Professor Paul Ayres
Paul Ayres is a Professor in the School of Education (FASS). He is a researcher whose main focus is on learning and instruction. In particular he is a member of the group at UNSW that pioneered Cognitive Load Theory. He has authored a number of international journal articles that have examined various effects related to CLT such as the expertise reversal effect, split-attention, isolating elements, measuring cognitive load, the goal-free effect and worked examples.
A recent focus is on using technology and multimedia in learning, with a special interest on the role of mirror neurons in animated human movement instruction. He has an Australian Research Council Grant for this research in partnership with Fred Paas (Erasmus University, the Netherlands).
He is currently supervising a number of PhD students researching topics such as general problem solving strategies & brainstorming, worked examples & feedback, instructional design for chronic pain learners, human movement & instructional animations, multimedia & cognitive load, early entry of gifted students to university, and effective teaching of gifted students. He also has a broad interest in mathematics education.
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
Associate Editor for Applied Cognitive Psychology (2010-)
Chair for Division C Section 7 (Technology Research): 2009 American Education Research Association Annual Conference, San Diego
Conference Chair for the First International Conference on Cognitive Load Theory (March 2007, Sydney, Australia)
Media appearance on ABC Catalyst: TV Program on Cognitive Load Theory (2007)
Sabbaticals
2008 The Centre for Learning Sciences and Technologies, Open University of the Netherlands, Heerlen, NL
2004 Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA.
My Teaching
Undergraduate courses
EDST 1101 Educational Psychology 1
An introduction to the study of educational psychology which examines some aspects of development and of learning and instruction. Topics include: cognitive development, development of memory, the role of knowledge, problem solving and thinking, and an introduction to instructional methods.
Postgraduate courses
EDST5303 Human Cognitive Architecture
How human beings think, reason and solve problems. The basics of what is known about human thinking, including the major concepts, methods and research findings which have been produced overt he last half century, along with relevant applications.