Cognitive load theory proposes that the human brain has limited working memory but unlimited long-term memory. It aims to develop instructional techniques that fit within the constraints of working memory to maximize learning. The theory supports explicit models of instruction where teachers clearly demonstrate skills rather than having students discover information. It posits that knowledge is stored in long-term memory as schemas that organize information and reduce cognitive load by acting as single elements in working memory despite complexity. Developing schemas allows combining of elements into higher-order schemas in a way that bypasses working memory limits and automates information processing.