雅思阅读

📖 Reading Passage

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. Germane load, however, is the effort devoted to processing and constructing schemas, which is considered beneficial for learning. Research suggests that effective instructional design should minimize extraneous load to free up cognitive resources for germane load, thereby enhancing comprehension and retention. This is particularly critical in complex subjects such as mathematics or science, where poorly designed materials can overwhelm learners and impede their ability to integrate new knowledge.