Cognitive load theory, learning difficulty, and instructional design.

Sweller, J. (1994). Cognitive load theory, learning difficulty, and instructional design. Learning and Instruction, 4, 295-3

Two primary learning mechanisms: Schema acquisition and automation
Schema: cognitive construct that organizes the elements of information
knowledge is constructed into schemas and these schemas determine how to deal with new information
Miller (1956) concept of chunk and Schank and Abelson’s (1977) scripts as schemas
Automation:
Controlled processing occurs when the information is consciously processed.
Automatic processing occurs without conscious control
When a complex skill is first acquired, it may be usable by considerable cognitive effort. With time and practice, skill can become automatic where no thought is necessary to use it.

one function of learning: store automated schemas in long term memory.
-schema acquisition and automation both help reduce working memory load.
-schemas increase the amount of information to be held in working memory by chunking
-processing by automation requires less working memory space

means-ends procedure: technique for attaining problem goal.
- not a learning technique
- have no relation to schemas.
- results in high cognitive load
goal-free problems: reduced goal specificity
e.g find as many angles as possible, instead of find angle X
worked examples: corresponds closely to that required for schema acquisition
- results in more rapid schema acquisition by solving the equivalent problems by means-ends analysis
-better when diagrams and solution are mentally integrated
-mental integration requires cognitive resources
-evidence of split-attention principle
-if material can be learned from the diagram only, extra text results in redundancy effect (which results in extraneous cognitive load)

*All the above apply to only complex material - when there is high element interactivity
Cognitive load = intrinsic load (the complexity of the material) + extraneous load (the presentation design of the material)
information complexity: when the elements of a task can be learned in isolation, task described as having low element interactivity.
level of interactivity/connectedness: whether the elements of a task can be learned without learning the relations between elements.
- schema acquisition occurs when there is a high element interactivity. Schema is not necessary when the information is simple
- knowledge of the learner effects the element interactivity
- intrinsic cognitive load is determined by element interactivity - low element interactivity results in low cognitive load and vice versa.
- intrinsic cognitive load is fixed and cannot be reduced.
- extraneous cognitive load is in effect only when there is high element interactivity (when the information is complex)
- the information is understood when the material has high element interactivity
- the information is learned, not necessarily understood when the material has low element interactivity
- the effects of cognitive load theory apply only to high element interactivity materials.