Cognitive load and learning design - A few pointers for practice

Enriching the learning experience has always challenged facilitators and designers. As we pause and ponder on the elements of a good design it is good to revisit classical theories of learning to gear up to the challenges of current times.

A peek into the cognitive architecture: Let's first talk about Short term Memory. Short term or working memory is what you are using right now as you scan, skim or breeze through this article. It is here at this juncture that information you read is organized, contrasted and compared. Research in this space concludes that you can process two or three items of information as opposed to holding it. Short term memory doesnt have much of storage capacity. Hence it is the Long Term Memory(LTM) which indulges in meaning, sensemaking to what you are doing now. Cognitive scientists vouch for the unlimited capacity of LTM. You are not directly conscious of LTM, but it is filtered through the working memory. My experiments with instructional/learning design hence always focussed on being cognizant of the learner's working memory to allow the learner to take the road towards retentivity.

Dont stretch, load, jargonize, confuse, belittle- be unmindful of the load on the working memory. Being deeply empathetic about the learner while we design is enough even though we dont understand much of the STM or LTM. I used theater as a powerful medium to influence learner retention and application in areas like Organization Behavior, Change Management, Organization Design to a multicultural group. Make learning fun, give enough space to think and ponder, remove clutter and complicated design ideas, but be conscious of what the learner needs to process and retain. In the process of easing the cognitive load we have to pay attention to the cognitive abilities of the learner, the task complexity- that is why today we learn in smaller nuggets, the environment the learner is situated in and mutual relationships. The last one drawn from the social learning theory goes on to prove that the learners need to support each other, draw on one another's ideas and perspectives and create a schema or pattern that he/ she can use at a later stage. The rule here is -Keep it simple and clutter free.

Experiential indepth cases from experts: The above picture speaks a thousand words about the learners. Look at them all in rapt attention, comfortable posture providng a conducive environment for ease in assimilation . Here we find from each one's body language that they are processing information in their own terms in a classroom environment- Free , fair , a sense of equity & absence of hierarchy. That's the enviornment millenials love the most. These learners are thinking, this results in a germane cognitive load necessary for learning which leads to performance change. Setting them to think- handholding the learner- guiding action- orienting better performance are all elements of a good learning design. To much of variety packed into a learning process for a particular duration can only be a distraction and never lead to attention and recognition. The crux and sum of it all is- One at a time!

A poor instructional design increases the effort required to process the information leading to greater cogntive load -which is also known as extraneous cognitive load leaving no room for germane cognitive load. A good instructional design can increase germane load and should decrease the extraneous load provided the total cognitive load stays within limits.

If we now set aside the jargon the end result is to create an engaging, energizing and elevating moment while we learn. In an online environment it becomes imperative for us to indulge in prelearning design analysis in a holistic manner. It is imperative to understand the learner situated in the context of the organization and the general environment at large. Research, dialogue, discourses & observation helps us jump out of narrow prejudiced learning designs and create a design centred around the learner. If we do so then there would be no need to constantly nudge, prod and cajole learners to learn in any environment. They will take to learning like a fish to the water.

"I made you look like a prince on the outside said the Genie to Alladin. But I didn't change anything on the inside." Alladin(2019). In the context of learning if we scientifically design learning says my CEO, then the learner will emabark on a personal transformational journey!

Here's Three Cheers to good times in designing learning!