It is good to be challenged, but do I agree with Phil Banyard’s argument in the previous article? Is the non-stick frying pan analogy misleading? This is because it invites us to look for something concrete and universal. Psychology’s ‘inventions’ tend to be in the form of theories that help us understand and respond to a situation — sometimes a very particular situation that most of us don’t encounter every day. They nonetheless have a profound impact on how at least some people carry out a range of tasks that impact on many others. So, what are my personal frying pans?
I’m a psychologist and learning technologist/instructional designer. This means that I develop and launch interactive learning tools and train teachers how to use these as well as more conventional software in ways that promote effective learning. I constantly think in terms of a range of psychological theories, but one in particular qualifies as a non-stick frying pan. Cognitive load theory (CLT) (discussed in detail by John Sweller in PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW, Vol. 27, No. 2) helps me think about how efficiently I’m putting across information.
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