The Relationship Between Cognitive Offloading and the Transient Information Effect

Within the Cognitive Load Theory framework, the transient information effect suggests that learning with transient information before learners can adequately process the information reduces performance, compared to learning information presented in a non-transient way. Cognitive offloading is a process whereby people externalise internal information onto the environment, making the information more accessible and so less transient, supporting task performance by reducing cognitive demands. To date, the two effects have been investigated separately but share similar underlying cognitive mechanisms, whereby both seek to reduce the cognitive load on an individual by making information more accessible and/or less transient to maximise performance. This paper discusses the similarities and differences between the two effects and proposes some new research directions by considering the two effects together.