The concept of 'cognitive load' refers to the amount of mental effort being used in the working memory. In educational psychology, cognitive load theory suggests that instructional design should minimize extraneous cognitive load to facilitate learning. Extraneous load is generated by the way information is presented, such as unnecessary diagrams or redundant text, which does not directly contribute to schema construction. In contrast, intrinsic load is inherent to the complexity of the material itself, while germane load is devoted to processing and understanding the underlying structure. Effective teaching materials aim to optimize total cognitive load by reducing extraneous elements, allowing learners to allocate more resources to germane processes. Research indicates that when extraneous load is high, learners' performance on transfer tasks declines, even if the content is logically organized. Therefore, designers must carefully consider the interplay between content complexity and presentation format.
❓ According to the passage, what is the primary purpose of reducing extraneous cognitive load in instructional design?
A. A. To increase the intrinsic difficulty of the material for deeper processing.
B. B. To free up mental resources for more effective schema construction and understanding.
C. C. To eliminate all forms of cognitive load, including intrinsic load.
D. D. To simplify the content so that learners do not need to engage in germane processing.
✅ 正确答案
B. To free up mental resources for more effective schema construction and understanding.
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