Chapter two of e-Learning and the Science of Instruction discusses cognitive processes and the importance of considering them when designing instruction while also establishing the importance of connecting research with practice. One point in particular that resonates throughout the chapter is that educators should guide the use of technology by our knowledge of how learning works as opposed to what technology tools might seem to be best suited or most interesting in a particular situation. I also thought a lot about managing cognitive resources in e-learning environments. The online context presents so many opportunities for distraction which can lead to extraneous processing. However, when used appropriately, technology can aide in both essential and generative processing. Finally, there are four key processes which support e-learning: selecting and focusing on key information, rehearsing within the working memory and organizing for the purpose of integrating with existing knowledge in long-term memory, managing cognitive load, and then being able to retrieve new knowledge in the appropriate context when needed. Technology can either aid or hinder these processes. Research-based methods should guide instructional design.
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