Exploring the Role of Cognitive Capacity and Adaptive Learning in Professional Education: A Scoping Review.

Abstract

With recent trends in holistic admissions to medical schools, students from a variety of backgrounds are matriculating. This presents challenges for the curriculum as medical schools assume a baseline foundation of knowledge and skills for those students. Although cognitive load is considered when delivering material, this scoping review aimed to explore the existing literature on cognitive capacity as it relates to academic performance of students in professional degrees. The results were summarized into four constructed themes-cognitive influence on learning and performance, experience and cognitive engagement, adaptive learning environments, and psychological and emotional aspects of learning. These themes can be pieced together to generate a definition of cognitive capacity and its implications on academics.