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 suggests that learning is most effective when instructional materials are designed to minimize extraneous cognitive load, which is the load imposed by the way information is presented rather than by the complexity of the content itself. For instance, a poorly designed diagram that requires the learner to search for relevant labels can increase extraneous load, thereby hindering schema acquisition. Conversely, intrinsic cognitive load, which is inherent to the material's difficulty, cannot be altered by instructional design. Therefore, educators must carefully distinguish between these types of load to optimize learning outcomes. Recent studies have shown that reducing extraneous load through techniques such as the worked-example effect can significantly improve problem-solving performance, especially for novice learners.
❓ 文章によると、認知負荷理論の文脈におけるインストラクショナルデザインの主な目標は何か。
A. 内因性認知負荷を軽減するために、内容を簡素化する。
B. スキーマ獲得を促進するために、余計な認知的負荷を最小限に抑えること。
C. 上級学習者に挑戦するために総認知的負荷を増加させること。
D. 学習を努力不要にするために、すべての認知的負荷を取り除くこと。
✅ 正确答案
To minimize extraneous cognitive load to facilitate schema acquisition
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