Cognitive Load Theory Flashcards
How does CLT distinguish between 2 fundamental kinds of knowledge for learning?
linked to evolution
Sweller (2015)
There is biologically primary, generic knowledge (learned automatically), and biologically secondary, domain specific (learned through direct instruction) - reading, writing, maths, history etc.
How do we learn bio primary, generic knowledge and skills?
We learn bio primary, generic knowledge and skills via play, social discourse and exploration
(Sweller, 2015)
If bio-primary knowledge is acquired automatically (speaking, understanding speech), and adaptable to context, how is secondary knowledge learned? reading, writing, maths
Bio-secondary knowledge is learned with effort and requires ‘explicit instruction’ (Sweller, 2015)
Which kind of institutions may have emerged to the fill the gap between auto-learned primary knowledge and instruction-requiring secondary knowl?
Schools etc!
What does DeGroot’s (1965) study of chess players highlight as the main thing we need to learn and perform at a high level?
We need loads of information in our long term memory. chess players memorise board layouts and know the next best move. It’s not problem solving, it’s memory.
As a result of what we know about 1ary/2ary knowledge, we can use evolutionary processes as an analogy to what kind of thinking processes?
Human cognition / human cognitive architecture (though CBokhove questions this parallel to evo psych which he thinks is unfalsifiable.
What are the five principles that describe natural information processing systems?
2nd is how we get new info
- Info store P
- Borrowing and reorganising P
- Randomness as genesis P
- Narrow limits of change P
- Enviro organising and linking P
What’s the info store principle about? and what’s its implication about priorities in teaching?
Basically, we need to commit shedloads of stuff to our LT memory, so teaching should prioritise getting stuff into Ss LT memory
What’s the enviro and linking principle?
When we move new knowledge into LT memory and reorganise it there, it can be moved back effortlessly into working memory, and organised and linked with what’s there. This implies that should focus on reducing load on working memory and moving info into LT memory.
What’s the randomness as genesis principle?
Where genes need to integrate new info, they generate and test random mutations. Similarly, students CAN do this to get new knowledge, but it’s slow and inefficient. Researchers have to … see length of PhDs!
What’s the borrowing and reorganising principle
We borrow info from others by imitation, reading, or listening to them, and reorganise it into our LT memory alongside previous knowl.
Which has more evidence of effectiveness, direct instruction, minimally guided/discovery, or problem solving tasks?Which 2006 study proved this?
Direct instruction obvs, acc to Sweller - (e.g. Kirschner et al., 2006).
What’s the narrow limits of change principle?
Working memory is intentionally naturally limited to manage the number of permutations possible when trying to reorganise the info in LT memory. Low working memory protects the critical org and store of info in LT, and so CLT use techniques to minimise working memory load.
What are some major effects of CLT
W.E.; SA; R; ER; EI
- Worked example effect (easier than prob solving)
- Split attention effect (don’t read words on slides, split / duplicate written/visual info).
- Redundancy effect: Don’t have redundant info on a slide / task.
- Expertise reversal - essential info for novices can be redundant for experts, so don’t include. Shows why experts might not need worked egs.
- Element interactivity effect
