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In this bulletin we:
•
“Help! While some of my students pay attention to my lectures, there are others whose minds are
clearly elsewhere. Despite setting ground rules at the beginning of the semester, it
is not uncommon for me to see my students chatting to each other, talking on
their mobiles, reading magazines, daydreaming and even sleeping. I also wonder
if the availability of wireless LAN on campus has made matters worse. I’d like to
think students are taking notes on their laptops they bring to class, but I don’t think this is the case! What
can I do to keep students’ attention so they get the most out of my teaching? ”
A. Teacher
Why do Students
“Zone Out”?
Helping Students to “Zone In”
We put A. Teacher’s problem to a
random group of undergraduate
students. Their observations about
this case, along with their observations
about their own experiences, offer
some helpful explanations why
students might “zone out” and stop
concentrating in class.
Recognise the limits of students’ attention
The ground rules we made in
our class at the start of the
semester are no use. The
teacher just keeps talking over
the talking students and so they
keep talking.
Wireless LAN is great.
Teachers think you are
reading their notes when
you’re catching up on
your life! You’ve got the
notes so there is need to
concentrate!
I work late at nights and so I
sometimes go to sleep in
class. I don’t think the
lecturer can see me because I
sit at the back. If he does, it
doesn’t really matter because
he doesn’t know my name.
One of my subjects is
very hard. Many of us
don’t understand the
subject and feel quite
helpless. Rather than ask
the teacher, we ask each
other for help. The
teacher may think we
are just chatting.
It’s hard to concentrate
when a teacher keeps
lecturing for a long time.
Giving us exercises would
help keep our attention.
Including more real-life
examples would help us
learn better.
Some of my friends come to class for
reasons other than learning!
If you want to get students into the learning zone and keep them there:
There is plenty of evidence to support the following points:
• Unless an activity is very interesting,
Attention
Do something
Do something
attention declines after about 15
different
different again
minutes.
• Various factors, such as the difficulty
of the subject, students’ motivation
and classmates’ behaviour, can impact
on attention and performance.
0
20 min
This evidence suggests some actions:
• Use the first 15 minutes to capture attention work on the “tough stuff”.
• Plan “breaks” (activities or even a rest) in lessons to allow attention to recover,
stimulate interest, and provide practice and feedback.
Time
Negotiate ground rules and stick to them
Negotiate a set of rules and procedures with your students that will create a
productive and respectful learning environment. Ask students for their co-operation
and advice if the rules are broken. (For more details, see “The First Class: Getting Off
to a Good Start” of the HELP series.)
Work at relationships
Students value and respect teachers who know what they are talking about. They are
also more respectful of teachers who they can relate to and who they feel they can
trust. Get to know your students. Learn their names. Get to class early so you can
talk with them as you wait together. Make sure your students know how to contact
you and listen to their concerns when they do. Small things count!
Fast interventions
Keep your “eye on the ball” and stay alert to what is going on. Inattention calls for
you to intervene quickly and respectfully. Use your judgement. If students start
talking while you are teaching, you might stop and wait for silence. Another time it
may be more appropriate to ask the talking students if there is a problem, or talk to
them after class to see what the problem is. Neighbour-talk might be no more than
students asking each other the questions they are too shy to ask you. Introduce a
task if students look bored.
©2008 The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Consider
reasons why
students don’t
pay attention.
• Suggest some things
to think about and
some activities to try
to get students’
attention.
Attending to (in)Attention
Give Them a Break!
The Rules of Engagement
Here are some activities to integrate into your teaching in
either small or large classes. They can be used to capture and
recapture students’ attention and provide them with feedback
about their learning.
Good planning, management, and communication are vital
for engagement.
Read your notes, write and ask a question
“Read back through your notes. You have two minutes to
write a question about something you do not understand...
Now, in the next two minutes, try and get an answer to your
question from your fellow students sitting close to you... Let’s
hear your unanswered questions.”
Write an exam question
“In pairs, write an exam question about today’s lesson.”
Voting stretch
“Everyone stand up and take a big stretch.
Now, all those who agree that [something
the students have been learning about] sit
down. If you disagree, stay standing.”
Walking and talking
“Read this quote and decide what you think the writer
means... Now, move from your seats and find someone you
don’t usually sit with...Take turns to explain your
interpretation...”
Spot the mistake
“Find the mistake in this problem [displayed on PowerPoint].”
Do some reading
“Go to Page 62 of your text. Read the case.”
Use laptops to find an example
“If you have your laptop here, you have
two minutes to find an example of [...].
If you don’t have your laptop, talk with
the person next to you and come up
with your own example.”
I’ve found a good example.
This is more interesting
than MSN!
Authors’ Favourite Attention-Keeping Activity!
©2008 The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
My Favourite Liar!
It is my intention to work
one lie into each of my
In the first class of a new
lectures. Your job is to
semester, a teacher told his
catch me in the “Lie of
students that he would tell a
the Day”.
single lie in each lecture. “This
was an insidiously brilliant
technique to focus our attention...” writes
one student.
The lies got more subtle as the semester
proceeded. Opportunities for learning abounded,
both in and out of class, as students tried to catch
their teacher out. Read how momentum was maintained!
http://www.overcomingbias.com/2008/02/my-favorite-lia.html
Creative planning
• Think of a hook. Is there a problem, a case, an issue or a
challenge that will stress importance and grab attention?
• Find concrete examples that everyone can understand.
• Use a variety of media as well as different activities – video
clips, graphs, pictures, models, whiteboard – whatever it
takes to make the class compelling.
• Interactive handouts make students work. Leave room for
students to solve a problem, note down examples from
their own experience, make notes from an interview they
conduct with their neighbour, and more.
Manage yourself, manage the students
• What messages does your body language convey? Look
frightened and the students will think you are!
• Move around. Teach from the aisles or the back of the
room on occasion. Move to where the disruptive or the
inattentive students are sitting and teach from there. You’ll
notice some changes!
• Get involved. If you set a task, check on understanding
and progress. Clear verbal and visual instructions help but
walk around to see that students are “on task” and
understand what is expected of them.
• Know how to bring things to a stop. Agree with the
students on a signal that means you want their full
attention. You might rap on the blackboard or turn down
the lights. You might raise your hand and, as the students
see your raised hand, they raise their own to show they
know to stop.
I want to tell you
• Convey your
something that is
very exciting...
enthusiasm. Let
If it is so
students know
exciting, why
what you find
don’t you
sound more
exciting in your work.
excited?
• Continue to develop
your presentation skills.
Some content demands
a punchy delivery; other
content may suit a slower, more charismatic style.
• Use pauses to highlight importance, provide thinking
time, or draw attention to inattention.
• Eye contact, when it is culturally appropriate, provides a
sense that you are engaging with individuals and groups.
Contact Us
Educational Development Centre
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon
Phone: 2766 6292
Fax: 2334 1569
Email: [email protected]
This issue of H.E.L.P.! was written by Adele Graham and Sam Graham.
Screen Beans Art © A Bit Better Corporation
Read
online at: http://edc.polyu.edu.hk/help
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