1. Cognitive Load Theory and Instructional Methods
Created by
Matthew Chong, Rachel Gastrich, Brian Levels, Aurora Velasco, Jennifer Young

2. GA Miller! Working memory
Cognitive Load Theory
GA Miller!
In recent years there has been an increased focus on the role of education and training, and on the effectiveness and efficiency of various instructional design strategies. Some of the most important breakthroughs in this regard have come from the discipline of Cognitive Science, which deals with the mental processes of learning, memory and problem solving.
Cognitive load theory (e.g. Sweller, 1988; 1994) is an instructional theory generated by this field of research. It describes learning structures in terms of an information processing system involving long term memory, which effectively stores all of our knowledge and skills on a more-or-less permanent basis and working memory, which performs the intellectual tasks associated with consciousness. Information may only be stored in long term memory after first being attended to, and processed by, working memory. Working memory, however, is extremely limited in both capacity and duration. These limitations will, under some conditions, impede learning.
The fundamental tenet of cognitive load theory is that the quality of instructional design will be raised if greater consideration is given to the role and limitations, of working memory. Since its conception in the early 1980's, cognitive load theory has been used to develop several instructional strategies which have been demonstrated empirically to be superior to those used conventionally.
This paper outlines some of the basic principles of cognitive load theory. Examples of the instructional design strategies generated by cognitive load theory are also provided.
Did you know the Earth experiences 50,000 earthquakes a year?
Memorize the following set of letters and spaces:
Hea cto egttch edh sda
and the following numbers:
John Sweller!
Cool Fact. There were approximately 269 million mobile phones in use in China in 2003, more than any other country.
Working memory

3. Cognitive
Overload

4. Cognitive Load Theory Overview
What is cognitive load theory?
Long term memory
Working memory
Information is processed by working memory before it can be stored in long term memory
Working memory is very limited – overloading it will impede learning

5. History of Cognitive Load Theory
G.A. Miller
7 +/- 2 digits of information in working memory
John Sweller
Problem solving and means-end analysis (MEA)
MEA = Excessive cognitive processing = less learning = Cognitive Load Theory

6. How does it relate to instructional design?
Three types of cognitive load:
Intrinsic cognitive load – the inherent difficulty in new instruction
Extraneous cognitive load – generated in how information is presented to learners
Germane cognitive load – information related to schema being taught
Good instructional design should increase germane cognitive load and decrease extraneous cognitive load

7. How does it relate to instructional design?
Instructional methods based on cognitive load theory
Chunking
Split Attention
Worked examples
Backwards fading
Expertise reversal

8. Chunking
What is it?
A technique in which information in long term memory is chunked from multiple elements of information into a single element
Can be easily processed in working memory
Why is it used?
We use chunking to reduce the information to be memorized into seven plus or minus two categories
Why does it work?
You can retain more information in the “limited space of your short-term memory” as well
Learn that information more efficiently

9. Example of Chunking Horse Orange Chair Student Kiwi
Table Yellow Dog Bed Homework
Teacher Bookcase Fish Blue Banana
Black Class Apple Bird Desk
Mango Grape Green Cat School

10. Write down as many words as you can from memory

11. Example of Chunking
Horse Cat Dog Fish Bird Orange Yellow Blue Green Black Table Chair Desk Bookcase Bed Teacher School Student Homework Class Apple Banana Kiwi Grape Mango

12. Write down as many words as you can from memory

13. Split Attention Effect
What is it?
Split attention occurs whenever a learner needs to attend to more than one source of information, or more than one activity (ex. diagrams, note-taking)
How to prevent it
Integrate diagrammatical information (visuals with integrated text)
Provide cues for note taking in lectures (“It should be noted that…”)
Why does it work?
Minimizing split attention reduces cognitive load and facilitates learning.

14. Example of Split Attention
Bad – Not Integrated
Good – Integrated
Diagrams from an Electrical Test Lesson - S. Tindall-Ford, P. Chandler and J. Sweller, Journal of Experimental Psychology. Applied 3 (1997),

15. Example of Split Attention

16. Worked Examples What is it? Why is it used? Why does it work?
A worked example is a step by step demonstration
Why is it used?
Worked examples are natural ways to show specifically how to accomplish a task
Worked examples help to lower extraneous cognitive load and intrinsic cognitive load, which can improve learning
Why does it work?
Provides a schema for the learner to develop a mental model
Learner builds own mental model
on how to perform a task or how to solve a problem
Why is it used?
In some cases, a worked example can look a lot like a job aid - especially for procedural tasks (those you perform the same way each time), worked examples are natural ways to show specifically how to accomplish some task
Worked examples help to lower extraneous cognitive load (the mental burden imposed by the course design and can help the intrinsic cognitive load, which can improve learning.
Why does it work?
Provides a schema for the learner to develop a mental model
The learner works at figuring out what the different examples have in common, and thus builds up his/her own mental model for the skills in question

17. Example of Worked Examples
Uncle Bill – R.I.P.
How To Tie A Tie

18. Backwards Fading What is it?
Worked examples that transition gradually into practice problems by leaving out an increasing number of steps at the end as learners gain proficiency
How is it used?
Learners should devote as much working memory capacity as possible to build a schema that will enhance new skills
As they gain expertise, learners gain understanding as they build competency
Worked examples evolve into full problem examples that must be completed by learner
Who is it best for?
Novice learners who have built some mental schema

19. Example of Backwards Fading

20. Expertise Reversal Effect
What is it?
Negative effect of instructional methods that aid novices on the learning of experts
What causes it?
Based off of the redundancy principle of cognitive load
Existing large schema of experts
Conflict between the instruction and the existing schema of experts
Some of the methods that you have learned so far such as split attention and worked examples are designed to minimize cognitive load in novices. Yes, these are the people that you will most likely be primarily dealing with, but what happens when you have to train learners of varying levels of expertise. What do I mean by expertise? Essentially, I mean what is in long term memory. As learners gain expertise, they need different types of instruction.
Redundancy effect: Content or expressions that are duplications either of each other or of knowledge already in memory impede learning.
Because experts have a relatively large schema relevant to the instructional goal, they are able to manage their own cognitive learning processes without external instructional support
Worked examples, graphics, or explanations which were helpful for novices become less helpful and after a certain level of expertise become redundant and interfere with learning of experts because of the extraneous cognitive load and conflict between the instruction and the existing schema of the experts.

21. Expertise Reversal and Worked Examples
Novice knowledge/experience========Expert
Worked Example: If y = x + 6, x = z + 3, and z = 6, find the value of y .
x=z+3
x=(6)+3, x=9
y=x+6
y=(9)+6, y=15
Backwards Fading: If y=x+4, x=z+2, and z=4, find the value of y
x=z+2
x=(4)+2, x=6
y=x+4
What is the value of y?
Backwards Fading (cont.): If y=x+4, x=z+2, and z=4, find the value of y
x=z+2
x=(4)+2, x=6 ?
What is the value of y?
Problem1: If y=x+6, x=z+3, and z=6, find the value of y .
Problem2: If y=x+4, x=z+2, and z=4, find the value of y
Research clearly shows that novices benefit most from instruction with a heavy emphasis on guidance (such as through worked examples)
That same guidance is redundant for more experienced learners thus causing an extraneous cognitive load
As learners slowly become more experienced research shows a transition (backwards fading) is preferable to an abrupt jump between worked examples and solving problems.

22. Expertise Reversal and Split Attention
Split attention and Expertise Reversal
Graphics with integrated textual explanations greatly benefit novices
Textual explanations are redundant for experts and thus result in additional unnecessary cognitive load
Novice
Expert
Diagrams from an Electrical Test Lesson - S. Tindall-Ford, P. Chandler and J. Sweller, Journal of Experimental Psychology. Applied 3 (1997),

23. How to avoid expertise reversal
Expertise is high
Expertise is mixed
Avoid redundancy
More practice problems, less worked examples
Discovery lessons
Pre-work
Use adaptive e-learning
Split training
Expertise is high
Do not add unnecessary visual, text, or verbal or verbal explanations
Assign practice exercises rather than worked examples or completion examples
Use directive or guided discovery lessons
Expertise is mixed:
Use pre-work to bring up novices’ knowledge
Use adaptive e-learning instruction that caters to the learner.
Split training into novice & advanced sessions
Expertise Reversal

24. Learning Activity Group 1 – Chunking Group 2 – Split Attention
Group 3 – Worked Examples
Group 4 – Backwards Fading
Group 5 – Expertise Reversal