ERIC Number: EJ1267439
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Sep
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1931-7913
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Available Date: N/A
Attention Matters: How Orchestrating Attention May Relate to Classroom Learning
Keller, Arielle S.; Davidesco, Ido; Tanner, Kimberly D.
CBE - Life Sciences Education, v19 n3 Feature 5 Sep 2020
Attention is thought to be the gateway between information and learning, yet there is much we do not understand about how students pay attention in the classroom. Leveraging ideas from cognitive neuroscience and psychology, we explore a framework for understanding attention in the classroom, organized along two key dimensions: internal/external attention and on-topic/off-topic attention. This framework helps us to build new theories for why active-learning strategies are effective teaching tools and how synchronized brain activity across students in a classroom may support learning. These ideas suggest new ways of thinking about how attention functions in the classroom and how different approaches to the same active-learning strategy may vary in how effectively they direct students' attention. We hypothesize that some teaching approaches are more effective than others because they leverage natural fluctuations in students' attention. We conclude by discussing implications for teaching and opportunities for future research.
Descriptors: Attention, Attention Control, Classroom Techniques, Cognitive Processes, Active Learning, Teaching Methods, Audience Response Systems, Instructional Effectiveness, Measurement Techniques
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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