John Sweller’s cognitive load theory

John Sweller’s cognitive load theory suggests that learning occurs best under conditions that are aligned with human cognitive architecture. Although not precisely known, the structure of human cognitive architecture is discernible through experimental research.

Cognitive load is related to the amount of information that working memory can store at the same time. Sweller said that since working memory has a limited capacity, instructional methods should avoid overloading it with additional activities that do not directly contribute to learning.

Sweller constructs a theory that treats schemas, or combinations of elements, as the cognitive structures that form the basis of an individual’s knowledge. He did this after recognizing George Miller’s information processing research, which shows that short-term memory is limited in the number of items it can hold simultaneously.

Sweller argued that Instructional design can be used to reduce cognitive load on students. Much later, other researchers developed a way to measure perceived mental effort, which is indicative of cognitive load.

One of the important points of John Sweller’s cognitive load theory is that heavy cognitive load can have negative effects on task completion. Furthermore, it shows the importance of considering that the experience of cognitive load is not the same for everyone. For example, older people, students, and children experience different and greater amounts of cognitive load.

J. Sweller’s cognitive load theory

For cognitive psychology, Cognitive load is the effort used in working memory. Sweller designed this theory to provide guidelines intended to assist in the presentation of information; Her goal was to encourage student activities that optimize intellectual performance.

Thus, this author considers that the contents of long-term memory are “sophisticated structures that allow us to perceive, think and solve problems”, instead of a group of facts learned by heart. These structures, called schemas, allow us to treat multiple elements as one. Thus, Schemas are the cognitive structures that form the knowledge base. Schemas are acquired over a lifetime of learning and may have other schemas contained within themselves.

The difference between an expert and a novice is that a novice has not acquired the schemes of an expert. Learning requires a change in the schematic structures of long-term memory and is demonstrated by performance, which is progressive. The change in performance occurs because, as we become increasingly familiar with the material, the cognitive characteristics associated with the material are modified so that working memory can handle them more efficiently.

For schema acquisition to occurthe instruction should be designed to reduce the load on working memory. John Sweller’s cognitive load theory addresses techniques for reducing working memory load in order to facilitate changes in long-term memory associated with schema acquisition.

Principles of Sweller’s cognitive load theory

The specific recommendations regarding the design of instructional materials that John Sweller proposed in his theory of cognitive load, include:

Change problem solving methods by using problems without objectives or worked examples. The goal is to avoid means-ends approaches that impose a heavy working memory load. Eliminate the working memory load associated with the need to mentally integrate multiple sources of information by physically integrating those sources of information.Eliminate the working memory load associated with unnecessary information processing repetitive by reducing redundancy. Increase the capacity of working memory using auditory and visual information in conditions where both sources of information are essential – not redundant – for comprehension.

Key points of cognitive load theory

As we have seen, cognitive load theory is an instructional design theory that reflects our cognitive architecture or the way we process information. During learning, information must be held in working memory until it has been processed enough to move into your long-term memory.

Cognitive load theory makes learning more efficient using training methods that reflect this. These methods include:

Measuring experience and adapting instruction. Reducing the problem space by dividing problems into parts and using partially completed problems and worked examples. Merging multiple sources of visual information whenever possible. Expanding the working memory capacity through the use of visual and auditory channels.

Knowledge and critical thinking

One of the issues that cognitive load theory suggests is that ‘knowing things’ is necessary to think critically about those things, or at least it is more efficient when this occurs. This further suggests that two of the main information processing activities (knowledge acquisition and problem solving) should be considered separately, focusing first on schema and then on problem solving.

In this sense, Sweller suggests that “An important reason for the ineffectiveness of problem solving as a learning device is that the cognitive processes required by the two activities overlap insufficiently, and that conventional problem solving in the form of means-ends analysis requires a relatively large amount of cognitive processing capacity that is therefore not available for schema acquisition.”

In other words, The reason problem solving and domain knowledge are not directly proportional is because of how the human brain works. Problem solving takes up ‘crucial brain bandwidth’ that reduces what’s left to learn new things. Of course, this has significant implications for how teachers can design lessons, units, and assessments.

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