Using faded worked examples in Chemistry to reduce extraneous cognitive load
Written by: Deepika Narula
3 min read
DEEPIKA NARULA, ST ALBANS SCHOOL,UK
Worked examples play a vital role between the teacher instruction and independent practice, and serve the purpose of scaffolding for students to experience guided practice. Since learning more about Cognitive Load Theory (CLT), I realised the A-level Chemistry course has many areas where the intrinsic load or the number of elements that must be simultaneously processed in the working memory and their interaction with each other is high (McGill, 2022, p. 70) and if extraneous load could be reduced, learners would not experience cognitive overload. Exploring worked examples seemed a practical way in which to optimise intrinsic load and reduce extraneous load so that the working memory is free to focus on the new knowledge. The Education Endowment Foundation report on metacognition puts guided practice after teacher modelling and before independent practice (EEF, 2018). Oliver Lovell (2020) clarifies that after the teacher has modelled the worked exam
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- Christodoulou D (2016) Making Good Progress. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) (2019) Metacognition and self-regulated learning: Guidance report. Available at: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/public/files/Publications/Metacognition/EEF_Metacognition_and_self-regulated_learning.pdf (accessed 6 February 2021).
- Lovell O (2021) ERRR #051 Michael Pershan on Worked Examples (podcast). In: Ollie Lovell. Available at: www.ollielovell.com/errr/michaelpershan/ (accessed on 4 March 2021).
- Lovell O (2020) Sweller’s Cognitive Load Theory In Action. Woodbridge: John Catt Educational.
- McGill R (2022) The Teacher Toolkit Guide to Memory. London: Bloomsbury.
insightful and great scaffolding