Describes aspects of students' cognition, Learning styles and cognitive overload

1. Cognitive Constraints in Students’ Performance: Analysis and Tentative Solution Dr Sanjoy Sanyal Associate Professor Seychelles 2006 Presented at a staff seminar in a medical college in Seychelles in 2006

9. Information overload From Rudolph Hanka, University of Cambridge 10 14 synapses Connectivity formula n(n-1)/2 Skull capacity = 400 cc to 1400 cc over 5 mill years But no change over several thousand years Doubling x 3 mill yrs Doubling x 1.5 mill yrs 10 11 neurons 5 x 10 21 synapses

10. Information overload From Rudolph Hanka, University of Cambridge Logarithmic scale Information doubling every 33 years 1 st century 2 0 ->2 1 -> 2 2 -> 2 3 2 nd century -> 2 4 -> 2 5 -> 2 6

11. Information overload From Rudolph Hanka, University of Cambridge No change in Information doubling every 33 years over several 1000 years

14. Depth vs. width trade-off IC IC IC IC IC IC IC IC “ We are learning more and more of less and less; One day we would know everything about nothing” Leo Ves Now

17. Cognitive load Adapted from Odell, King’s College, London

18. Cognitive load Adapted from Odell, King’s College, London

19. Cognitive load Adapted from Odell, King’s College, London

20. Cognitive load Adapted from Odell, King’s College, London

21. Cognitive load Adapted from Odell, King’s College, London

22. Memory Adapted from Dix & Finlay

23. Memory Adapted from Dix & Finlay

25. Learning curve Adapted from Wikipedia Exponential decay Plot shows decay for decay constants of 25, 5, 1, 1/5, and 1/25. Large decay constants make the quantity vanish almost immediately; smaller decay constants lead to almost-imperceptible decrease. Rate of decrease of ‘time taken’ or ‘effort required’ with each iteration

27. Learning styles and cognition Adapted from JISC, UK Adapted from Bendigo Senior Secondary College, Aus

32. Brain paradigms Ned Herrmann: 4 (whole)-brain model

39. Conclusion Adapted from Bendigo SS College, Australia 'Whole brain learning'