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 instructional design should minimize extraneous load to facilitate learning. Extraneous load is generated by the way information is presented, not by the inherent complexity of the material itself. For instance, a poorly designed diagram that requires students to search for corresponding labels can increase extraneous load, thereby hindering schema acquisition. Conversely, intrinsic load is tied to the difficulty of the subject matter and cannot be altered by instructional methods. Effective teaching strategies aim to manage intrinsic load while reducing extraneous load, often by integrating visual and verbal information or providing worked examples. This theory has profound implications for multimedia learning environments, where the split-attention effect can overwhelm learners if not carefully addressed.
❓ 本文によると、外的認知負荷と内的認知負荷の主な違いは何か。
A. A. 外的負荷は教材の難しさによって引き起こされ、一方、内的負荷は提示形式によって引き起こされる。
B. B. 外的負荷はより良い教授設計によって軽減できる一方、内的負荷は内容に固有のものである。
C. C. マルチメディア学習において、内在的負荷は常に外在的負荷よりも高い。
D. D. 外的負荷はスキーマ獲得に有益であり、一方で内的負荷はそれを妨げる。
✅ 正确答案
B. Extraneous load can be reduced through better instructional design, while intrinsic load is inherent to the content.
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