An Evolutionary Upgrade of Cognitive Load Theory: Using the Human Motor System and Collaboration to Support the Learning of Complex Cognitive Tasks

By Fred Paas, John Sweller. 2012

489 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Cognitive load theory is intended to provide instructional strategies derived from experimental, cognitive load effects. Each effect is based on our knowledge of human cognitive architecture, primarily the limited capacity and duration of a human working memory. These limitations are ameliorated by changes in long-term memory associated with learning. Initially, cognitive load theory's view of human cognitive architecture was assumed to apply to all categories of information. Based on Geary’s (Educational Psychologist 43, 179–195 2008; 2011) evolutionary account of educational psychology, this interpretation of human cognitive architecture requires amendment. Working memory limitations may be critical only when acquiring novel information based on culturally important knowledge that we have not specifically evolved to acquire. Cultural knowledge is known as biologically secondary information. Working memory limitations may have reduced significance when acquiring novel information that the human brain specifically has evolved to process, known as biologically primary information. If biologically primary information is less affected by working memory limitations than biologically secondary information, it may be advantageous to use primary information to assist in the acquisition of secondary information. In this article, we suggest that several cognitive load effects rely on biologically primary knowledge being used to facilitate the acquisition of biologically secondary knowledge. We indicate how incorporating an evolutionary view of human cognitive architecture can provide cognitive load researchers with novel perspectives of their findings and discuss some of the practical implications of this view.

Subfields: Artificial Intelligence, Developmental and Educational Psychology, Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/8da6689e23d4bfe59776bd8aa09a89f8a598b0d8

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In Artificial Intelligence

In Developmental and Educational Psychology

In Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

Citations in the corpus

Preschool Children’s Foreign Language Vocabulary Learning by Embodying Words Through Physical Activity and Gesturing (2015, background): “The construction of richer mental representations by the additional cues that bodily movements provide to memory, and the associated reduction of cognitive load have been proposed as possible explanations for the effects of embodiment (e.g., Goldin-Meadow et al. 2001; Paas and Sweller 2012).”
It’s All a Matter of Perspective: Viewing First-Person Video Modeling Examples Promotes Learning of an Assembly Task (2017, unknown): “Observing the actions of others can be a powerful way to learn, likely because of the evolutionary benefits of observing and (when the outcome is desirable) imitating other people’s actions (Bandura, 1977, 1986; Paas & Sweller, 2012; Sweller & Sweller, 2006).”
Effects of Integrated Physical Exercises and Gestures on Preschool Children’s Foreign Language Vocabulary Learning (2015, background): “…positive effects on learning is that embodying knowledge through making gestures results in a distinct, visuospatial representational format that can enrich the way information is coded, i.e., the construction of higher quality cognitive schemas (Goldin-Meadow et al. 2001; Paas and Sweller 2012).”
From Cognitive Load Theory to Collaborative Cognitive Load Theory (2018, methodology): “We use primary knowledge to leverage acquiring secondary knowledge (Paas and Sweller 2012).”
The impact of augmented reality on cognitive load and performance: A systematic review (2021, background): “Reducing the unproductive ECL can stimulate germane processing which helps learners to deal with ICL (Paas & van Merriënboer, 2020).”
Cognitive-Load Theory: Methods to Manage Working Memory Load in the Learning of Complex Tasks (2020, background): “It has been argued that a homogeneous group of collaborative learners can be considered as a single informationprocessing system consisting of multiple, limited WMs that can create a larger, more effective collective working space (Paas & Sweller, 2012).”
Cognitive Load Theory: A Broader View on the Role of Memory in Learning and Education (2014, background): “…show that there is every reason to suppose that the same cognitive aspects apply to all educationally relevant curriculum areas and use aspects of evolutionary educational psychology (see Geary 2012; Paas and Sweller 2012) to argue for the primacy of domain-specific knowledge in human cognition.”
Working Memory Underpins Cognitive Development, Learning, and Education (2013, unknown): “Paas and Sweller (2012) bring up the distinction between biologically primary and secondary knowledge (Geary 2008) and suggest (p. 29) that “Humans are easily able to acquire huge amounts of biologically primary knowledge outside of educational contexts and without a discernible working memory…”
Eight Ways to Promote Generative Learning (2016, background): “The benefits of enacting are often explained in terms of embodied theories of cognition and instruction (Barsalou 2008; Glenberg 2008; Paas and Sweller 2012; Pouw et al. 2014; Wilson 2002), which posit that cognitive processes are deeply grounded in one’s physical interactions with the external…”
Getting the point: Tracing worked examples enhances learning (2015, background): “…is the identification of pointing and tracing movements as forms of biologically primary knowledge that support the construction of biologically secondary knowledge (e.g., geometry), supporting conjectures made in the recent “evolutionary upgrade” (Paas & Sweller, 2012) of cognitive load theory.”