Page 78 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol 6(2) (2018)
P. 78
dia universitatis her editati, letnik 6 (2018), številk a 2 78terpreters to devise means that contribute to thery inputs (Baddeley 2007; Broadbent 1958; Pa-
social exchange between visitors (Simon 2010). ivio 1990). When processing two or more tasks
hereditati of the same type, one or another will likely get
In average people spend less than 10 seconds attenuated or impaired. Text is verbal informati-
at one sign and read only about 10 % of exhibits on, which is processed in the Phonological loop
(Caputo, Brochu and Lewis 2008, 6). Whate- (Baddeley 2007), a brain centre in charge of re-
ver media visitors encounter, they subconscio- ading, listening, talking or recalling stored ver-
usly calculate whether is it worth attending or bal information from the memory. According
not. This cost-benefit calculation is called Fracti- to Dual-Coding Theory (Paivio 1990) dealing
on of selection. Namely, if the degree of effort that with two or more tasks of the same modality, in
one invests into the reading, appears higher than our case verbal information, cause a bottleneck
the reward expected, they mainly choose not to effect. Knowing this, one can realise how diffi-
attend (Zimmerman, Gross and Buchholz 2008, cult task is reading, while the Phonological loop
24). This decision is taken very quickly, based on is also dealing for example with listening to a di-
the Drawing power of a medium (Sandifer 2003). stant audio track or to other people in the room
As a visitor first encounters a medium, creates an or when our brain is dealing with many other
overall impression from the distance. If a me- thoughts.
dium possesses the so called Attraction power, a
visitor approaches closer and quickly examines In Cognitive Load Theory (Sweller 2011)
the medium in a couple of seconds. Usually such three types of load are recognised: intrinsic co-
medium must be visually attractive. When a visi- gnitive load, which is intrinsic to the nature of
tor starts reading, at first only scanning the text, the task (e.g. difficulty of concepts presented, vo-
but sometimes also reading in more detail, then cabulary level, terminology, genre, etc.); extrane-
such medium possesses a Holding power. When ous cognitive load, which is posed by the manner
a visitor, instructed by the text, is looking arou- of presentation (like amount and distribution of
nd the place for original phenomena that were text, design, fonts, etc.) and germane cognitive
described or tasks to which the text invited, such load, which depends on the individual’s cogni-
medium has an Engagement power. tive processes, based on the pre-existing schemas
and knowledge and working memory capacities.
However, considering that people visiting
heritage sites are interested in the heritage, why While interpreters have no immediate in-
is the attendance to panels and labels so low? fluence on the last category of cognitive load,
Why they so often conclude that the reward is much can be done for the reduction of intrin-
not worth an effort? Moreover, the research also sic cognitive load. Especially if we expect audien-
show that the majority of visitors to the herita- ces, that possess little if any knowledge about the
ge site is traditionally well educated and work in subject matter, a narrative text, which describes
managerial and professional positions (Booth et events and relations in a causal or thematic chain
al. 2017). Why then the reading presents such a (Wolfe and Mienko 2007), would increase lear-
challenge? ning. For more knowledgeable individuals might
be offered additional expository text (Wolfe and
Our brain is a busy place Mienko 2007), which describes structures and
Every presentation intended to public shall be processes. Other general guidelines recommend
planned in respect to human cognition. Wor- using a simple, emotive and descriptive langua-
king memory capacities and limitations play an ge, preferably on the level of 10-12 years of age,
important part in individual’s information pro- with avoiding specific terminology, with presen-
cessing, understanding and learning. Many the- ting only the most important facts, etc.
ories argue about different bottlenecks in our
brain, which permit through only certain senso- In order to avoid unnecessary extraneous
load, the design should allow to break out the
social exchange between visitors (Simon 2010). ivio 1990). When processing two or more tasks
hereditati of the same type, one or another will likely get
In average people spend less than 10 seconds attenuated or impaired. Text is verbal informati-
at one sign and read only about 10 % of exhibits on, which is processed in the Phonological loop
(Caputo, Brochu and Lewis 2008, 6). Whate- (Baddeley 2007), a brain centre in charge of re-
ver media visitors encounter, they subconscio- ading, listening, talking or recalling stored ver-
usly calculate whether is it worth attending or bal information from the memory. According
not. This cost-benefit calculation is called Fracti- to Dual-Coding Theory (Paivio 1990) dealing
on of selection. Namely, if the degree of effort that with two or more tasks of the same modality, in
one invests into the reading, appears higher than our case verbal information, cause a bottleneck
the reward expected, they mainly choose not to effect. Knowing this, one can realise how diffi-
attend (Zimmerman, Gross and Buchholz 2008, cult task is reading, while the Phonological loop
24). This decision is taken very quickly, based on is also dealing for example with listening to a di-
the Drawing power of a medium (Sandifer 2003). stant audio track or to other people in the room
As a visitor first encounters a medium, creates an or when our brain is dealing with many other
overall impression from the distance. If a me- thoughts.
dium possesses the so called Attraction power, a
visitor approaches closer and quickly examines In Cognitive Load Theory (Sweller 2011)
the medium in a couple of seconds. Usually such three types of load are recognised: intrinsic co-
medium must be visually attractive. When a visi- gnitive load, which is intrinsic to the nature of
tor starts reading, at first only scanning the text, the task (e.g. difficulty of concepts presented, vo-
but sometimes also reading in more detail, then cabulary level, terminology, genre, etc.); extrane-
such medium possesses a Holding power. When ous cognitive load, which is posed by the manner
a visitor, instructed by the text, is looking arou- of presentation (like amount and distribution of
nd the place for original phenomena that were text, design, fonts, etc.) and germane cognitive
described or tasks to which the text invited, such load, which depends on the individual’s cogni-
medium has an Engagement power. tive processes, based on the pre-existing schemas
and knowledge and working memory capacities.
However, considering that people visiting
heritage sites are interested in the heritage, why While interpreters have no immediate in-
is the attendance to panels and labels so low? fluence on the last category of cognitive load,
Why they so often conclude that the reward is much can be done for the reduction of intrin-
not worth an effort? Moreover, the research also sic cognitive load. Especially if we expect audien-
show that the majority of visitors to the herita- ces, that possess little if any knowledge about the
ge site is traditionally well educated and work in subject matter, a narrative text, which describes
managerial and professional positions (Booth et events and relations in a causal or thematic chain
al. 2017). Why then the reading presents such a (Wolfe and Mienko 2007), would increase lear-
challenge? ning. For more knowledgeable individuals might
be offered additional expository text (Wolfe and
Our brain is a busy place Mienko 2007), which describes structures and
Every presentation intended to public shall be processes. Other general guidelines recommend
planned in respect to human cognition. Wor- using a simple, emotive and descriptive langua-
king memory capacities and limitations play an ge, preferably on the level of 10-12 years of age,
important part in individual’s information pro- with avoiding specific terminology, with presen-
cessing, understanding and learning. Many the- ting only the most important facts, etc.
ories argue about different bottlenecks in our
brain, which permit through only certain senso- In order to avoid unnecessary extraneous
load, the design should allow to break out the
