The concept of 'cognitive load' refers to the total amount of mental effort being used in the working memory. In educational psychology, cognitive load theory suggests that learning is most effective when instructional materials are designed to minimize extraneous cognitive load, thereby freeing resources for the intrinsic processing necessary to understand complex material. However, recent studies have challenged the universality of this framework, indicating that the optimal level of cognitive load may vary depending on individual differences such as prior knowledge and learning style. For instance, novices benefit from highly structured guidance, while experts may experience redundancy when presented with excessive scaffolding, which can impede their performance. This has led to a more nuanced view, where the effectiveness of instructional design is contingent on the learner's stage of expertise.