Cognitive Load Theory

1. Cognitive Load Theory March 15, 2013 Mary Abkemeier

2. Cognitive - definition • of or pertaining to the act or process of knowing, perceiving, remembering, cognitive development; cognitive functioning. 2. of or pertaining to the mental processes of perception, memory, judgment, and reasoning, as contrasted with emotional and volitional processes.

3. What is Cognitive Load Theory (CLT)? • CLT focuses on the load on working memory during instruction. • CLT holds that during complex learning activities the amount of information and interactions that must be processed may under-load or over-load the amount of working memory one has.

4. Originator: John Sweller CLT was first described by John Sweller. He developed CLT while studying problem solving.

5. Sweller emphasizes • The quality of instructional design will be raised if greater consideration is given to the role and limitations of working memory. • Both long-term memory and working memory are interrelated because schemas held in long-term memory affect the manner in which information is synthesized in working memory. (skip definition of schema)

6. Schema A schema is a cognitive framework or concept that helps organize and interpret information. A schema is useful because it allows us to take shortcuts in interpreting the vast amount of information that is available in our environment. It helps the learner create connections and more deeply develop existing ones.

7. Elements of CLT: 3 kinds of cognitive load.

8. Here they are: Imposed by the manner in which the information is presented. Imposed by the material to be learned. Devoted to processing information And constructing schemas

9. Intrinsic Cognitive Load

10. Examples of Intrinsic Load • Low • Add 4 + 3 • Give the definition of a bird • Find an element in the periodic table • Memorize a poem • High • Solve for y: xy2+ sin(x) = 5 • Create a non-linear PowerPoint slide show • Analyze one of Shakespeare’s sonnets

11. Can a designer or teacher alter Intrinsic Load?

12. Not Really !!! But….

13. What can you do? • Let’s say you want to teach someone to create a PowerPoint slide show or design a web page. There is not much you can do to reduce the intrinsic load. • You can, however, create a step-by-step process where learners are introduced to one concept and/or skill at a time, beginning with the creation of a very simple slide show or web page. • You can present only the bare-bones details and leave the advanced features for a later time. • Distinguish “need to know” from “nice to know”. • Present the easier tasks before the complicated ones.

14. Extraneous Cognitive Load

15. Examples of Extraneous • Extra sounds • Long complex explanations • Multiple competing sources of information • Unnecessary format or information • Unnecessary animation

16. What can we do? • Again decide on the need-to-know information and do not provide information that is not relevant and necessary to the learner. • Move some need-to-know information from visual channel (reading) to the auditory channel (hearing). • Again try to segment, but if this is not possible, then provide a short pre-training module describing the various components of the topic.

17. What else? • If removing information is not possible, then provide cues to the learner on what content to focus on. • Align graphics and text on the screen (text within the graphic or right next to it.)

18. Texts and Graphics - aligned To find the area of a triangle multiply the base (b) times the height(h) and then divide by 2. For example, if the base is 5 cm and the height is 12 cm, then the area is (5 x 12) divided by 2 and that is 60 divided by 2 which is 30 cm2.

19. Texts and Graphics – not aligned Let’s say you want to find the area of a triangle, see the next slide for how to find this area.

20. Texts and Graphics – not aligned To find the area of a triangle multiply the base (b) times the height(h) and then divide by 2. For example, if the base is 5 cm and the height is 12 cm, then the area is (5 x 12) divided by 2 and that is 60 divided by 2 which is 30 cm2.

21. Avoid “split” attention defect • Let’s say a student is interested in how lighting in a theatre works. You present her with a video with accompanying on-screen text telling him/her how lighting works. While viewing the animation he/she cannot read the text and vice versa. The student cannot attend to either medium of presentation 100%.

22. Germane Cognitive Load

23. Germane Cognitive Load Is called Effective Cognitive Load

24. Germane Cognitive Load • Should be promoted and encouraged • Dedicated to the processing, construction and automation of schemas.

25. What can we do to promote it? • Segregate information based on what is essential, what is supportive and what is additional. • Use the supportive information to teach the essential. • Leave out the additional information as a separate resource to be retrieved when the learner seeks it.

26. Implications for eLearning Design • Just because you can add a lot of whiz-bang into your online course does not mean you should.

27. More Implications • We need to know what cognitive requirements our eLearning designs impose on our students and ensure that they can meet the requirements. • We should not distract our students from the essential learning task at hand. • All aspects of design should focus on adding value to the learning experience.

28. Major Principles Of Multimedia design Mayer and Moreno 2002

29. Multiple Representation It is better to present an explanation in words and pictures than solely in words.

30. Words only To multiply two binomials, multiply the first terms in each binomial, then the last two. Finally multiply the inside and outside terms and add them together.

31. Words and pictures To multiply two binomials, multiply the First terms in each binomial, then the Last two. Finally multiply the Inside and Outside terms and add them together

32. Contiguity Words and pictures are to be presented simultaneously rather than separate.

33. Not simultaneously A heart has one line of symmetry. You can see it to the right.

34. Simultaneously A heart has one line of symmetry. You can see it to the right.

35. Split Attention Present words as auditory narration rather than as visual on- screen text.

36. On-screen text Now I would like for you to focus on the use of light in the Water Lilies painting by Monet.

37. Auditory

38. Coherence Use few rather than many extraneous words and pictures.

39. Too many words and pictures Here we have a picture of Abraham Lincoln the 16th president of the United States. Did you notice his left eye wanders to the top of his head? Do you know why? Historians tell us he was kicked in that eye by a horse and since that incident he had what appeared to be a lazy eye.

40. Fewer Words As a child Lincoln was kicked in the head by a horse right on his left eye which left him looking like he had a lazy eye.

41. Modality Students learn more effectively from animation and narration than from animation and text.

42. Animation and text See what is happening here? When you pull down on the rope, for every inch you pull down, the weight will move up ½ inch because there is one rope being pulled but there are two lengths of the rope connecting the pulleys.

43. Animation and Narration

44. Personalization Students learn more effectively from animation and narration when the narration is conversational rather than formal. On the next two slides I use text and not narration so you can read the text.

45. Formal If a person wants to train for the Tour de France, one must practice a lot. One must train almost 365 days per year and in all weather conditions. If you anticipate being the bike rider that gets in front of all the others then you must have a lot of stamina and strength.

46. Informal If you really want to ride in the Tour de France you need to begin training as soon as you can ride your first bike and never stop.

47. Redundancy Students learn more effectively from animation and narration than from animation, narration and text.

48. Animation and Narration

49. Animation and Narration and Text See what is happening here? When you pull down on the rope, for every inch you pull down, the weight will move up ½ inch because there is one rope being pulled but there are two lengths of the rope connecting the pulleys.

50. In summary • Cognitive load is real. • Professors are being asked to create online courses without knowledge of how student learns. Some knowledge of CLT can assist these professors. • Knowledge of CLT and principles of multimedia design can eliminate some of the issues in the poor design of online courses.