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, conversely, is the effort devoted to processing and understanding the material, which contributes to learning. Research suggests that instructional design should aim to minimize extraneous load, allowing learners to allocate more cognitive resources to germane load. However, reducing intrinsic load is often difficult without simplifying the content, which may compromise learning outcomes. Therefore, effective teaching strategies often focus on optimizing the presentation format to manage overall cognitive load.
❓ この文章によると、認知負荷を管理する際のインストラクショナルデザインの主な目的は何ですか？
A. コンテンツを簡素化することで内在的負荷を排除する。
B. エンゲージメントを高めるために、外的負荷を増加させること。
C. 外来的負荷を減らし、関連する負荷を促進するために
D. 3種類の負荷を均等にバランスさせるために
✅ 正确答案
To reduce extraneous load and promote germane load
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