Cognitive Load Theory

General

Cognitive load theory was first introduced in 1980s by John Sweller, an Australian educational psychologist. The key aspects of this theory are the characteristics and relations between long-term memory and working memory, and how load on cognitive system affects learning. It is clear that learning will be best under conditions that are set according to human cognitive architecture which is why the principles and properties of this architecture are object of specific interest in this theory.

What is cognitive load theory?

In Sweller's theory, learning is defined as an alteration in long-term memory, which in humans has very large capacity. That capacity is used to store knowledge in schematic forms, where schemata, according to Sweller represent “cognitive constructs that incorporate multiple elements of information into a single element with a specific function”. After acquiring a new schema (verbal, pictorial, spoken or written), it can be further extended and improved by practice and finally automated (for example operation of reading).

Sweller recognizes Information processing theory introduced in 1950s by George Miller and findings that human working memory has a very limited duration1) Peterson, L., & Peterson, M. Short-term retention of individual verbal items. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 58, 193–198. 1957. and capacity of 7±22) Miller, G. A. The magical number seven, plus or minus two: Some limits on our capacity for processing information. Psychological Review, 63, 81–97. 1956. or even 4±1 elements according to later findings3) Cowan, N. The magical number 4 in short-term memory: A reconsideration of mental storage capacity. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 24,87–114. 2001. . This number is further reduced to just two or three if some manipulations with those elements have to be performed. He suggests that there are evolutionary reasons for that and that such working memory could be even more efficient than a bigger one. The mentioned restrictions however apply only to the sensory memory.

According to the cognitive load theory, there are three types of cognitive load:

Extraneous cognitive load, caused by inappropriate instructional designs that do not take into considerations mentioned limitations and architecture of human memory.

Intrinsic cognitive load, caused by complexity of the information that needs to be processed. In example, when translating a number of words cognitive load is quite small, but when translating same number of words forming part of a sentence cognitive load is higher since not only meanings of individual words, but also their relations must be analyzed.

Germane cognitive load,caused by the learners effort to construct new schemata.

Cognitive load types are additive. That means that reduction of extraneous cognitive load might allow increase in germane cognitive load. Also, if intrinsic cognitive load is rather low (information to learn is not complicated), it can be learned even though extraneous cognitive load is rather high (learning material is badly designed).

What is the practical meaning of cognitive load theory?

In Sweller's words, “Instructional designs that ignore working memory are likely to be random in their effectiveness.” Key concepts of Sweller's theory are human working and long-term memory characteristics which have to be considered during instructional design in order to reduce extraneous cognitive load. That will reduce cognitive load overall or enable increase in learners germane cognitive load. Both ways it should enable more successful learning.

Various ways of reducing extraneous cognitive load suggested so far are split-attention, modality, redundancy and expertise-reversal effects principles explained in the cognitive theory of multimedia learning section.

Keywords and most important names

Cognitive load theory, long-term memory, working theory, information processing theory, schema, extraneous cognitive load, intrinsic cognitive load, germane cognitive load

John Sweller, George Miller

Bibliography

Mayer, Richard E. The Cambridge handbook of multimedia learning. Cambridge University Press, 2005.

Theory into practise: Cognitive Load Theory (J. Sweller)

Paas, F., A. Renkl, and Sweller, J. Cognitive load theory and instructional design: Recent developments. Educational Psychologist 38, no. 1 (2003): p1–4.

Read more

Sweller, John. "Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning." Cognitive Science 12, no. 2 (April): p257-285.

Sweller, John. “Control mechanisms in problem solving. Memory and cognition”, 11, p32-40.

Paas, F., Renkl, A. and Sweller J. Cognitive Load Theory: A Special Issue of Educational Psychologist. Routledge, 2003.

Plass, Jan L., Moreno, R. and Brünken R. Cognitive Load Theory. Cambridge University Press, 2010.