Visual Turn

Two very different types of knowledge

There are as least three powerful insights from recent studies of the brain that support cognitive science research findings:

First, our brains learn and process two very different types of knowledge: non-conscious, automated knowledge, and conscious, controllable, declarative knowledge. Evidence also suggests that we believe we control our own learning by conscious choice, when in fact nearly all mental operations are highly automated, including learning and problem solving.

Second, human beings have a very limited capacity to think during learning and problem solving and when that capacity is exceeded, thinking and learning stop without us being aware. Thus instruction and self-managed learning must strive to avoid cognitive overload.

Third, nearly all of our instructional design and cyber-learning theories and models fail to account for the influence of non-conscious cognitive processes and therefore are inadequate to deal with complex learning and performance.

Clark, Richard E. (2010). Cognitive and neuroscience research on learning and instruction: Recent insights about the impact of non-conscious knowledge on problem solving, higher order thinking skills and interactive cyber-learning environments. Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Education Research. http://www.aect.org/publications/whitepapers/2010/ICER3.pdf