雅思阅读

📖 Reading Passage

The concept of 'cognitive load' refers to the total amount of mental effort being used in the working memory. In educational settings, reducing extraneous cognitive load is crucial for effective learning. Extraneous load is caused by the way information is presented to learners, such as confusing diagrams or unnecessary text. When this load is high, learners have fewer resources available for the essential processing of new material. Research suggests that instructional design can minimize extraneous load by using clear, integrated formats that align with how the human brain processes information. For instance, presenting related visual and verbal information simultaneously, rather than separately, can reduce the split-attention effect. This approach allows learners to allocate more cognitive resources to deeper understanding, thereby enhancing long-term retention and problem-solving ability.