Is Student Attention Hard to Find? Teach the Rainbow

Where does the time go? Spring break came and went. The honeymoon phase of the semester is long gone and exams are taking over. Have you noticed your students struggling with attention and interest in your classes? Aside from the natural fluctuations of attention, we must consider that this March marked the third anniversary of the COVID-19 outbreak—three years of changes and hardships. In addition, student learning looks different than it did a decade ago, with social media shortening attention spans.

So, what can you do to get attention back when it’s dwindling or long gone? Here are some tips:

Quit assumptions

Every student’s educational path since 2020 had been compromised. We cannot assume that a student brings a certain degree of prior knowledge and is ready to succeed in you class. While this has always been true, the pandemic has strengthened the need for this mindset. Lisa Lawmaster Hess reminds us of the need to meet students where they are and that may be a different place than our expectations. Rather than believe things were “better” prior to the pandemic, and get stuck in a cycle of doubt that they will improve, one solution is to review study skills and learning know-how, such as reading comprehension, needed for the course to help students address gaps in knowledge and develop good study habits. If you are not sure how to provide this, UBalt’s academic coaches can bring their expertise to your class for a workshop or other form of support.

Grab their attention

How you start each class matters a lot when it comes to student attention and engagement. Incorporating meaningful transitions between content, activities, and prior topics are necessary in the first ten minutes of class. Consider starting out with thought-provoking prompts, reviewing prior course concepts, asking students to make connections through a concept map, or adding short writing tasks and reflections to break up lectures.

Close with a purpose

Leave students with meaningful connections and questions when class comes to an end. Some questions to consider include what the connections are to their own future careers and goals. How could today’s topic connect to upcoming content?

Teach the Rainbow

Too much of one thing, even if it seems effective, will not get you far. Too much lecturing will leave your students checked out, too many group discussions may strain nerves, and too much individual writing limits perspective. Is there science behind this? Yes! Grammer, Xu, and Lenartowicz (2021) found through electroencephalography (EEG) that students’ attention was related to types of instruction. Attention was highest when the participants were involved in groups or teams and independent work. Lecturing showed medium levels of student attention, followed by the lowest attention rates during video watching. Though students indicated that they enjoyed and even preferred watching videos in class, the data suggests that this kind of activity does not foster learning as much as it offers an opportunity to zone out. Thus, how about starting with a short reflection, presenting new content in a short lecture, moving into a small group activity, and then wrapping up class with a discussion? If you need some inspiration, check out this Active Learning Library with hundreds of classroom activities for any class size, modality, and level of comfort.

Small changes can go a long way when it comes to disrupting classroom monotony and catching student’s attention. The English professor and author of “Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons From the Science of Learning,” James M. Lang, is a great resource. If you are interested in learning more about improving your classroom experience, consider partnering with one of our CELTT consultants or designers. We are excited and ready to work with you!