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THE MODEL OF COGNITIVE LOAD MANAGEMENT WHICH ILLUSTRATES
MAXIMIZATION OF EXTRANEOUS LOAD, MANAGING INTRINSIC LOAD AND
MAXIMIZING GERMANE LOAD.
Introduction.
Learning is the process where by a person inserts new information into their brains
to increase their knowledge. The process of learning involves various mental
processes that enable information to be stored in the mind. In order for learning to
take place effectively, the learner must not be overloaded with lot of information
they are required to learn. This is because they will not be able to process and
store all of it into their long-term memory. When learners are given excessive
information to learn within a short period of time, it leads to cognitive overload.
According to Seller’s cognitive load theory, cognitive overload is when the working
memory is being provided with a lot of information than it can process within a short
period of time. With that being said, the aim of this essay is to describe cognitive
load management, illustrate the minimization of extraneous load, describe
management of intrinsic load and maximizing germane load. Furthermore, the
essay will provide an illustration of a model of cognitive load management for Life
Sciences.
Description of cognitive load management.
It is very important for cognitive load to be managed during the process of teaching
and learning. Cognitive load is the quantity of information that the working memory
is able to handle at a given time. This information is received by the working
memory from the sensory memory. The working memory is the memory that stores
information temporarily. Therefore, the amount of information received by the
working memory should not be excessive because it will affect learning. This is
because the working memory can only store small amount of information. Working
memory is a small quantity of information that can be stored in the mind of a person
so that it can be used to perform cognitive tasks (Cowan, 2013). The concept of
cognitive load was derived from the theory of cognitive load which was developed

by Sweller in the 1980s. This theory can be used to manage cognitive load in the
classroom.
The cognitive theory focuses on the ability of the working memory to focus on the
content required to be learnt and stored in the long-term memory (McDowall,
2019). This theory categorizes the load into three different types namely: Intrinsic,
extraneous and germane load. It is important for this type of loads to be well
managed during the process of teaching and learning. When they are properly
managed, that will lead to effective learning. Teachers can manage the cognitive
load by not giving learners excessive work to complete within a short period of
time. They can achieve that by asking learners questions before teaching the
content or while the lesson is taking place. That will help them to check if learners
have prior knowledge of the topic being taught. Staff (2020) argue that cognitive
overload occurs when a teacher assume that learners have prior knowledge of the
content they are being taught. Therefore, it is important to check prior knowledge
of learners before commencing with the lesson. Again, the teacher should also
make sure that they do not give learners many tasks at the same time as that can
lead to cognitive overload. Cognitive overload is when the working memory is
supplied with too much information than it can handle and process. Therefore,
maximization of germane load, minimization of extraneous load and management
of intrinsic load can assist in managing cognitive load.
Illustration of the minimization of extraneous load.
Extraneous load is the load that is put on the working memory and that is not
related to the learning content. This type of load has to be minimized during the
process of teaching and learning because it prevents learners from learning
effectively. Examples of extraneous load involves distractors like excessive noise,
a person calling your name while you are studying, social media notifications and
others. Extraneous load makes learners to not grasp all the content that they are
being taught because it causes too much information to accumulate in the working
memory during the learning process. As a result, this makes learners to not be
able to create schema in their long-term memories because they cannot connect

what they are learning to what they already know. Extraneous load makes the
effort of the student to go towards processing information that does not help the
student to learn (Lange, et al., 2017).
There are many ways that can be used or followed to minimize extraneous load
during the process of teaching and learning. The first way is to make the
instructions of the task or activity given to learners clear. This is because when the
instructions of the task are clear and easy to understand, it will make learners to
not think excessively or become confused when writing the assessment.
Furthermore, the teacher should make the learning content easy to understand
when presenting it to learners. The teacher can do so by using various methods of
teaching to accommodate different learning styles of students. According to
Newton & Miah (2017), learners have different learning styles which help them to
learn effectively. Therefore, when all learning styles are accommodated, learners
will be able to resist most of the extraneous load that distracts them from learning
because they will be enjoying the learning process. Moreover, teachers can reduce
extraneous load by stopping to add content that is not related to the topic they are
teaching while the lesson is taking place because too much content increases the
amount of information learners have to process in their working memory.
Excessive information depletes the resources of the working memory due to the
reduction in the capacity of that memory (Chen, et al., 2017).
Management of the intrinsic load.
Intrinsic load is the complexity of the information that a person is trying to learn
and understand by focusing on it. This refers to how difficult the task given to
learners is. Intrinsic load cannot be changed because it is caused or comes with
the content learners have to learn. This type of load can only be managed so that
it cannot affect learners’ learning. When the content or activity learners have to
learn is too difficult or complex it leads to high intrinsic load. For example, when a
learner is required to calculate electromotive force (emf) in an electric circuit that
is more complex on their own for the first time in a Physical Sciences subject, that
can lead to less learning due to increased intrinsic load. The study conducted by

Lange & Costley (2018) shows that when the content is too complex less learning
takes place. Intrinsic load can either be positive or negative for the learning
process. It is positive when the content or task learners have to learn is less
complex and not too difficult because it makes the intrinsic load to be low. The
reciprocal of this matter is also true.
The teacher can manage intrinsic load by ensuring that they know their learners’
strengths, weaknesses and learning styles. This will help the teacher to be able to
create lesson plans that accommodate all learners thus facilitating learning and
managing intrinsic load. Moreover, educators need to simplify the content they are
teaching to learners. They can do so by relating it to real life situations and also
give learners authentic assessments so that they can apply their learnt knowledge
in real life situations. This will help learners to find the content interesting and put
more effort and work hard to master it. Students who work hard are able to
overcome the difficulty that comes with the tasks (Lange & Costley, 2018).
Moreover, intrinsic load can be managed by giving learners less work load when
they are learning a new topic for the first time. Learners can be taught important
basics of the task or content they are required to learn. When they have mastered
basics, learners will be able to solve more complex problems because they will
have confidence. Furthermore, teachers also have to check the prior knowledge
of learners before assigning them with difficult tasks. This is because prior
knowledge helps learners to link new information with what they already know to
make learning easier. Intrinsic load related to the processing of new information is
influenced by the prior knowledge of learners and difficulty of the task (Novak, et
al., 2018). That is why it is important for prior knowledge to be checked through
questioning and other techniques at all the times.
Maximization of the germane load
It is important for the information that a person is acquiring to be stored in the long-
term memory. The best way to store information to the long-term memory is
through creation of schemas. Schemas are created through the reception of
germane load. The germane load is a type of cognitive load on the capacity of the

working memory that is created by getting access to schemas and be able to make
important connections to move the material to the long-term memory (Bledsoe &
Richardson, 2020). The schemas are important because they help a person to link
new information with what they already know and create useful meanings out of
that. All of these mental processes associated with creation of schemas occur
inside the long-term memory so that information can be stored for long period of
time. Germane load is vital because it is the mental activity that makes information
to be retained. In an article written by Klepsch & Seufert (2020) it is emphasized
that germane load in the learner increases when they are constructing, processing
and creating schemas. Therefore, it is important for the teacher to come with
strategies that will maximize germane load in learners.
Germane load can be maximized by making the materials learners are reading to
be understood easily. The teacher can also use relevant teaching strategies such
as those that encourage collaboration in the classroom. These will help learner to
give their opinions regarding what they are learning, and by doing so constructing
their knowledge. Furthermore, teachers have to regularly give learners feedback
regarding their progress. That will help learners to have self-reflection and think
about their learning. When they perform poorly, learners are going to start to put
more effort in their studies by studying harder and regularly thus increasing their
germane load. Again, a teacher can maximize germane load by testing the
knowledge learners have regarding the topic they have learnt. He or she can do
so by making learners to apply it in different types of activities. For example, in Life
Sciences learners can be asked to draw the structure of human heart and label it.
On another activity learners can be provided with a diagram of human heart and
asked to label it. This will help them to not easily forget the content they have learnt
as it will be effectively stored in the long-term memory. The research that was done
by science that deals with forgetting emphasizes that when information is reviewed
regularly, it becomes stored in the long-term memory so that it can be retrieved
later (Process, 2020). Lastly, a teacher must make sure that learners are given
less work so that it can be easily stored in their long-term memory and connect
what learners are learning to what they learn in other subjects.

Figure 1: A model showing the management of cognitive load when teaching
about the human heart in Life Sciences.

Conclusion.
This essay has discussed the management of cognitive load by focusing on the
minimization of extraneous load, management of intrinsic load and maximization
of the germane load. It also provided the model which illustrates the management
of cognitive load in Life Sciences as a school subject. Proper management of
cognitive load depends on the balance of intrinsic, extraneous and germane loads.
Therefore, it is important for educators to ensure that they do not over load learners
with lot of school work.

References.
Bledsoe, R. & Richardson, D. (2020). ICED 2020 proceedings: Maximizing learning using cognitive
load theory. ETH Learning and Teaching Journal, 2(1).
Chen, O., Castro-Alonso, J. C., Paas, F. & Sweller, J. (2017). Extending Cognitive Load Theory to
Incorporate Working Memory Resource Depletion: Evidence from the Spacing Effect.
Educational Psychology Review, 30(2), 483-501.
Cowan, N. (2013). Working Memory Underpins Cognitive Development, Learning, and
Education. Educational Psychology Review, 26(2), 197-223.
Klepsch, M. & Seufert, T. (2020). Understanding instructional design effects by differentiated
measurement of intrinsic, extraneous, and germane cognitive load. Instructional Science, 48(1),
45-57.
Lange, C. & Costley, J. (2018). The moderating effects of intrinsic load on the relationship
between self-regulated effort and germane load. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 34(6),
652-660.
Lange, C., Costly, J. & Han, S.-l. (2017). The Effects of Extraneous Load on the Relationship
Between Self-Regulated Effort and Germane Load Within an E-Learning Environment. The
International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 18(5).
McDowall, T. (2019). Managing Cognitive Load. [Online]
Available at: https://elearningindustry.com/managing-cognitive-load
Nelson, C. (2013). Working Memory Underpins Cognitive Development, Learning, and Education.
Educational Psychology Review, 26(2), 197-223.
Newton, P. M. & Miah, M. (2017). Evidence-Based Higher Education-Is the Learning Styles 'Myth'
Important?. Frontiers in Psychology, Volume 8.
Novak, E., Daday, J. & McDaniel, K. (2018). Assessing Intrinsic and Extraneous Cognitive
Complexity of E-textbook Learning. Interacting with Computers, 30(2), 150-161.
Process, M. I. a. (2020). Memory: It's a Process. [Online]
Available at: https://success.oregonstate.edu/learning/memory
staff, M. (2020). Cognitive Load Theory: 3 Ways to Avoid Cognitive Overload. [Online]
Available at: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/ways-to-avoid-cognitive-overload#what-is-
cognitive-load-theory

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