Ever felt overwhelmed by a mountain of information? Your learners probably have too.
🧠 WHAT WE LEARNED: A recap!
After learning how to effectively deliver instruction with Gagné’s Nine Events in our last article, learning about Chunking will help us break content into manageable bits to optimize cognitive load and improve retention.
When faced with large volumes of information, learners often experience 'cognitive overload.' This makes it difficult to process everything, resulting in them becoming frustrated and disengaged in the learning. This is even truer when learners don't have the effective strategies in their learning toolkit to manage or prioritize information (Wieczorkowska-Wierzbińska, 2017).
That’s why chunking is such an effective strategy in eLearning—it breaks down complex content into clear, manageable pieces, making learning simpler and more memorable. 💡
In 1988 John Sweller published his work on something called Cognitive Load Theory and knowing about it plays a huge role in understanding why structured learning content really matters.
🍫 What is Chunking?
Chunking is a strategy from Cognitive Load Theory that makes complex information easier to process. By breaking content into smaller, meaningful units, learners can maintain focus and retain information better. Research by Miller (1956) suggests that our memory can handle about 7 (+/- 2) items at a time, this is known as Miller's Law. Chunking reduces cognitive strain, making content easier to understand and remember.
🔍 Why Chunking Works
Chunking works because it minimizes cognitive overload. Our brains can only process so much information at once, and when too much is presented, it becomes difficult to retain anything. By structuring content into digestible units, we help learners absorb information in a way that’s aligned with their natural cognitive processes. For example, breaking a complex project management course into smaller modules like 'Setting Project Goals,' 'Resource Allocation,' and 'Risk Management' allows learners to focus on one concept at a time, making it easier to retain and apply what they learn.
Think of it like assembling a jigsaw puzzle—instead of just trying trying to find pieces that match, instead we would start by organizing the pieces into different colors, then we might take the edge pieces out and put them together first, then we would work on a section of the puzzle at a time, making the task more manageable. 🧩
✨ How to Effectively Chunk Content
Identify Key Concepts: Start by identifying the key concepts or skills you want learners to acquire. Each chunk should focus on one main idea to avoid overloading the learner.
Organize Logically: Arrange content in a logical flow. You could go from simple to complex, foundational knowledge to advanced topics, or step-by-step processes. This logical progression helps learners build on what they’ve learned.
Set Time Limits: Aim for each chunk to take around 10-15 minutes to complete. Research indicates that adults tend to maintain peak attention for 10-15 minutes, making this timeframe ideal for retaining focus and minimizing cognitive overload (Bradbury, 2016).
Use Multimedia: Support each chunk with visuals like diagrams, videos, or infographics. Different formats help reinforce the content and cater to various learning styles. 🎥📝
🛠️ Chunking in Action
Imagine you’re creating a leadership training module. Instead of overwhelming learners with everything at once, you could break it into bite-sized topics like “Communication Styles,” “Conflict Resolution,” and “Giving Constructive Feedback.” Each of these topics is covered in a short, focused segment that learners can complete in about 10-15 minutes, helping them progress at a comfortable pace.
🚀 Benefits of Chunking
Improved Retention: By focusing on one piece of content at a time, learners are more likely to remember what they’ve learned.
Reduced Overwhelm: Breaking information into smaller parts makes learning less daunting and more approachable.
Increased Engagement: Learners are more likely to stay engaged when they can see steady progress through bite-sized content.
Chunking for Better Learning
Chunking is a foundational strategy for creating effective eLearning. By breaking down content into manageable pieces, instructional designers can ensure that learners stay focused, retain more information, and progress smoothly through the course. The goal is to align content with how the brain naturally works—making learning experiences less of a mountain to climb and more of a rewarding journey, one small piece at a time. 🚀
🌐 UP NEXT: The SAM Model - Rapid Prototyping
Coming up in the next eLearning Ignited article, we’ll explore the SAM Model—a rapid prototyping approach that makes building eLearning content faster and more flexible by iterating based on learner feedback.
If you're interested in taking your learning programs to the next level, REACH OUT to BrightSpark! Our instructional design experts can help you create impactful, learner-friendly content that drives real results.
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