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 aim to manage cognitive load to optimize learning. According to cognitive load theory, learning is hampered when the working memory is overloaded with extraneous information that is not directly relevant to the task at hand. This can occur when a lesson includes unnecessary visuals or redundant text. Conversely, intrinsic cognitive load is the inherent difficulty associated with a specific topic, which cannot be reduced without simplifying the material itself. Effective teaching strategies therefore focus on reducing extraneous load while preserving the necessary complexity of the subject matter, allowing learners to allocate more mental resources to understanding and retaining core concepts.