Cognitive Load Theory and Application in Teaching

1. Cognitive Load Theory
and Application in Teaching
Tanat Tabtieang MD FRCRT MHPE
Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine,
Chulalongkorn University

2. Cognitive
Load Theory
(CLT)
• Science of Learning
• Cognitive Load Theory (CLT)
• Cognitive Theory of
Multimedia Learning
• CLT-based Lecture Model
• My Experience

3. Science of
Learning

4. What is Learning?

6. Schema

9. Cue and
association
Interference
Decay
Stress
Testing
Integrating
Interleaving
& blocking
Managing
cognitive load

10. Cognitive Load
Theory

11. Intrinsic load Extrinsic load
Germane load
(Self perceiving learning)
Extraneous
load
Cognitive load
(Sweller, 1988, 1994)
Intrinsic load

13. Manage Minimize Maximize

14. (Chong, 2005)

21. Imagination effect

22. Isolated interacting elements
effect

24. Guidance fading effect

26. Cognitive Theory
of Multimedia
Learning

27. Assumptions
• Dual-channels principle
• Limited capacity principle
• Active processing principle
(Mayer, 2001)

29. (Mayer, 2001)

30. Major goals
Reducing
extraneous
processing
1
Managing
essential
processing
2
Fostering
generative
processing
3

31. Reducing extraneous processing
1

32. Reducing extraneous processing
1

33. Reducing extraneous processing
1
Signaling principle
Signaling with added elements Signaling without added elements.

34. Reducing extraneous processing
1

35. Reducing extraneous processing
1

36. Reducing extraneous processing
1

37. Managing essential processing
2

38. Managing essential processing
2

39. Managing essential processing
2

40. Fostering generative processing
3

41. Fostering generative processing
3

42. Major goals
Reducing extraneous
processing
• Coherence principle
• Signaling principle
• Redundancy principle
• Spatial contiguity principle
• Temporal contiguity principle
1
Managing essential
processing
• Segmenting principle
• Pre-training principle
• Modality principle
2
Fostering generative
processing
• Personalization principle
• Voice principle
• Embodiment principle
3

44. CLT-based
Lecture Model

46. Prepare
• Provide learning outcome and a lecture outline
• Apply techniques for slide preparation
• Use information chunking
• Avoid extraneous elements
• Manage diagrams
• Use a physically integrated format

47. Initiate
• Conduct pre-lecture activities
• Explain the purpose
• Encourage focused attention
• Use forethought
• Provide reassurance
• Verbally highlight the learning outcomes and lecture
outline

48. Deliver
• Conduct intra-lecture activities
• Revisit previously learned knowledge
• Use dual-mode presentation
• Provide examples
• Provide analogies
• Pause and ask
• Consider pace and intonation
• Avoid distracting verbal/non-verbal acts

49. End
• Summarize lectures
• Pose questions to trigger self-explanation
• Give short-answer quizzes
• Disclose expectations
• Provide references
• Offer consultations after class
• Seek feedback

50. My Experience

51. Objective
• To study the effect of applying the principles of Cognitive
Load Theory to improve lecture-based teaching on the level of
cognitive participation and intrinsic motivation, including the
level of cognitive load of the learners.

52. Indicators
• Cognitive load (Tremblay et al., 2022)
• Intrinsic, extraneous และ germane load
• Rating scale

53. Indicators
• Learners' Engagement and Motivation Questionnaire
• Cognitive engagement (Webster & Ho, 1997)
• Challenge, feedback, control, variety, และ engagement

54. Indicators
• Learners' Engagement and Motivation Questionnaire
• Intrinsic motivation
• Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) by Edward L. Deci
http://selfdeterminationtheory.org/
• Interest/enjoyment, Effort/importance, Perceived choice และ Value/usefulness

55. Cognitive load
Cognitive load Mean (SD)
Intrinsic load 5.54 (2.01)
Extraneous load 2.18 (1.86)
Self-perceived learning 8.16 (1.87)

56. Manage Minimize Maximize

57. Internal motivation
Internal motivation Mean (SD)
Interest/enjoyment 6.19 (0.96)
Effort/importance 5.10 (1.58)
Perceived choice 6.12 (1.27)
Value/usefulness 6.41 (0.79)
SUM 5.96 (1.29)

58. Cognitive engagement
Cognitive engagament Mean (SD)
Challenge 6.03 (1.04)
Feedback 5.88 (1.08)
Control 6.29 (0.90)
Variety 5.97 (1.08)
Attention focus 6.21 (0.98)
Curiosity 5.91 (1.12)
Intrinsic interest 6.20 (0.90)
Overall 6.37 (0.88)
SUM 6.09 (1.02)

60. Internal motivation
Cognitive load On site
(n=71)
Online
(n=21)
p-value Cohen
Effect size
Intrinsic load 5.46 (1.61) 5.81 (1.91) 0.401 0.199
Extraneous load 1.98 (1.05) 2.89 (2.38) 0.013 0.499
Self-perceiving learning 8.14 (1.10) 8.22 (1.04) 0.759 0.077

61. Cognitive engagement
Learners' Engagement
and Motivation
On site
(n=71)
Online
(n=21)
p-value Cohen
Effect size
Internal motivation 6.02 (0.59) 5.70 (0.56) 0.029 0.558
Cognitive engagement 6.09 (0.75) 6.09 (0.80) 0.982 0.005

62. Cognitive
Load Theory
(CLT)
• Science of Learning
• Cognitive Load Theory (CLT)
• Cognitive Theory of
Multimedia Learning
• CLT-based Lecture Model
• My Experience

63. What have we learnt
today?