ATD Blog
Eliminate Needless Mental Effort
Wed Sep 12 2018
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Designing for memory requires removing unnecessary demands on working memory. Doing this frees limited working memory for processing information and building schemas. The following typical-but-unfortunate issues cause needless mental effort and decrease the amount of mental effort available to learn:
Designing for memory requires removing unnecessary demands on working memory. Doing this frees limited working memory for processing information and building schemas. The following typical-but-unfortunate issues cause needless mental effort and decrease the amount of mental effort available to learn:
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unnecessary content
unnecessary content
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content that causes split attention
content that causes split attention
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content that moves fast and doesn’t allow for needed processing
content that moves fast and doesn’t allow for needed processing
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inappropriate control of the learning environment.
inappropriate control of the learning environment.
Remove Unnecessary Content
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Below are common content problems that cause harmful cognitive load and interfere with learning during instruction:
Below are common content problems that cause harmful cognitive load and interfere with learning during instruction:
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decorative pictures
decorative pictures
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background music
background music
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bells and whistles
bells and whistles
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extra content.
extra content.
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Decorative pictures are pictures that do not offer valuable information, but use memory resources nonetheless. The figure below is an example of a decorative picture on a content page. This picture doesn’t offer valuable information but uses mental effort.
Decorative pictures are pictures that do not offer valuable information, but use memory resources nonetheless. The figure below is an example of a decorative picture on a content page. This picture doesn’t offer valuable information but uses mental effort.
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Decorative pictures and background music distract focus away from critical content. Bells and whistles (sound effects, moving text, dancing pigs, and so forth) also divert attention from what is important. Unnecessary content distracts attention and focus and makes these critical learning tasks harder:
Decorative pictures and background music distract focus away from critical content. Bells and whistles (sound effects, moving text, dancing pigs, and so forth) also divert attention from what is important. Unnecessary content distracts attention and focus and makes these critical learning tasks harder:
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making sense of new information
making sense of new information
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processing content
processing content
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recognizing what is important
recognizing what is important
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building schemas.
building schemas.
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Extra content added “just in case” uses extra effort to process—or, at least, to figure out if it is useful or needed. People using instruction should not suffer because we didn’t tie instruction to specific job needs. The image below shows a screen from a ladder safety course for construction workers with nonvaluable content. What content do you see that shouldn’t be there?
Extra content added “just in case” uses extra effort to process—or, at least, to figure out if it is useful or needed. People using instruction should not suffer because we didn’t tie instruction to specific job needs. The image below shows a screen from a ladder safety course for construction workers with nonvaluable content. What content do you see that shouldn’t be there?
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In my opinion, most of this content is off-target. The course isn’t about general construction accidents. It’s about preventing accidents with ladders—so the content on the slide does not apply to the learning objectives. Should people have to remember the exact percentage of construction accidents that result in death? Putting in a silly cartoon takes attention away from a serious issue and sends the wrong message.
In my opinion, most of this content is off-target. The course isn’t about general construction accidents. It’s about preventing accidents with ladders—so the content on the slide does not apply to the learning objectives. Should people have to remember the exact percentage of construction accidents that result in death? Putting in a silly cartoon takes attention away from a serious issue and sends the wrong message.
Try It
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Review the high-level storyboard in the table below for an employment discrimination lesson for new supervisors. Which elements do you think are unnecessary? The bolded content is likely unnecessary.
Review the high-level storyboard in the table below for an employment discrimination lesson for new supervisors. Which elements do you think are unnecessary? The bolded content is likely unnecessary.
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Lesson: Employment Discrimination/Title I
Lesson: Employment Discrimination/Title I
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Content Topic Topic | Content Activities Activities | Content Media Media |
Content What is employment discrimination/Title I What is employment discrimination/Title I | Content | Content Audio: Employee describing her case Audio: Employee describing her case |
Content Types of employment discrimination Types of employment discrimination | Content Match case to discrimination type Match case to discrimination type | Content Pictures of angry employees Pictures of angry employees Content
Content Images of court documents Images of court documents |
Content Legal consequences and remedies of employment discrimination Legal consequences and remedies of employment discrimination | Content Select the court cases that resulted in a finding of employment discrimination Select the court cases that resulted in a finding of employment discrimination | Content Pictures of people in the courtroom Pictures of people in the courtroom Content
Content Images of court documents Images of court documents |
Content Employment discrimination policies Employment discrimination policies | Content Scenarios: What policy applies Application exercises Scenarios: What policy applies Application exercises | Content Typical policies Video: Applying the policy Typical policies Video: Applying the policy |
Content Resources Resources Content
Content Title I Title I Content
Content Links to relevant cases Links to relevant cases | Content | Content |
Content Want to learn more? Check out my new book Want to learn more? Check out my new book Content Manage Memory for Deeper Learning Manage Memory for Deeper Learning Content . |