Learning to use or master software can be overwhelming. As you try to get to grips with new tools, there is a lot of information to process and retain. The sad irony is that if it all becomes too much, you won’t retain most of the information, and you’ll never figure out how the software can help you achieve your goals and objectives. So, why do our brains let us down when we’re trying to learn new tools? The answer can be found in an educational psychology concept developed in the late 80s called Cognitive Load Theory (CLT). What is cognitive load? In the late 1980s, the Australian educational psychologist John Sweller wrote a paper titled Cognitive Load During Problem Solving: Effects on Learning. I n it, Sweller argued that the human mind has limited working memory and can hold and process only 5-9 pieces of information at a time. The paper was revolutionary because it fundamentally challenged how educators approached the design of instructional materials and learning e...
