Micro-courses　are　characterized　by　short　duration,　multiple　teaching　methods,　and　ease　of　dissemination.　With　the　increase　in　educational　informatization,　the　micro-course　has　become　a　significant　component　of　higher　education　in　China.　Based　on　cognitive　psychology　research,　the　present　study　divided　the　micro-course　learning　process　into　three　stages:　knowledge　acquisition,　search,　and　analysis.　A　comparative　cognitive　experiment　was　conducted,　with　students　randomly　assigned　to　micro-course　or　traditional　textbook　approach　groups.　This　article　proposes　a　cognitive　model　that　enables　a　quantitative　analysis　of　cognitive　time,　accuracy,　and　efficiency　in　both　types　of　teaching　methods.　Compared　with　those　exposed　to　traditional　textbook　learning,　students　exposed　to　micro-courses　had　a　shorter　cognitive　time　and　improved　cognitive　accuracy.　The　experimental　results　indicated　that　micro-courses　improved　cognitive　efficiency,　with　an　average　improvement　of　157.51%.　The　improvement　in　cognitive　efficiency　in　the　micro-course　group　was　much　more　striking　at　the　higher　cognitive　stages.　Similar　additional　experiments　were　conducted　to　evaluate　the　proposed　cognitive　model.　The　results　of　these　experiments　were　consistent　with　the　findings　reported　in　this　article,　leading　to　the　conclusion　that　the　proposed　cognitive　efficiency　model　is　accurate,　relatively　universal,　and　well-adapted.　This　model　could　be　used　to　inform　the　calculation　of　cognitive　efficiency,　micro-course　design,　and　evaluation.