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, first proposed by John Sweller in the 1980s, suggests that learning is most effective when instructional designs align with human cognitive architecture. The theory distinguishes between intrinsic load, which is inherent to the complexity of the material, and extraneous load, which is generated by the way information is presented. Extraneous load can be reduced by well-designed instructional materials, freeing up working memory resources for schema construction. Recent research has further explored the role of germane load, which is the effort devoted to processing and understanding the material. However, critics argue that measuring these distinct types of load separately remains a methodological challenge, as they may overlap in practice.
❓ 지문에 따르면, 인지 부하 이론에 관한 다음 중 옳은 것은 무엇인가?
A. A. 학습에서 모든 유형의 인지 부하를 제거하기 위해 개발되었습니다.
B. B. 이는 외부 부하가 효과적인 교수 설계를 통해 최소화될 수 있음을 시사한다.
C. C. 이는 본질적 부하가 항상 학습에 유익하다고 주장한다.
D. D. 그것은 방법론적 문제 없이 연구자들에 의해 완전히 검증되었다.
✅ 正确答案
B. It suggests that extraneous load can be minimized through effective instructional design.
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