In the past year I have read several articles on cognitive load. One gave me a lot to think about, “Nine Ways to Reduce Cognitive Load in Multimedia Learning”. Mayer and Moreno define “multimedia learning as learning from words and pictures, [d]efine multimedia instruction as presenting words and pictures that intended to foster learning.” This broad definition basically, includes any book or picture intended to convey a message. But more importantly are the definitions they chose for meaningful learning. They define meaningful learning as a “ deep understanding of material, which includes attending to important aspects of the presented material, mentally organizing it into a coherent cognitive structure, and integrating it with existing knowledge.” This definition is an academic quagmire. They go on further to give a more poynette definition, one which as instructors and instructional designers attempt to prepare students for the real world all the time, “ Meaningful learning is reflected in the ability to apply what was taught to new situations, so we measure learning outcomes by using problem-solving tranfser tests (Mayer & Wittrock, 1996).” (Mayer & Moreno, 2003). The issue of transference is has been an issue educators and learning science researchers have been struggling with for the longest time.
Mayer and Moreno, explain how the mind works from a theoretical sense, but fail to integrate known neuroscience, with the idea of two separate channels; an auditory one and verbal channel or input and output. However, most have 5 senses or sensory perceptions, hearing, tasting, touch, vision, and smell; as input. The outputs, I can think of are speech, which they mention, and kinesthetics, such as writing, or any physical manifestation of meaning, such as in 2D and 3D art. They state the process of a sensory memory to working memory to a long term memory, through the eyes and ears as the cognitive theory of Multimedia learning.

The issue I have is the diagrams inability to apply the idea of neuroplasticity, the ability of the brain to form and reorganize synaptic connections, especially in response to learning or experience or following injury. Mayer and Moreno recognize it with the concept of transference of knowledge. I take a tangent here or even a leap in thought… Are we missing the point to how we are teaching people to handle problem solving? Is teaching logic not adequate? I posted in the past the idea of analogical thinking. Analogical define: “An analogy is a comparison — usually either a metaphor or a simile — that helps to explain something or make it clearer. Analogical things use analogies or refer to them. A comparison like “You are quiet as a mouse” or “My brother was a pig at dinner” is analogical. The Greek root is analogos, “proportionate.”

Should we be looking towards this form a thinking to help those learn how to problem solve, and will this help reduce cognitive load? Let me explain. Logical processes of thought are dependent on a systematic knowledge of thought or process of elimination, much like steps in a math problem. But many qualitative problems cannot be solved thought logical process. And likely innovations or inventions do not come from logical process. They come from creative comparisons and divergent thoughts. The area of working memory is where this creative comparison is occurring with a constant feedback loop within the long term memory. The ability to change the type of thinking process within the working memory may reduce cognitive load. Multimedia presents content in multiple manners, but we expect the information to be assessed in one manner or often just the correct answer. Multiple choice, true false, and matching with questions as text train us to do this. We see how having students view info graphics and even create infographics has shown students to prove assessment differently. Why is it, we don’t use multiple choice, true false, and matching questions with images and sounds to develop this analogical thought process? Students should be able to look at two different things and find the similarities to understand the transferable content between the two different items. This is often a test given in psychology comparing an apple to a fern, in how are they similar.

I am going to apply these thoughts and ideas to the nine examples Moreno and Mayer explain.

 

Mayer, R. E., & Moreno, R. (2003). Nine ways to reduce cognitive load in multimedia learning. Educational psychologist, 38(1), 43-52.