The concept of 'cognitive load' refers to the total amount of mental effort being used in the working memory. In educational psychology, it is often divided into three types: intrinsic, extraneous, and germane. Intrinsic load is associated with the inherent difficulty of the material itself, which cannot be altered by instructional design. Extraneous load, on the other hand, is generated by the way information is presented to learners, and can be reduced through better instructional methods. Germane load is the mental resource devoted to constructing and automating schemas, which is beneficial for learning. Research suggests that effective teaching should minimize extraneous load while optimizing germane load, allowing learners to focus on deep understanding rather than on confusing formatting or irrelevant distractions.