Numerous technical terms exist related to cognition. Making sense of these is not an easy task. There are hundreds of terms for specific components of cognition, with many having the same or very similar meanings. What makes it difficult in dealing with these components of cognition is that they can mean different things in different settings. Some of the differences may reflect important scientific or theoretical nuances, but many are simply jargon specific to a particular discipline or profession.
The important thing to remember is that cognition and the components of cognition are important to understand because, as mentioned earlier, understanding how people think helps to understand how they learn. Understanding how people learn will help you as an instructional designer assist your clients in developing effective and efficient instructional interventions. You do not, however, need to be a cognitive scientist to have an adequate understanding of how people think.