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, instructional designers often aim to manage cognitive load to optimize learning. According to Sweller's cognitive load theory, learning is hindered when the intrinsic load (complexity of the material) and extraneous load (how the material is presented) exceed the learner's capacity. However, recent studies suggest that a moderate level of germane load, which involves the mental resources dedicated to constructing and automating schemas, can actually enhance deep understanding. For instance, when students are presented with worked examples followed by problem-solving tasks, they tend to develop more robust mental models than when they engage in unguided discovery learning. This implies that structured guidance, while adding some load, may foster long-term retention and transfer of knowledge.