What it says. Cognitive load theory builds on the limits of working memory. Learning suffers when too much is presented at once or when the presentation adds needless difficulty. Some load is the material itself, some is wasted load from confusing design, and some is the productive effort of building understanding. The goal is to cut the wasted load and protect room for the productive kind.

What it means for your teaching. Present new material in manageable chunks. Remove clutter from slides and documents. Avoid splitting attention across sources students must hold at once, such as a diagram placed far from its label. Worked examples help beginners before you ask them to solve on their own, and you can reduce that support as students gain expertise.