The concept of 'cognitive load' refers to the total amount of mental effort being used in the working memory. In educational settings, instructional designers often seek to manage cognitive load to optimize learning outcomes. According to cognitive load theory, learners have limited working memory capacity, and if the complexity of the material (intrinsic load) is high, additional demands from the way it is presented (extraneous load) can hinder learning. However, effective instructional methods can reduce extraneous load and help learners allocate more resources to schema construction, which is essential for long-term retention. Recent research suggests that the use of multimedia, when properly designed, can facilitate learning by offloading some cognitive processes to the visual channel, but only if it does not create split-attention effects. Thus, understanding the interplay between different types of cognitive load is crucial for educators aiming to design efficient learning environments.