Attention
This type of attention allows students to focus on one task while ignoring distractions.
What is selective attention?
Sensory memory holds information for only this length of time.
What is a fraction of a second to a few seconds?
This part of working memory manages attention and coordinates information.
What is the central executive?
Long-term memory has a virtually this capacity.
What is unlimited?
Cognitive load refers to the amount of this used in working memory.
What is mental effort?
A teacher moving closer to a distracted student uses this strategy to regain focus.
What is proximity control?
The visual sensory memory system is called this.
What is iconic memory?
Research suggests working memory can hold about this many items at once.
What is about 5–9 items? (or ~7±2)
Facts, concepts, and general knowledge are stored in this type of long-term memory.
What is semantic memory?
This type of load comes from the difficulty of the content itself.
What is intrinsic load?
Students’ attention is more likely to increase when lessons include novelty, emotion, or surprise.
What are attention-getting strategies?
The auditory sensory memory system is called this.
What is echoic memory?
Repeating information to keep it active in working memory is called this.
What is rehearsal?
Personal experiences and events are stored in this type of memory.
What is episodic memory?
Poor instruction or too many distractions create this type of load.
What is extraneous load?
This happens when students try to do two demanding tasks at once.
What is divided attention?
If a teacher speaks while students are not paying attention, the information likely fades from this system.
What is sensory memory?
Breaking information into meaningful groups to increase capacity is called this.
What is chunking?
The process of connecting new information to prior knowledge.
What is elaboration?
Teachers can reduce cognitive load by breaking tasks into smaller steps.
What is scaffolding?
This theory explains how learners select, organize, and integrate information.
What is information processing theory?
Information must pass this process to move from sensory memory to working memory.
What is attention?
When working memory becomes overloaded, learning and problem solving are likely to do this.
What is decrease or break down?
Memory for skills like riding a bike or tying shoes.
What is procedural memory?
This type of load supports learning and schema construction.
What is germane cognitive load?