Reduce Load Before Adding Content

Cognitive Load Theory matters because instructional design is not the act of packaging information; it is the act of arranging conditions so a learner can perform differently in a real context. A strong designer therefore asks what change is required, what evidence would prove the change, what prior knowledge learners bring, what support the environment provides, and what practice will make the performance more likely. The mechanism is alignment: the outcome, assessment, activity, feedback, and follow-up all have to point at the same performance target. When one part points elsewhere, learners feel busy but do not transfer the skill. In…

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