Coherence: The architecture of effective learning

Coherence refers to a state of a system of ideas and behaviors in which all of the components form a consistent, unified whole. This paper explores the concept of coherence as it is used in cognitive science and instructional design, and discusses several hypotheses around why decoherence is pervasive in corporate learning as it is currently conceived in order to offer potential solutions. We will also touch upon the mechanisms that may give rise to coherence in networks of neurons in the brain. Our aim is to establish the importance of coherence and to provide useful strategies for how to increase the efficacy of learning design through a deliberate emphasis on creating coherence for the learner.