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.
❓ 지문에 따르면, 인지 부하 이론의 맥락에서 교수 설계의 주요 목표는 무엇인가?
A. 내용을 단순화하여 본질적 인지 부하를 줄이기 위해
B. 스키마 획득을 촉진하기 위해 외부 인지 부하를 최소화하려면
C. 고급 학습자에게 도전 과제를 제공하기 위해 총 인지 부하를 증가시키기 위해
D. 모든 인지 부하를 제거하여 학습을 수월하게 만들기 위해
✅ 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