Managing cognitive load - Recent trends in Cognitive Load Theory

The contributions in this special issue have been discussed with regard to the management of CL. In summary, the majority of the contributions investigate the worked example effect in order to reduce ECL. Furthermore, a new way of external management by artificially reducing ICL is discussed as well as the recent trend of managing an increase in GCL so as to redirect the learners' attention. This special issue highlights the crucial role of adequate design of computer-based learning environments which should rely on the recommended CLT-design principles. Finally, it was suggested to not only consider the external management of CL but also learners' internal management strategies. Thus, in order to further develop CLT the question of how learners really deal with CL should be addressed with the help of process analysis in future research. Finally, an important conceptual differentiation should be emphasised, which has neither been discussed in this special issue nor in other CLT-studies. With respect to learning criteria, one may distinguish studies that aim at short term learning performance and studies that aim at long term skill development and competence acquisition. Earlier research mainly investigated ECL-reduction with short time learning periods focusing on learning performance measures within one task. In contrast, more recent work is increasingly studying complex skill development based on several problem tasks. In my opinion for short term learning performance the classical ECL-reduction effects (e.g., split-attention, redundancy, modality) appear to be more significant, whereas for long term skill development deeper elaboration processing induced by external GCL-management and/or effective internal management seem more effective measures. Future research on CLT also needs to consider this conceptually driven distinction.