Monday, June 16, 2008

I will take what we have discussed this week and share it with my classroom teachers in my study group this Fall. I will share it in small pieces, first showing them an overloaded slideshow, and then asking them to find what is wrong with it. Most will deduce that the slideshow has too much information in it. I think if they see this, they will begin to understand what cognitive load is all about. I will also share with my learners/staff members my personal story of learning to work with cognitive load during the last three years. I think the personal story sometimes is long remembered and humanizes the facilitator. I believe it will be well-received.

1 comment:

Demetri said...

Sounds like a good plan. While it is pretty straight-forward to explain and ameliorate extraneous cognitive load, how do you think we might work with teachers to explain and optimize the germane load?

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germane_cognitive_load (definition)

http://www.usask.ca/education/coursework/802papers/chipperfield/index.htm (application of the principle)


Thanks also for sharing your daughter's story. That really brings this topic to a much more personal and important level of consideration.