Cultivating Attention
Distracted book cover
Paying attention is not a given. This is one of the key insights from James Lang's new book, Distracted: Why Students Can't Focus and What You Can Do About It. Lang points out that we seem to have an ideal vision of the past in which attention spans were not so short and frayed as they are today because of technology. But even before the proliferation of devices and screens, there was never exactly a golden age of long attention spans. Instead the brain continually seeks for stimulation and checks for possible threats and dangers. So distractibility is actually closer to the cognitive norm than rapt attention, even though the latter is crucial for learning. Thus, it may be more helpful to think of attention as something to be created, invited, or cultivated rather than assumed as a given. So how to cultivate attention? Lang devotes an entire book to the subject, and a series of advice essays for the Chronicle that are worth close attention. We pass along a few tips here.

  • Attention is reciprocal. If we expect students to pay attention in class, we have to pay attention to them. One way to do this is not only learn names but use them regularly. Think of how you suddenly perk up when you hear your name called. For students, hearing your name helps make you feel like you belong in the class. Name tags in Zoom make this relatively easy for online classes.

  • Lang shares a number of what he calls "signature attention activities" which are methods for close reading of texts or objects which impel students to slow down and see the familiar or overlooked with fresh eyes.

  • Carefully consider the tempo and pace of class sessions. Do students have a clear idea how long a lecture on a certain topic will last? If they know when the next break is, it can help students stay focused for the duration. Is there enough variety and novelty in class activities and order? Try writing down each distinct class activity on index cards and experimenting with different orders and durations.