The concept of 'cognitive load' refers to the total amount of mental effort being used in the working memory. In educational settings, instructional design aims to manage this load to optimize learning. According to cognitive load theory, learning is hindered when the intrinsic complexity of the material, combined with the way it is presented, exceeds the learner's available working memory capacity. Extraneous cognitive load, which is caused by poor instructional design, can be reduced by simplifying the presentation, while germane load, which contributes to learning, should be encouraged. Research has shown that using worked examples and eliminating redundant information can significantly improve learning outcomes, especially for novices in a domain. However, as expertise increases, the benefits of such scaffolding diminish, suggesting that instructional support should be tailored to the learner's level of knowledge.