Memory is the key concept when dealing with learning. When we are trying to learn something new, we store the information surrounding the concept in the working memory. Once in the working memory space, we begin to process the information. Unfortunately, memory is not infinite and its capacities varies from person to person. This means that some people are able to remember more items during a learning process than others. However, the working memory may in fact be overloaded. Cognitive load theory was first described by G.A. Miller. He stated that there is always a limit as for how many ideas we can hold at a time. He supported his theory with an experiment that showed that people may retain “seven plus or minus two digits”. John Sweller developed cognitive load theory or CLT. This theory applies to all learners and delivery methods. There are at least three main types of cognitive load: intrinsic, extraneous, and the germane. The intrinsic load is determined by instructional goals … [Read more...] about How To Avoid Cognitive Overload When Designing Training Courses
The ELearning Course Designer’s Blog
How To Use Generational Learning Styles To Design Training Courses
Throughout the years, the transmission of knowledge from one generation to the next has been vital to keeping our civilizations alive. From the Greek schools in which the professor would profess or recite his knowledge to the students to ELearning, the methods have clearly changed a lot. From the various methods and learning styles, perhaps the most popular one is the traditional method. This ideology follows the precept that the students should simply listen and memorize what the professor is teaching. Moving on and trying to leave traditionalists behind, progressive ways of teaching appeared in the scene to revolutionize the way we teach. A lesson with progressive tendencies tries to involve the student in the class. The learner should be an active learner rather just a listener. What it proposes is that students use critical thinking and solve problems on their own. In this method, it is favorable to use alternative resources instead of textbooks and the traditional … [Read more...] about How To Use Generational Learning Styles To Design Training Courses
