I would like to share with you a small change that made a big difference in my own teaching this week. To give you a little background, I am a huge fan of EduTwitter (aka educators on Twitter) and as I was scrolling through my feed I saw this infographic about Cognitive Load Theory. As I looked at it, I had an eureka moment. In trying to keep my normal in-person (AP) pace, I was overloading my remote learners. Here's a brief explanation as to why and how I changed my practices.
(Image Credit: https://images.app.goo.gl/hea8W3pM4SskjyhcA)
Cognitive Load Theory was introduced by Dr. John Sweller in 1988. His theory built on what was known about memory capacity. He theorized that the way instruction is designed can reduce the cognitive load in learners. "Cognitive Load" refers to the amount of information that the memory can handle at one time. There are three types of memory; sensory, working and long-term. Sensory memory acts like a filter and directs our attention. Working memory is what the learner is currently attending to. However, it has a limited capacity. The rule of thumb is that working memory can handle between 5-9 pieces of information at a time. If the learner "saves" the information in the working memory, it is transferred to the long-term memory from which it can be retrieved from at a later point in time. Therefore, if the working memory is overloaded, it becomes impossible for students to learn.
Image Credit: https://images.app.goo.gl/pd7iA8FJ5zYzjUdy9
According to Sweller, there are three types of cognitive loads,
- Intrinsic: The number of elements that are being processed simultaneously. This is affected by the complexity of the task and the learner's prior knowledge. This can be reduced by providing the learner with parietal solutions or scaffolding the steps of complex processes.
- Extraneous: These are tasks that the learner is asked to perform that are not related directly to the learning. This can include distractors like funny memes, animations or music. Worked Examples, in which the instructor provides a step by step demonstration of new content, is one way to reduce the extraneous cognitive load. Partially Completed Problem is another way to reduce cognitive load. When the instructor provides part of the answer it allows the learner to focus on specific solution steps.
- Germane: When new information is presented to a learner, the learner needs to fit the new information into their current knowledge. This is a desirable load for learning. By limiting intrinsic and extraneous loads, we leave room for the germane load.
In summary, Cognitive Load Theory suggests that we need to reduce the intrinsic and extraneous loads so that learners have the resources available to process their germane load.
This week I taught the concept of operant conditioning in AP Psychology. This is a complex concept that many students struggle with mastering. There are several steps to determining the type of operant conditioning used to modify a behavior. First, the learner has to discriminate between the behavior and the stimulus. Second, he has to determine if the resulting behavior will increase or decrease. Lastly, he has to determine whether a stimulus was added or subtracted.
I made the following changes to reduce the cognitive load for my students. The lesson began by discussing how we train animals like dogs to connect operant conditioning to their prior knowledge. The concept was then introduced and the students were provided with scaffolded examples. First, they identified the behavior and stimulus on a set of problems. Then, they identified if the behavior would increase or decrease on a different set of problems. Next, they identified if the stimulus was added or taken away. At that point we combined all of the steps and the students completed the practice problems. (link to presentation)
I made similar adaptations to my lesson on schedules of reinforcement. I created a self-paced Pear Deck
(link here - add in your own audio explanations) in which the students progressed through an explanation of the schedules of reinforcement and scaffolded problems. They identified if the reinforcer was predictable or not (fixed or variable) before determining if it was time or behavior-based (interval or ratio). The students completed a mastery check after each lesson. By making the lesson self-paced and mastery-based, I was able to quickly identify the students who were struggling and promptly intervene. It is much harder to determine if my students "get it" or see if they are "overloaded" over Zoom. Gone are the days of body language and non-verbal communication to clue me in that a student is frustrated or overwhelmed. I am lucky if I can even see their foreheads.
Remote learning has created a more distracting learning environment for most students thereby increasing their extraneous load. Speaking from experience, my own children are on Zoom in the same room, speaking in another language, "going" to PE, and taking tests all at the same time that I am doing laundry. They are also surrounded by toys, books and a TV (even though it is off). All of these factors are overloading them. (Which is why I am cleaning the basement this weekend.) I think it is fair to assume that many of our learners at home are also in less than ideal learning environments and that they are facing new pressures on their cognitive load. Therefore, educators need to take additional steps that they might not have needed to take during in-person learning to reduce the remote learners' cognitive load.
There are a number of ways that working memory can be extended.
1. Present auditory and visual information separately. I am guilty of talking while my students are writing notes. They cannot attend to both at the same time.
2. Limit distractions on slides and other presentations. Keep the information in the presentation as germane as possible. I've even started breaking down slides with multiple bullet points to separate slides.
3. Draw on the students' existing knowledge and schemas. Connections are essential.
4. Break down new processes into parts. Let the students master one thing before building upon it.
5. Present the students with partially worked problems or scaffold the different steps in complex problems.
These changes have allowed me to cover the same core content that I have covered in the past. However, I have distilled it to its most basic elements which has made it easier for the students to master. I would love to hear from you about how remote instruction has changed the way that you teach!
Next Post: Growth through Virtue
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