A key challenge for educators is that working memory is limited. There are lots of things that can cause it to be overwhelmed. An example is when problem-solving learners might be presented with a large amount of complex information and asked to follow a series of problem-solving steps. Where a student has limited prior knowledge committed to their long-term memory this might lead to their working memory being overwhelmed, impairing learning.
How can we use ideas about cognitive load in our teaching?
The aim of strategies that focus on managing cognitive load is not to minimise cognitive load but to optimise it — minimising unnecessary load and ensuring that working memory remains focused on the information that is being taught.
How do teachers manage cognitive load in the classroom?
Understanding cognitive load has implications for general teaching practice — for example, avoiding distractions or anxieties that might overload the working memory. Teachers report practices aimed at managing cognitive load, for example:
- Chunking content into manageable pieces of learning
- Creating frameworks and scaffolds to support understanding of key concepts
- Thinking about economy of language when giving verbal instructions
- Decluttering presentation materials.
