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 seek to manage cognitive load to optimize learning outcomes. 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 available working memory capacity. However, recent studies suggest that a certain level of germane load, which involves the mental resources dedicated to processing and understanding the underlying structure of the content, is essential for deep learning. Thus, effective instruction should minimize extraneous load while preserving opportunities for germane cognitive processing, rather than simply reducing all types of load.
❓ 인지 부하 이론이 교수 설계에 대해 갖는 주요 시사점은 본문에서 어떻게 설명되어 있는가?
A. 모든 유형의 인지 부하를 최소화하여 학습자에게 과부하가 걸리지 않도록 해야 한다.
B. 지침은 내용을 단순화하여 내재적 부하를 줄이는 데만 초점을 맞춰야 한다.
C. 디자이너들은 불필요한 인지 부하를 줄여야 하지만, 깊은 이해를 위해 본질적 인지 부하는 장려해야 한다.
D. 학습 성과는 작업 기억이 복잡한 자료로 완전히 채워져 있을 때 가장 좋다.
✅ 正确答案
Designers should reduce extraneous load but encourage germane load for deep understanding.
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