The concept of 'cognitive load' refers to the total amount of mental effort being used in the working memory. In educational psychology, it is often divided into three types: intrinsic, extraneous, and germane. Intrinsic load is inherent to the complexity of the material itself, while extraneous load is generated by the way information is presented to the learner. Germane load, on the other hand, is the effort devoted to processing and understanding the material, which directly contributes to learning. Research suggests that instructional design should aim to minimize extraneous load, as it does not aid comprehension, while optimizing germane load to facilitate deeper learning. However, reducing intrinsic load is generally not possible without simplifying the content, which may compromise educational goals.
❓ Согласно тексту, какой тип когнитивной нагрузки instructional designers должны в первую очередь стремиться снизить?
A. Внутренняя когнитивная нагрузка
B. Внешняя нагрузка
C. Когнитивная нагрузка
D. Все типы одинаково
✅ 正确答案
Extraneous load
IELTS Reading Tips
Skim the questions first, underline keywords, then locate in the passage
Watch for paraphrasing; correct answers are often reworded
Be wary of absolute statements (all, always, never) — usually wrong
Pay attention to content after transition words (however, but, yet)
Manage time: about 20 minutes per passage; skip difficult questions first