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Five Strategies for Optimizing Instructional Materials: Instructor- and Learner-Managed Cognitive Load
Juan C Castro-Alonso1, Bjorn B de Koning2, Logan Fiorella3
1Center for Advanced Research in Education, Institute of Education, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Educational Psychology Review
|March 15, 2021
Summary
Learners can optimize their learning by self-managing cognitive load using multimedia learning strategies. Novice students benefit from instructor guidance, while experts thrive with self-management, as shown by the expertise reversal effect.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Educational Technology
- Instructional Design
Background:
- Cognitive load theory and multimedia learning theory offer strategies to enhance instructional design.
- Common strategies include the multimedia principle, spatial contiguity, redundancy, signaling, and segmenting information.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review five key strategies for optimizing multimedia learning.
- To explore the novel application of these strategies for learner self-management of cognitive load.
- To compare the effectiveness of instructor- versus learner-managed learning conditions.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of cognitive load theory and multimedia learning.
- Analysis of instructor- and learner-managed solutions based on five core principles.
- Examination of the expertise reversal effect in predicting optimal management strategies.
Main Results:
- Five core strategies (multimedia, spatial contiguity, coherence, signaling, segmenting) can be applied by both instructors and learners.
- Effectiveness of instructor- versus learner-managed conditions yielded mixed results.
- The expertise reversal effect suggests novice learners benefit from instructor management, while expert learners benefit from self-management.
Conclusions:
- Multimedia learning strategies are versatile, applicable for both instructional design and learner self-regulation.
- Learner expertise is a critical factor in determining the efficacy of instructor-led versus self-directed learning approaches.
- Future research should further investigate the conditions under which learner self-management is most effective.
Keywords:
Cognitive load theoryCognitive theory of multimedia learningGenerative learningSelf-managementSelf-regulated learningMore Related Videos
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