Putting Cognitive Load Theory into Action
DAN BEECH
2nd in Charge of Science Department
In Oliver Lovell’s book ‘Sweller’s Cognitive Load Theory in Action’, Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) is explained clearly. It is packed with lots of useful ideas that you can easily incorporate into your classroom practice. Notably, Lovell worked with Emeritus Professor, John Sweller, when writing this book so you can have confidence the theory has not been misinterpreted.
When reading the book, I found myself often nodding along in agreement. I was genuinely excited at the prospect of trying out some of the strategies; encouraged that I was already utilising many.
A major strength of this book is that each strategy comes with caveats, helping you to know when a particular strategy is likely to work and when it will not; ensuring we can choose an appropriate course of action at a suitable time.
It has since become one of my favourite teaching books, which I would recommend to all.
The book is split into three main sections:
Part I: The A, B, C, D, E, of CLT
Part II: Optimise Intrinsic Load
Part III: Reduce Extraneous Load
Part I: The A, B, C, D, E, of CLT
In this chapter, Lovell explains the five principles that underpin CLT in terms of A, B, C, D and E:
A – Architecture
B – Biologically primary vs. secondary knowledge
C – Categorising load as intrinsic or extraneous
D – Domain-general vs. domain specific knowledge
E – Element interactivity
These five principles lead to the ultimate recommendation of CLT. Thus being, to increase learning, we must optimise intrinsic load (the core learning that we want our pupils’ working memory to be occupied with) and reduce extraneous load (associated with the manner and structure of instruction).1
Part II: Optimise Intrinsic Load
In this chapter, a plethora of practical strategies are suggested to help optimise intrinsic load. As such, I have chosen two techniques to focus on this term: ‘Pre-teaching’ and ‘Manipulate the emphasis’. Encouragingly, I have found both strategies are having a positive impact on how my students acquire and retain knowledge.
‘Pre-teaching’
With Google Classroom, pre-teaching has become even easier. Now, I have used pre-teaching before, but it certainly wasn’t part of my routine. At the start of a unit, our department will post links to short video clips that centre around the module’s more challenging content or key vocabulary that pupils will need to be aware of in order to access the unit’s concepts with success and confidence.
‘Manipulate the emphasis’
This technique - particularly effective in the ‘early stages of integrating a new skill’ - is where you get pupils to focus one specific part of the task.
For example, when teaching concentration, I gave my pupils a task where the focus was solely on the conversion of units from cm3 to dm3 and vice versa, not the correct recall of the concentration equation or final unit of concentration (both initially given).
Part III: Reduce Extraneous Load
Being the largest chapter in the book, it is packed with an abundance of practical strategies to help reduce extraneous load. Again, I have found that these strategies are having a positive impact on my students’ learning. Techniques that I have focused on this term include: ‘Transient Information’, ‘Split Attention’ and ‘Faded Worked Examples’.
‘Transient information’
Transient information is ‘information that is fleeting, here one second, and gone the next’.1 It causes increased cognitive load.
Reducing Transient Information in Slides
I am currently using a visualiser more than PowerPoint. However, I don’t think PowerPoint is the devil: providing thought is given to careful slide design, it can be an extremely powerful tool.
When using PowerPoint, sometimes cries of ‘can you go back?’ often reverberate around the room. Sometimes I think, are they just writing too slowly? How can they not remember that? But after this section - things started to make more sense. When information disappears, pupils have to hold the information in their working memory, increasing extraneous load.
A combination of simple animation and a ‘remember box’ (see Figure 1) can help to free up pupil’s working memory and reduce transient information.
Figure 1: Example slide where transient information has been reduced.
Reducing Transient Information in Videos
Please note that transient information is not limited to slides, there can be lots of transient information also presented in video clips. To help overcome this: use short clips, chunk longer videos into parts, pause and replay parts so that pupils can process the information and follow up with questioning.
‘Split attention’
By placing information closer together in both space and time, it makes the process easier for pupils to integrate the knowledge and you reduce extraneous load.1
For example, when recapping the heart, I provide students with Diagram A as opposed to Diagram B to reduce split attention. The ultimate purpose of the diagram is to help pupils recall:
· Which side of the heart deals with oxygenated blood and which side deals with deoxygenated blood.
· Deoxygenated blood in mammals is not blue.
· The names of the main blood vessels and chambers of the heart.
· Where the main vessels carry blood from or to.
· The left ventricle wall is thicker.
· Where the pacemaker cells are located.
Diagram A
Diagram B
Furthermore, when using the diagram on PowerPoint, you can add in the labels using simple animations to further reduce cognitive load. Alternatively, you can sketch it out under a visualiser, which can then be useful to discuss the weaknesses of the diagram with pupils.
Faded Worked Examples
Going from a worked example straight into independent practice can often be overwhelming for pupils. ‘Faded worked examples’ or ‘side-by-side examples’ mean you progressively reduce support.
Faded worked examples link nicely to Recommendation 3 of the EEF Metacognition and Self-regulated Learning Guidance Report.2
References/Downloads
1 Lovell, O., 2020. Sweller's Cognitive Load Theory in Action. 1st ed. Woodbridge: John Catt Educational Limited.
2 2018. Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning. [online] Available at: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/public/files/Publications/Metacognition/EEF_Metacognition_and_self-regulated_learning.pdf [Accessed 5 December 2020].