Abstract

E-learning systems, which are used for teaching complex software, can facilitate learning if they provide an appropriate teaching approach that decreases learners’ cognitive load in addition to providing practical knowledge. We believe there is lack of cognitively guided educational recommendations on how to effectively and efficiently design such learning platforms. We thus provide an integrative review paper that overviews relevant literature to cognitive load theory to provide practical solutions and an empirically validated framework to decrease learners’ cognitive load and improve the learning of complex software through E-learning systems. The solutions (which contain practical examples) are proposed based on different concepts of cognitive load theory including using analogies, worked examples and infographics to facilitate schema acquisition; keeping learners’ concentration on the target tools by preventing split-attention and redundancy effects and applying the training wheel method; using interactive videos based on embodied cognition theory and finally considering the modality and transient information effects in designing E-learning systems. These solutions are related to adapting the learning platform to human cognitive structures and can lead to increased learning performance by preventing working memory from being overwhelmed, thus facilitating the formation of schemas and resulting in more efficient and reliable learning with less effort.

摘要

用于教授复杂软件的电子学习系统如果能够提供适当的教学方法，在提供实用知识的同时减少学习者的认知负担，则可以促进学习。我们认为，对于如何有效和高效地设计此类学习平台，缺乏认知指导的教育建议。因此，我们提供了一篇综合评论论文，概述了认知负荷理论的相关文献，以提供实用的解决方案和经过经验验证的框架，以减少学习者的认知负荷并通过电子学习系统改进复杂软件的学习。解决方案（包含实际示例）是基于认知负荷理论的不同概念提出的，包括使用类比，工作示例和信息图表以促进模式获取；通过防止注意力分散和冗余效应并应用训练轮法，保持学习者对目标工具的专注；使用基于具身认知理论的交互式视频，最后在设计电子学习系统时考虑模态和瞬态信息效应。这些解决方案与使学习平台适应人类认知结构有关，并且可以通过防止工作记忆被淹没来提高学习成绩，从而促进图式的形成，从而以更少的努力实现更有效和更可靠的学习。使用基于具身认知理论的交互式视频，最后在设计电子学习系统时考虑模态和瞬态信息效应。这些解决方案与使学习平台适应人类认知结构有关，并且可以通过防止工作记忆被淹没来提高学习成绩，从而促进图式的形成，从而以更少的努力实现更有效和更可靠的学习。使用基于具身认知理论的交互式视频，最后在设计电子学习系统时考虑模态和瞬态信息效应。这些解决方案与使学习平台适应人类认知结构有关，并且可以通过防止工作记忆被淹没来提高学习成绩，从而促进图式的形成，从而以更少的努力实现更有效和更可靠的学习。