A schema can be defined as a cognitive construct that permits us to classify multiple elements of information into a single element according to the manner in which the multiple elements are used.
Schemas stored in long-term memory may be essential for us to function but they also can prevent us from seeing what would otherwise be obvious - Why not?
Real chess skill comes from acquiring automated schemas. - Civilisation advances by extending the number of important operations which we can perform without thinking about them
If a schema is triggered near the moment of learning, that learning is more permanent - Brain rules. First create a bucket and then fill the water
Schema construction vs Schema automation
Once a schema has been constructed, it becomes another, single, element that does not impose a heavy working memory load and can be used to construct higher-order schemas. The interacting elements are embedded in a schema that can be treated as a single element in the construction of more complex schemas.