student’s learning of the material.  Mayer (2009) also believed that learning through the use of multimedia should not have decreased learning through the facilitation of extraneous cognitive load.  To assist with this, Mayer developed several principles.

Mayer’s 12 Principles of Multimedia learning

• The Coherence Principle
• The Signaling Principle
• The Redundancy Principle
• The Spatial Contiguity Principle
• The Temporal Contiguity Principle
• The Segmenting Principle
• The Pre-Training Principle
• The Modality Principle
• The Multimedia Principle
• The Personalization Principle
• The Voice Principle
• The Image Principle

You can learn more about Cognitive Load Theory at this website.

Understanding the concept of cognitive load and how it impacts students is crucial to teaching practices.  By not providing students with too much information to process at once, the brain is free to work optimally to store any newly acquired information.  If you need more information on or would like to modify your course for cognitive load, SCSU Online and Distance Learning team is here to assist.  Please reach out to us via email or through Bookings.

References:

Ayres, P., & Sweller, J. (2005). The split-attention principle. In R. E. Mayer (Ed.), Cambridge handbook of multimedia learning (pp. 135–146). New York: Cambridge.

Choi, H., van Merriënboer, J.J.G., & Paas, F. (2014) Effects of the physical environment on cognitive load and learning: Towards a new model of cognitive load. Educational Psychology Review, 26, 225–244. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-014-9262-6

Debue, N., & van de Leemput, C. (2014). What does germane load mean? An empirical contribution to the cognitive load theory. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 1099. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01099

Ge, S., & Lai, X. (2021). Strategies for information design and processing of multimedia instructional software —Based on Richard E. Mayer’s multimedia instructional design principles. International Journal of Educational Technology and Learning, 10, 40-46. https://doi.org/10.20448/2003.101.40.46

Mayer, R. E. (2009). Multimedia learning (2nd ed.). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.

Moryak, N. (2022). Art Concept of a Person Loosing a Brain [Photograph]. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/art-concept-of-a-person-loosing-a-brain-9162031/

Niederhauser, D. S., Reynolds, R. E., Salmen, D. J., & Skolmoski, P. (2000). The influence of cognitive load on learning from hypertext. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 23(3), 237–255. https://doi.org/10.2190/81BG-RPDJ-9FA0-Q7PA

Piacquadio, A. (2020). Strict female teacher with book pointing at scribbled blackboard [Photograph]. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/strict-female-teacher-with-book-pointing-at-scribbled-blackboard-3771074/

Sweller, J. (2010). Element interactivity and intrinsic, extraneous, and germane cognitive load. Educational Psychology Review, 22(2), p123-138. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-010-9128-5

 

Harihara Varma Aketi is a Graduate Assistant for Online and Distance Learning at St Cloud State University. He is a student of Computer Science.  He likes traveling, playing Cricket, and swimming.