Cognitive Load

Overflowing Cup

 

 

Limitations on memory and attention can influence students’ ability to learn in our courses.  On this page, you'll find information about cognitive limitations, as well as concrete strategies for enhancing your class sessions and course materials without overloading students' cognitive abilities.


 

 

 

 refresher.png Overview

Our memory systems are composed of two primary systems: long-term memory and working memory. Long-term memory is a theoretically unlimited store of connected information and working memory is a short-term, capacity limited store for information currently being used.

Our working memory capacity is limited to approximately 4 things, so we need to tailor our teaching so we don't overload students' ability to take in or manipulate the information we're trying to teaching.

 

 Prioritize what you want students to learn

If working memory has a limited capacity, we must curate the information presented to students, prioritizing the most important concepts, information and skills.

 

   Provide navigation through class

In many cases, although we have curated our content, to our students, the content can still feel like an overwhelming deluge of detail. One way to combat this is to provide navigation to guide students to the main points or skills they are expected to learn.

 

   Provide guidance for consolidation of information

Students don't magically condense vast amounts of information into manageable chunks; they need opportunities and guidance to do so. We recommend providing those opportunities regularly during class time.