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, there are 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, which can be unnecessarily high if the instruction is poorly designed. Germane load, on the other hand, is the effort devoted to processing and understanding the material, which is beneficial for learning. Research suggests that reducing extraneous load, for instance by using clear diagrams instead of verbose text, can free up working memory resources for germane processing. However, overly simplifying material may reduce intrinsic load to a level that hinders deep understanding, as some challenges are necessary for schema construction.
❓ 根据文章所述，过度简化教学材料的一个潜在缺点是什么？
A. 它增加了无关认知负荷，使学习者感到困惑。
B. 它减少了相关认知负荷，从而限制了深入理解。
C. 这使得初学者面临过高的内在认知负荷。
D. 它消除了所有认知负担，从而导致无聊。
✅ 正确答案
It reduces germane load, limiting deep understanding.