Brief explanation of cognitive load and its application to multi-media learning and usability testing

1. Cognitive Loadexplained… Why is Cognitive Loadimportant to educators?
Cognitive loadtheoryreferstothe finite resourcesavailableinworkingmemory. Toput itsimply,when
the upperlimitsof anindividual’sworkingmemoryresourcesare taxed,the less attentionthe mindwill
affordthe task and the less effective the individual will perform. Workingmemorycapacitydiffers
betweenindividuals,sothe cognitiveloadof agivenactivitywill alsovarybetweenindividuals.
The amount of cognitive resourcesrequiredisdependentuponthree factors. The intrinsicdifficultyof
the task (howhardit naturallyisto complete),the external difficultyresultingfromhow itispresented,
packaged,the scaffoldingemployed,etc.,andthe germane difficulty,whichishow difficultitisto
process. For example,the germanedifficultyinunderstandingthe worldisroundwhenyouthoughtit
was flatisprettyhigh. The germane difficultyinunderstandingthe differencebetweenapplesand
orangesisnot.
Thistheoryacts in concertwiththe brain’snatural mechanismstoconserve energy. Thusitavoids
cognitive overloadinordertoconserve energy. The braingenerallyavoidsexperiencesthatrequire
more of its resources;thatis unlessthe rewardisdeemedworthwhile.
In thisway,it alsoacts inconcert withthe brain’snatural rewardsystem, namelydopamine. Learning
tasksand experiencesthatare meaningful resultinhigherlevelsof dopamine beingreleased andare
thusmore rewardingandpleasurable. The pleasure experiencedisafunctionof the proportionof
available dopamine receptorsbeingactivated. Whatthe individual expectsintermsof pleasure also
influencesthe value.
There isa developmental phenomenonthatalsoimpactsthisinthe contextof college students.
Adolescenceismarkedbyanextraordinaryincrease indopamine receptorsinthe pre-frontalcortex
(PFC),andverylate adolescence ismarkedbyareductionorpruning. College studentstend toenter
college transitioningtolate adolescence,andlate adolescence iscompletedbetweenage 26 and 30.
Thus,college studentstendtoseekout orevenrequire experiencesthatessentiallyproducegreater
amountsof dopamine thanadults. Higherlevelsof dopamine alsoaidinthe retentionof information.
Thus,the value of a task(TV) is dependentonthe individual’sWMresources(WMC), the intrinsic,
external andgermane difficultyof the task(IEGD),as well asthe rewardsexpected(ER) andthe
proportionof the individual’sdopaminereceptorsactivated(DRA). The firstpartof the equationisthe
cognitive load(CL) inproportiontothe individual’sWMcapacity. The lastpart of the equation,
expectedrewardsandthe activationof dopaminereceptorsisessentiallyone’smotivation(M).
Individual differences(i) impactthe valuesateverylevel.
Task value = cognitive load/motivation
TV = CL(i)(wm) /M(i)
WMC(i) /IEGD(i) / ER(i) /DRA(i)

2. Tasks that require more cognitiveresourcesyetare low inperceivedrewardanddonotproduce enough
dopamine will be avoided. The brainachievesthisbyloweringinterestanddivertingattention,thus
leadingindividualstoeitherdisengage fromthe experience orcontinue inalessconsciousandeffortful
manner. Neitherof these outcomesisdesirable whenitcomestolearningexperiences.
In essence,educatorswanttostrike abalance betweencognitiveloadandmotivation. Experiencesthat
are known tobe lessmeaningful,shouldbe designedtorequire the leastamountof cognitive resources
as possible. Experiencesthatare meaningful can be affordedagreaterlevel of cognitive demand.
Cognitive loadisbecomingbetterknownoutside Educational Psychology,anditisactuallythe dominant
cognitive mechanism behindusabilityprinciplesandprinciplesof multimedialearning.
 Mayer’s12 principlesof multimedialearning (boldeditemsmostpertinenttoMyUOAdvantage)
o Coherence – extraneouswords,pictures,andsoundsnegativelyimpactlearning
o Signaling– learningisenhancedwhenthe structure of the contentishighlighted
o Redundancy – Graphicsand narrationare betterthangraphics,narration,andscreen
text
o Spatial Contiguity– learningisenhanced whencorrespondingwordsandpicturesare
nearerto eachother
o Temporal contiguity– learningisenhancedwhencorrespondingwordsandpicturesare
presentedsimultaneouslyinsteadof successively
o Segmenting– learningisenhancedwhencontentispresentedatthe user’space
o Pre-training– learningisenhancedwhenlearnershave priorknowledge of concepts
and vocabulary
o Modality – graphicsand narrationare betterthananimationandscreentext
o Multimedia– picturesandwordsare betterthanwordsalone
o Personalization –conversationallanguage andtone ismore effectivethanformal
o Voice – friendlyhumanvoice ismore effective thancomputerizedvoice
o Image – learningisnotenhancedwhenthe speakersimage isaddedtothe screen
 Usabilityprinciples
o Feedback andHelp
o Systemshouldmaptothe real world
o User control and freedom
o Consistency
o Error prevention,recognitionandrecovery
o Recognitionratherthanrecall
o Flexibilityandefficiencyof use
o Minimalistdesign
Many of these principles lessencognitive load,forexample:
 contiguitydecreasesthe resourcesneededtofigure outill-spacedrelationships
 Mappingand consistencyhelpsdecrease the resourcesneededtofigure outhow thingswork
 Recognitionandpre-trainingreduce the resourcesneededtoremembereverythingoneach
screen