The concept of 'cognitive load' refers to the total amount of mental effort being used in the working memory. In educational psychology, it is often divided into three types: intrinsic, extraneous, and germane. Intrinsic load is inherent to the complexity of the material itself, while extraneous load is generated by the way information is presented to the learner. Germane load, on the other hand, is the effort devoted to constructing and automating schemas. Research suggests that instructional design should aim to reduce extraneous load, but not necessarily intrinsic load, as the latter is tied to the difficulty of the subject matter. However, overly complex presentations can overwhelm learners, hindering schema acquisition. Thus, effective teaching materials should be structured to manage all three types of load, optimizing the learner's capacity for understanding.
❓ According to the passage, which of the following statements is correct?
A. A) Extraneous load is directly related to the inherent difficulty of the material.
B. B) Intrinsic load should be minimized in all instructional designs.
C. C) Germane load contributes to the formation of mental frameworks.
D. D) Reducing extraneous load always improves learning outcomes.
✅ 正确答案
C) Germane load contributes to the formation of mental frameworks.
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