Lately, I've seen a resurgence in the push toward more traditional, explicit instruction. Much of this seems to be a rightful reaction to an over-reliance on screens and to the challenges of students who can't seem to focus.
However, I actually think the deep challenges we face require deeper learning centered on authenticity and challenge.
And one of the best ways they can develop this depth advantage is through project-based learning.
Note that quality PBL includes many of the so-called traditional practices like explicit instruction (and direct instruction), guided practice, etc. This not only ensures that students learn the content at a deep level. It also allows them to learn the content through the project in a way that reduces something called cognitive load.
With that in mind, I want to address one of the very real challenges of deeper learning systems, like project-based learning and inquiry-based learning. In particular, what about the challenge of extraneous cognitive load? So, here is a deep dive into how we can design PBL in a way that reduces cognitive load.
Our Brains Need Rest
Imagine holding a ten-pound dumbbell above your head. For many people, that’s pretty easy. It’s what you do with a shoulder press or an overhead triceps extension. Now hold that weight for two minutes. It’s still possible but more challenging. Your arm might start shaking. Your muscles burn. Now hold it for fifteen minutes. An hour. Two hours. Over time, even a small amount of weight grows unbearable. Your muscles can only handle the weight for so long before needing a break for rest and recovery.
Similarly, when we’re learning, our brains can only handle so much information before needing a break. There’s a lot of interesting research in the book Rest, that suggests we are more productive and more creative when we spend time resting.
There’s a great article on this, where author Thomas Oppong wrote:
According to research, the brain gradually stops registering a sight, sound or feeling if that stimulus remains constant over time. You lose your focus and your performance on the task declines.
When faced with a long creative problem, it is best to impose brief breaks on yourself. Brief mental breaks will actually help you stay focused on your task and improve your idea generation approach. A structured downtime can help you do your best work.
We tend to generate redundant ideas when we don’t take regular breaks. If you’re hesitant to break away because you feel that you’re on a roll, be mindful that it might be a false impression. Your brain needs downtime to remain industrious and generate better ideas.
But it goes beyond simply needing a break or getting some rest. Just as a weightlifter can only hold a certain amount of weight in their hands, a human mind can only handle a certain amount of information in the moment. Dr. John Sweller coined the term “cognitive load” to describe the amount of information working memory can hold in the moment.
What is Cognitive Load?
Do you ever find yourself tuning out a lecture or an hour into it? The information might be good but you sometimes want to press “pause” and just take it all in? Maybe jot down a few notes? Perhaps think about it for a moment or talk to a neighbor?
Ever noticed that you tend to forget most information when you cram for a test? Perhaps you remember those college days when you slammed a few Red Bulls and stared, glassy-eyed at the highlighted text you were re-reading (a strategy that turns out to be largely ineffective). The next day, as you stare at the multiple choice exam, you find yourself wondering if it made any difference. You’re tired, irritable, and your brain feels fuzzy.
Or have you ever struggled with certain confusing diagrams or with with long, complicated verbal directions? You find yourself re-reading that weird schematic with arrows going everywhere and text on another page, all with the hopes that you will figure out how to assemble an armoir, which I’m pretty sure is just a fancy French word for closet or cabinet. But that being said, The Lion, The Witch, and the Armoir sounds like a pretty good title to me.
In each case, you’re dealing with the challenges of cognitive load. I created the following sketch video as a brief explanation of Cognitive Load Theory:
Cognitive Load Theory builds on Atkinson and Shiffrin’s model from information processing theory. Here’s how it works.
We all experience incoming information through our sensory memory. Think of this as anything we see, touch, hear, smell, and taste in the moment. Sensory memory is instantaneous and much of it is forgotten.
But some of the information moves to working memory. Working memory is what we are thinking in the moment. Here, the information is either forgotten or moved into long-term memory through a process called encoding, where the brain categorizes the information.
We can help ensure information moves from working memory to long-term memory through a rehearsal process. If you’ve ever repeated a phone number over and over again to remember it, or you’ve paraphrased information or put events in a sequence, then you’ve engaged in a rehearsal process.
Later, your working memory can retrieve information back into working memory.
More recently, Dr. Barbara Oakley, co-author of Uncommon Sense Teaching has introduced an approach based on cognitive science to reduce cognitive load through retrieval practice.
The bad news is that PBL can cause extraneous cognitive load in a way that presents students from mastering the content. The good news is we can design PBL instruction in a way that minimizes this type of cognitive load so that students can instead master the content at a deeper level.
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Let's Work Together!
I would love to work with your school, district, or conference! You might be interested in keynotes or workshops on ethical AI integration or deeper learning, PBL, and empowering students.
I still have some availability in June and September (with a few open dates in August). I'd also love to do something more in-depth throughout the school year as well. Most workshops and keynotes include participant access to my self-paced courses so that participants have access to professional learning after the day's event.
Please reach out to me at john@spencereducation.com or fill out the form on my speaking page and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. I can send you a PD catalog with all the details.
