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 dedicated to processing and understanding the material, which is beneficial for learning. Research suggests that instructional design should aim to reduce extraneous load and optimize germane load, as the total cognitive capacity is limited. Overloading working memory can hinder the acquisition of new knowledge, especially for novice learners who lack prior schemas to organize information efficiently.
❓ 文章によると、認知負荷に関するインストラクショナルデザインの主な目的は何か。
A. A. 学習効率を最大化するために、あらゆる種類の認知的負荷を排除すること。
B. B. 学習者に挑戦を与え、より深い理解を促進するために内省的負荷を増加させること。
C. C. 限られた容量内で外在的負荷を最小限に抑えつつ、関連的負荷を促進するため。
D. D. 初心者の学習者に対して、内在的負荷の軽減のみに焦点を当てること。
✅ 正确答案
C. To minimize extraneous load while facilitating germane load within limited capacity.
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