When Graphics Lower Learning
Patti Shank,
eLearning Industry,
Mar 03, 2022
The title here is a bit misleading. The idea is that, if you want people to learn X, the graphic should show X and not, say, "Y", and not, say, "X,Y,Z,Q,P,R". Some graphics don't do this. These graphics don't actually 'lower' learning. Rather, the result of using the graphic is that, on average, people learn less well than they would with clear graphics. Expressed properly, this is a good point about the need for clear and effective graphics. Where I have problems with such a discussion is when it verges into pseudoscience, for example describing how graphics place "high demands on working memory, which is needed to process new information but is limited." (I note with irony that the cognitive load discussion distracts from the main point of the article, and how the example used in the cognitive load discussion is completely different from the example used in the main article - clearly showing the author violating the very point she's trying to make).
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