Work in progress - Cognitive scaffolding in contemporary computer documentation

This work in progress examines cognitive scaffolding in the instructional design of contemporary computer documentation. It illustrates how the cognitive theories of advance organizers, load theory, and normal ordering may be applied to educational technology and classroom instruction to create more effective computer documentation. I will research the macrostructures common in contemporary computer documentation; note how electronic instructional materials—in particular, electronic instructional materials such as online help systems, software demonstrations, and interactive simulations—have changed discourse processing; and explore how most effectively to present instructional information with the advent of electronic instructional materials using rich media technology. Index Terms Advance organizers, Cognitive load, Schema, Normal ordering, Macrostructures.