8 Questions
What is the primary goal of cognitive load theory?
To understand and remove barriers to learning
What is the redundancy effect?
The idea that information should be concise and free of unnecessary details
What is the main cause of the split attention effect?
Students having to mentally integrate information from different sources
How can the split attention effect be reduced in a lesson?
By presenting information in a way that reduces mental integration
What is an outcome of applying cognitive load theory in a science classroom?
Students experiencing a reduced cognitive load
What is the result of the redundancy effect in a lesson?
Students being presented with more concise information
Why do students appear lost in the example lesson?
Because the students are experiencing a high cognitive load
What is the main idea behind cognitive load theory?
That knowledge of how humans learn can inform instruction
Study Notes
Cognitive Load Theory
- Cognitive load theory is a series of instructional recommendations built upon the knowledge of how humans learn, aiming to shine a light on the main barriers that get in the way of learning and empowering teachers to remove them.
Example of Cognitive Load Theory in a Science Classroom
- In a year 7 or 8 science classroom, a teacher presents a lesson on the periodic table, showing a slide with information on it and giving each student a periodic table.
- Despite the seemingly simple task, many students appear lost and struggle to follow along.
Redundancy Effect
- The redundancy effect is an idea from cognitive load theory, summarized as "eliminate unnecessary information and do not replicate necessary information".
- Applying the redundancy effect to the lesson would involve tightening up the presented information, making it more concise, and reducing unnecessary details.
Split Attention Effect
- The split attention effect is another idea from cognitive load theory, summarized as "information that must be combined should be placed together in space and time".
- In the context of the lesson, the split attention effect occurs when students are forced to mentally integrate information from the board with information from their own periodic table, causing a high cognitive load and leading to student confusion and overload.
- To incorporate the recommendations of the split attention effect, the information should be presented in a way that reduces split attention, such as presenting a picture of the periodic table with the necessary information together in one place.
Cognitive Load Theory
- Aims to identify and overcome barriers to learning by understanding how humans process information
- Provides instructional recommendations for teachers to optimize learning
Application of Cognitive Load Theory in a Science Classroom
- A lesson on the periodic table can be overwhelming for students, even with simple tasks
- Students may appear lost and struggle to follow along due to high cognitive load
Redundancy Effect
- Eliminate unnecessary information to reduce cognitive load
- Present concise and relevant information to avoid overloading students
Split Attention Effect
- Information that must be combined should be presented together in space and time
- Reducing split attention can minimize cognitive load and student confusion
- Example: presenting a picture of the periodic table with necessary information together in one place
Understand how cognitive load theory is applied in a science classroom, helping teachers identify and remove barriers to learning. Explore examples of its application in year 7 or 8 science lessons, particularly with the periodic table.
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