Cognitive load makes problem solving inefficient

Cognitive load theory states that problem-solving is often not enough. We need to keep the details of our goal in our working memory, adding extra load that can interfere with schema acquisition.

• Students can solve problems faster when they are told how to solve the problem rather than trying to figure it out on their own.
• Exploratory style practice may work better for solving complex problems.

But, replacing all problem solving with worked-out examples is based on the assumption that we already understand what skills we need to solve a problem.