Research School Network: Clips from the Classroom – Using worked examples to help reduce cognitive load in maths Jody Chan and Ed Marshall explain the why and how behind our new ​“Clips from the Classroom” video

There are times in maths lessons, when students have to learn what can be quite complex, multi-step processes in order to answer a question. This can prove to be quite challenging for students as they struggle to understand and remember all of the steps required, in the correct order and also be able to carry out each step correctly. This can mean they are soon cognitively overloaded as their working memory has been overwhelmed.

Dylan Wiliam once famously described Sweller’s Cognitive Load Theory as ​“The single most important thing for teachers to know”. Managing cognitive load is discussed in detail in the EEF’s Cognitive Science Review.

Cognitive load It is the amount of working memory that is being used when asked to process information or a task. It is comprised of two components: intrinsic load and extraneous load.

Intrinsic load refers to the level of challenge or difficulty inherent in the information or task. Worked examples reduce this load by breaking down complex problems into manageable steps, making it easier for learners to grasp the fundamental concepts without becoming overwhelmed by the complexity of the problem.

Extraneous load is the level of challenge or difficulty contained in the presentation of the information or task or by the environmental factors. When learners are given worked examples, the structure of the example helps minimise distractions and unnecessary steps. Therefore, students working memory stays focused on the information that is being taught.

I have been working with Ed Marshall a first-year maths ECT to help support the students in his class when facing these types of problems. In the video linked below we show how he uses worked examples to not only support students to reduce their cognitive load but also help him understand the exact point in the process his students are struggling.

Ed’s Explanation

I have used worked examples in my teaching of several topics, these all involved multistep often complex processes. From my initial planning of these topics, I quickly honed in on the necessary steps that students need to complete in order to work through this style of question. After some consideration, I realised that each step needed to meet three criteria:

- be explicitly clear,
- be absolutely necessary,
- follow on logically from the previous step.

I then spent time refining these questions for the particular topic I was teaching to make sure they best supported my students.

In the video this is the worked example I used:

When it came to teaching this lesson, I modelled each step to the class first, following the steps in exactly the same order and detail as shown on the slide above. Each student was provided with a printed version of the above slide as a reference for how to approach these questions. Students then worked through an example on mini whiteboards, one step at a time. This gave me an excellent opportunity to pick up on any misconceptions or mistakes early on and enabled me to address them before we moved on to the next step. This approach also meant that I could be confident that the class were progressing at the same rate and that no one had worked through the entire question whilst others were stuck at step one.

Once I was satisfied with their work on each step, I asked the students to work through an entire question, using their worked examples as a guide. Not only did the breakdown of steps, and provision of the worked example increase the success within the class, it also greatly increased the amount of working out that the students were showing, which helps to reinforce the practice that we want to see from the students in summative assessments.

On reflection, I have concluded it is important to consider the topic that’s being taught and whether the use of worked examples is appropriate or beneficial to the students. I believe that it lends itself to maths, given the procedural nature of some of the more complex topics. I also believe that ensuring the students know why each step is important within the process is of paramount importance. We want to teach for understanding and encourage students to think deeply about the topics that they are learning and the use of worked examples does come with a risk of encouraging rote learning and simply remembering the steps to a process as opposed to a deeper comprehension of why we follow those steps. Therefore, as well using mini white boards I often also use paired talk for students to discuss why each step of the process is necessary. The aforementioned risk perhaps leads worked examples to be a contentious subject within maths teaching across the UK given the prominence of the mastery approach to learning, however I believe with the right planning and focus on the ​“why?” it can be a valuable tool for all teachers, regardless of subject.

Whilst this blog and video focused on the use of worked examples in the context of maths lessons it is a useful process that can be applied to reduce students’ cognitive load in other subjects as well.