What is a core idea of cognitive load theory?

• A. Focus only on rote repetition.
• B. Manage working memory by not presenting too many items at once.
• C. Learning occurs only through observation.
• D. Motivation is the sole determinant of learning.

Answer: (B)

Working memory has limited capacity, so instruction should avoid overloading it. Cognitive load theory focuses on how much information is being processed at once and aims to keep that load within what learners can handle so they can actively process, chunk, and connect new material with what they already know. Not presenting too many items at once helps prevent cognitive overload, allowing better encoding and later retrieval. Other ideas like relying solely on rote repetition, learning only by observation, or treating motivation as the sole determinant don’t address how processing demands affect learning in real-time.