[2026] PTE Academic Listening - Highlight correct summary

John Sweller developed Cognitive Load Theory to explain why some students are better at building long-term schemas than others. The theory divides mental effort into three categories: intrinsic, extraneous, and germane. It is especially important in digital learning, where students often experience split-attention effects because they have to look at too many different sources at once.

Cognitive Load Theory highlights the limited capacity of working memory and the need for efficient instructional design. By distinguishing between intrinsic, extraneous, and germane loads, the theory provides a framework for reducing mental clutter and maximizing meaningful learning. Successful educational strategies must minimize unnecessary distractions and utilize multi-modal presentation to optimize knowledge acquisition and schema construction.

Cognitive Load Theory focuses on how students manage their working memory when using digital platforms. By using the modality effect, teachers can help students remember information through both hearing and seeing. However, the theory mostly warns about the dangers of decorative graphics and hard-to-use menus which make it difficult for students to study properly in a classroom setting.

Educational researchers believe that the only way to help students learn is to increase their germane load by providing more information. While intrinsic load is difficult to change, Cognitive Load Theory suggests that students should avoid using digital platforms entirely because they cause cognitive overload. Instead, long-term schemas are best built through simple, non-digital text-based learning methods.