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 psychology, cognitive load theory suggests that learning is most effective when instructional materials are designed to minimize extraneous cognitive load, thereby freeing resources for the intrinsic load necessary to understand complex material. Research by Sweller and colleagues has shown that overly complex presentations, such as split-attention diagrams with separate text and visuals, can overwhelm learners, reducing their ability to integrate information. Conversely, integrated formats that place related elements together can enhance schema acquisition and transfer. However, recent studies caution that reducing cognitive load too much may hinder deep processing, as some desirable difficulties, such as interleaving problems, can improve long-term retention despite increasing initial load. Thus, instructional design must balance load reduction with optimal challenge.