Sweller's Cognitive Load Theory in Action

What is it that enables students to learn from some classroom activities, yet leaves them totally confused by others?Although we can’t see directly into students’ minds, we do have Cognitive Load Theory, and this is the next best thing. Built on the foundation of all learning, the human memory system, Cognitive Load Theory details the exact actions that teachers can take to maximise student outcomes.Written under the guidance, and thoroughly reviewed by the originator of CLT, John Sweller, this practical guide summarises over 30 years of research in this field into clear and easily understandable terms. This book features both a thorough discussion of the core principles of CLT and a wide array of classroom-ready strategies to apply it to art, music, history, chemistry, PE, mathematics, computer science, economics, biology, and more.

“I would like to recommend this book in the highest possible terms to all educators who wish to familiarise themselves with cognitive load theory.”

‘I would like to recommend this book in the highest possible terms to all educators who wish to familiarise themselves with cognitive load theory’ -- Emeritus Professor John Sweller

Oliver (Ollie) Lovell is a secondary mathematics and physics teacher, and head of senior mathematics, in Melbourne, Australia. He has an insatiable curiosity for all things teaching and learning, and finds few things more enjoyable than gaining a new insight into what makes learning happen. For the past four years, Ollie has been interviewing educational leaders from around the world on the Education Research Reading Room podcast, dissecting their theories, and translating research insights into simple and actionable takeaways.Outside of teaching, Ollie is a Quaker, Effective Altruist, and co-founder of Dendro, a learning technology that – through the science of learning – empowers people to read and remember massive amounts of knowledge with ease and enjoyment .You can find Ollie on twitter at @ollie_lovell or at

What is it that enables students to learn from some classroom activities, yet leaves them totally confused by others? Although we can't see directly into students' minds, we do have Cognitive Load Theory, and this is the next best thing. Built on the foundation of all learning, the human memory system, Cognitive Load Theory details the exact actions that teachers can take to maximise student outcomes.Written under the guidance, and thoroughly reviewed by the originator of CLT, John Sweller, this practical guide summarises over 30 years of research in this field into clear and easily understandable terms. This book features both a thorough discussion of the core principles of CLT and a wide array of classroom-ready strategies to apply it to art, music, history, chemistry, PE, mathematics, computer science, economics, biology, and more.

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