Thursday, March 12, 2015

Attention Structures

A lot of teachers make explicit instructions about the use of portable devices in the classroom. They don’t allow students to be on their laptops or their phones or tablets while class is in session. They fear that students cannot pay attention or will engage in web surfing, texting, or email while they are trying to instruct. I have not found this to be a problem in my classes. Students use their phones and laptops as much as they want in my classes. Students don’t seem to be disruptive in my classes as a result of using mobile devices. Part of this situation is likely due to two things: 1) it is difficult to get a WIFI signal in ASH 145 and 2) most of the work we do in my classes involves hands on projects. If a student wants to bring her/his own laptop, I would not tell them they couldn’t, especially given that they probably purchased the Adobe creative cloud. Why would I prevent students from using their own laptops? Of course, not everyone teaches in a computer classroom, so the instruction is often very different.

I’m often one of those people who likes to multitask. I can write, text, Facebook, and email simultaneously, at least that’s what I like to think. Part of my ability to do this is my training as a secretary. A secretary has to be able to handle multiple tasks at the same time. I learned to answer phones, type a letter, take care of a personal request, and greet newcomers into the office all at the same time. But I wonder how much I can really do that. When I’m writing, I have to pay full attention. When I’m reading theory, I need quiet in order to pay attention. Otherwise, I like mild chaos. I feel I pay better attention when there’s background noise. I always assume that students can do the same but lately, a couple of students have told me that they need absolute quiet. I wonder if there were others who just haven't spoken up. But I believe in the chaos of the workshop style I use to teach. I think we learn by doing and by seeing/talking about what others’ are doing.


Are we living in an attention economy as Jones and Hafner note? If so, how do we develop strategies for dealing with that kind of stress? Even as I write this post, I am also thinking about a presentation I have to give next week. Travel always stresses me out, so I’m making lists in my head as I write. I have the TV on in the other room for background noise, and I have Facebook open on one of my monitors. In the midst of all that, I received a text that needs my attention. This is why I learned to multitask. From an attention economy perspective, which tasks have the most value? Which project should have most of my attention? Students? Presentation? Both probably. From a broader perspective, I want to pay attention to/learn more about the stock market in terms of my retirement funds. Each year that I get closer to retirement, that claim on my attention becomes more pronounced. I want to pay off my student loans—always a part of my background thinking when focused on financial issues. I want to teach new classes that require a lot of preparation—a task I would claim as needing a lot of attention especially given that the bookstore already wants book orders for fall. New classes are exciting, but a significant amount of work. And so on—there’s always something that wants my attention.

1 comment:

  1. I appreciate being able to bring in my laptop to class but in a few of my other classes (even when students have been asked NOT to bring them in) it bothers me when they do and are obviously not paying attention. The classes are not structured the same either; we are discussing literature essays. It is none of my business, so I do not say anything but it is distracting to me for some reason. I also know what you mean by multi-tasking. Since you mentioned having background noise, etc. I wondered if you know your learning style? I like all these types of tests, helping me figure out what makes me tick. When I worked with youth (as a houseparent), we found out that some kids concentrate so much better with background noise while others worked better by themselves in a quiet room. (Some had to be touching something like Playdoh or those stretchy erasers and it really helped them to stay on task.) And also, like you mentioned, there are too many demands on my attention. I thought this would get better but it hasn't. I like to be busy and hate "having nothing to do" but it does really tire me.

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