Creating Video Materials That
Reduce Cognitive Load and
Support Student Learning
Scott Wojtanowski, PhD
Teaching & Learning Technologies
UW-River Falls
3
Northwest Regional Instructional Technology Showcase, E with Learning
Technology: Efficiency, Effectiveness and Engagement
University of Wisconsin- Stout, February 2013
Learning Technology Development Council (LTDC) , UW System
Look beyond what is in vogue
Cognitive
Development
Melanie Ayres, PhD
Assistant Professor
Psychology, UW-River Falls
Scenario 1 - SunnySide Childcare Center
Today you are visiting your friend, Lucy Appleton, who works with children at
SunnySide
Childcare Center. Ms. Appleton works with ten children between the ages of 4 and 5.
She knows that you have been exploring different ideas the cognitive development of
children and suggests that you visit the room to apply your knowledge. Listed below is
This week at SunnySide, Ms. Appleton is having the children explore the idea of
"home." To help the children think about this idea, she provides each child with some
markers and paper and asks them to draw a picture of their home. Soon a flurry of
activity begins and she whispers to herself silently, "let the wild rumpus begin!" Lucy
looks around the room to see how the children are doing.
Jane jumped right to it and began working at
her table. Like many of her friends, Jane
started off her drawing by including the sun on
the top of her paper. Included in the middle of
her page was a square with several smaller
squares included (see figure 1). Ms. Appleton
visits with Jane and asks Jane to talk about the
picture she drew. Jane replies, "well this is my
house. I live there with my daddy (bottom­
middle) and my mommy (right) and there I am
laooears to be sittina on too of the house).
How do we get there?
--- I
I
\
31
NIAGARA FALLS
A quick exercise . . .
So what?
Information Processing Theory
l
t
Sensory
Register
I
long-Term
Memory
Short-Term
Memory
Short Term Memory
Cognitive load
l
I
Capacity
Decay
Chunking
Weeding
Off-Load
Visual Info to
Audio
Long Term Memory
f
Relationships
I
Schemas
I
Knowledge
I
Eliminate
Redundancy
7
f\.,nr.on
z-TT
Chunk information into manageable pieces
centered on one specific concept
Cognitive Development Video Lectures
These video lc<:turts wtll covN Piagtfs and Vygotsky's theones of cognitive: development.
V•deo
(8 mm) i eludes an introduction to Pi3gefs Theory- Cognitive Development Part 1 V•deo lectu re
V•deo (6 mm) overs stage 1, the sensonmotor stage.CO<Jnittve Developmen t Part 2 V•deo Lectu re
V1deo (9 mm) overs stage 2, the preoperational stage: Coq n1t ive Development Part 3 Video lecture
V•deo (6 mm) overs stage 3, the concrete operat•onal stage and stage 4, the formal operat•onal stage: Cognittve
0f'velobmenr Pa 4 Video Lecture
Vtdeo
(11 min mcludes an evaluation of Ptaget's Theory as well a video clip of some mfant research on obJect
perma ence: Co nit•ve Oeveloomen t Part S Video Lectu re
Vjdeo
(9 min)
views Vygostky's Theory: Cognit ive Deye!ooment Part 6 Video Ltctyrc
Prepare shorter videos to focus on
topic and avoid "learner fatigue"
Z-TT
Use examples that demonstrate concepts to students rather than
simply providing information.
This v1deo (l mmutes) shows you the type of task P•aget used to test whether children understood conservatton. You can
see In this v•deo some or the ch•ldren understand conservation <tnd others do not yet. Accord•ng to Piaget, during the
Preoperatconal Stage children do not yet understand conservation and would make mistakes on these tasks.
This short (1 1/2 minute} Vldeo shows you P1aget's Three Mountain Task, which tests for children's ab1hty to take the
perspect•ve of others. He believed that children '" the Preoperat•onal Stage had a d•fflcuh hme tak•ng the perspectwe of
others.
Anchored information in a "real-world" example or problem that
communicates the concept.
Segments of research conducted in the field were used.
Windows
Mac
Windows or Mac
Images available through Creative Commons
Running | B Tal | http://www.flickr.com/photos/b-tal/3419770273
Finish | jayneandd | http://www.flickr.com/photos/jayneandd/4450623309/
Child | JOHN CORVERA | http://www.flickr.com/photos/jocorvera/2928619700
You are Here | Quasimondo | http://www.flickr.com/photos/quasimondo/138297060/